Customer Reviews

Good Times

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The grand experiment that was Sony's Lucky Dog imprint never really managed to turn the renegades (Bruce & Charlie Robison, Jack Ingram, BR549, The Derailers, among others) into commercial stars, and one-by-one, they're fruitfully returning to their indie roots. To give the label its due, the albums these artists put out under the Lucky Dog imprint, smoothing out rougher edges with mainstream production hands, were artistically interesting, if not commercially successful.

Perhaps none of the Lucky Dog releases benefited more from this combination than Robison's 2000 release, "Step Right Up," with its flagship single, "Right Man for the Job." As a man in transition (recently married, soon-to-be father), the album found Robison advancing his party-boy songwriting to more adult (but not necessarily less rowdy) subjects. This follow-up, waxed for the busy Dualtone label (and recorded in Austin, TX with Lloyd Maines at the board), finds Robison a few more years into his marriage and two years into fatherhood. He's neither as prickly as on his earlier releases, nor as radio-polished as on his last, resting instead in a middle ground of mid-life.

The album isn't filled with autobiographical songs of family life (though the lascivious "Love Means Never Having to Say You're Hungry" and the sentimental "Photograph" certainly count), but Robison does use his new found roles as a path away from the bachelor life touched upon in the title track. As on earlier albums, he's especially successful when writing in the Texas school of Van Zandt and McMurtry with story songs like "New Year's Day" and the waltz-time "Magnolia."

In addition to guest harmonies from brother Bruce and bandmate-in-law Natalie Maines, Robison sings songs from Keith Gattis, Waylon Paine and Terry Allen. The latter's "Flatland Boogie" is particularly fine, managing to evoke both the windswept plains of Texas and the romance of Springsteen's highway sprites. It's a fitting piece to summarize Robison's music - down home at its heart, but with an ear that took in rock radio of the '80s, and feet that still need to wander.

GOOD TIMES is a CD filled with ballads, honky tonkers, and good ol' Texas country music. Charlie Robison is an incredible performer--he can do it all: sing, write, and play. We call that an "artist", where I'm from.

GOOD TIMES does indeed feature an ecclectic selection of songs. There're the tongue-in-cheek honky tonkers that Robison fans have come to expect: "Good Times," "Love Means Never Having to Say You're Hungry," "Something in the Water,"and others. There's a driving, bluesy, absolutely intoxicating Keith Gattis tune ("El Cerrito Place", featuring perfect harmonies by Natalie Maines). There're also the two best songs (in my opinion) that Robison ever wrote: the touching "Photograph" and the haunting "Always" (the former is written in little brother Bruce Robison's style; the latter is pure heartbreaking Charlie Robison).

No, that's not it--but that's pretty damn enticing, don't you think? GOOD TIMES is a great CD by one of the best singer/songwriters Texas has given us these past few years. Full of attitude, yet laced with enough heart to move you to tears at points, it is an album that will more than satisfy Robison's legions of fans, and invite some new ones into the honky tonk fold.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM - yeah!! Been following Charlie for years and have all his CD's. This one you must have!!!! Blues, rock and roll, country and great Charlie writing style make this CD a keeper! You can't get any better than this. Cowboy - you really take us away on this one!!!!!

Charlie's latest has no weak tracks whatsoever. The title song is full of tongue-in-cheek humor and rebellion, hearkening to some of John Prine's best songs. It has one of the catchiest lines ever in country music: "Buy me a whiskey, get yourself stoned, we gonna have a good time." As usual, Charlie tells a great many stories in his songs: a unrepentant pleasure seeker lets it all hang out south of the border in "New Year's Day;" a man hits the skids emotionally in "The Bottom;" the narrator remembers his own broken childhood and admires his infant son in "Photograph;" a dissipated adult recalls his first drink and charts his own disgrace in "Something in the Water;" a girl weds a bad man in the haunting "Magnolia," a story-telling style that is reminiscent of Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying." Charlie Robison has more talent as a writer and performer than 99% of anyone in Nashville. Please buy this album; do yourself a favor. If you like songs deeper than your average mud puddle but still universally-applicable, this CD is for you!

I found this album to be quite different then what I've come to expect from Charlie, but it is still good and worthy of attention. "El Cerrito Place" is the best song on the album and I find myself listening to it over and over. If you are a Texas Country Music Fan or a Charlie Robison fan then you will like this album. Also, if you like Charlie, check out his brother Bruce Robison as well.

This is my first Charlie Robison CD but it won't be my last. I hadn't heard any of his stuff until a few years ago. I got this CD because of the video for "El Cerrito Place" on CMT and I'm so glad I got it. This is not your everyday run-of-the-mill "Country" CD, it's much better! He has a great range of songs on this that are just different. GREAT STUFF!!!!!!

His honky tonk songs are fun and well done. However, I bought this CD after seeing the video for El Cerrito Place. The beauty and vulnerability of that song is amazing. Photographs is another moving song that really says volumes. This is my first Charlie Robison cd, and I love it.

This is Charlie's best release yet. It features a wide range of songs that will keep everoyone happy!

Why doesn't this man record more??? It is one of the best of the "new" Texas breed and always a pleasure to listen too. I know he does live shows but if you don't live in the area, all you have is his CDs. They are few and not all that current. Come on Charlie, get in the studio. We love you!!!

this is a good cd and its got some good songs on it too. my favorite one is new years day. i think you should buy this cd because its good