Customer Reviews

Lucky Man

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After the critically acclaimed, "Awaiting Redemption," I was waiting to see what Hal would have to offer next. This collection (produced by Rodney Crowell) is full of great songs penned by Hal and several other talented writers. Opening the set with the strong and melodic "(She's Something) You're Everything," Hal moves from tune to tune with mastery. Other strong cuts are: "That's How Much you Mean To Me," "Loving You Makes Me A Better Man," " Dreams of Martina," "Two Of The Lucky Ones (with Dolly)," and "Livin' Life Lovin' You." The gems in this collection that stand out for their artistic value are the Ketchum penned "She's Still In Love," "Richest Man In Texas," which is true to Hal's earliest writing style and more reminiscent of the tunes on "Sure Love", and the deeply moving "She Is," penned for his beautiful wife, Gina. The stinker in the collection is the out-of-place remake of Roy Hamilton's 1958 pop hit, "Don't Let Go."

Hal's musical influence continues to grow in the Americana music industry as does his songwriting talents; ever changing. I don't believe his intentions are to garner radio airplay as much as to turn out the best songs his pen can create. This is where he finds success and satisfaction!

I am a longtime fan of Hal Ketchum, but this CD will delight even those listeners who are not as devoted as I am. I keep listening to this CD over and over again! From the very first song, "You're Everything," you are grabbed and find yourself humming along. "You Can't Go Back" will get your toe tapping and fingers snapping, and "Don't Let Go," has the influence of swing behind it. The songs are upbeat and catchy. The downside to this CD is the two duets. Dolly Parton sounds off-tune most of the time and Lisa Brokop's voice was never a favorite to begin with. He would be better off to keep it a solo act next time or find someone who is more compatible to his vocal style. Overall though, a great buy. You will keep this one close at hand and listen to it often!

I think this is Hal's best album in quite awhile. I have to disagree with some of the other reviewers in that I don't think he is trying so hard for radio airplay. I think that Rodney Crowell has produced a very good selection of songs. Two of the best are his own, Dreams of Martina and Loving You Makes Me a Better Man. True, not all 12 songs are masterpieces but without question it is filled with some memorable songs and strong vocals from Hal.

It's been a while since Lady Luck has had last smiled at Hal Ketchum. Ketchum's last 3 albums (including his GREATEST HITS) had hardly caused a ripple on the charts and the singles released from this CD ("She is," "Keep Mom and Dad") have yet to cause a tsunami.

This is not to say that the man or his producer Rodney Crowell have not tried: this new set is laden with radio friendly songs. "That's How Much You Mean to Me" is a catchy midtempo "you mean so much to me" song with an extremely catchy chorus. "Two of the Lucky Ones" is a power ballad that almost sounds like one Whitney Houston or Celine Dion would do. Dolly Parton is certainly a delightful addition to the set. After all the bluegrass work she has done lately, it's nice to hear her sing a ballad more or less in the pop/country genre. "Keep Mom and Dad in Love" on the other hand, is a heartfelt and extremely realistic plea of a child desperately trying to keep his/her parents' dysfunctional marriage together. A track that certainly pulls on one's heartstrings.

However, the problem with the album is that Ketchum tries too hard to be radio friendly. In the process some of the songs sound too uninspired. As an attempt to fit into Nashville's cookie cutter, many of the songs sound so cliche (i.e. "She Is") and the pedantic "She's Still in Dallas."

What first places Ketchum on the map of country stardom in the first place was his adventurous, different, and so memorable songs ( i.e. "Small Town Saturday Night," "Sure Love," "Daddy's Oldsmobile" and so on). However, the songs on this album are circumspect.

Nevertheless, Ketchum's unique smokey voice and some of the aforementioned fine tunes should be enough reasons to warrant your purchase. This may not be Ketchum at his best but it's more than acceptable. I fear this may be Ketchum's last CD for Curb Records, so get this CD because you never know when his next CD will be released.

Man this guy is good.

Since Hal Ketchum's first record on the Watermelon label many years ago, he's been singing about love and where it's leading. Through the years, that destination's not always been clear, though now, like a man twice redeemed and this time for good, he offers us this excellent record rich with the theme of love's many blessings.

Throughout this record Ketchum shows the growth that's made his later works so consistently good -- high-caliber songwriting, a unique voice, and enough honest style and delivery to make the common extraordinary. "The Richest Man in Texas," the album's best song, sets this out plainly, with nearly sentimental lyrics that Ketchum elevates with his perfect delivery.

The remaining songs are equally well-crafted, with 2 notable exceptions. The record includes not one but two duets, one with Dolly Parton and the other with Lisa Brokop, and they're simply awful. Out of place, they seem like last minute efforts to make the record more radio-friendly, and they're decided stinkers.

Ketchum's so consistently good it's hard not to crave some luck for him to return to the commercial success he had with his first two major releases, though that doesn't seem meant to be. Still, Ketchum appears content to show his growth. 15 years ago he sang that love's a word far better left unsaid. Today, he's less poetic and more sincere, proof if we needed it that our best singer/songwriters grow with age, and to have 10 songs about love from someone of Ketchum's level is a stroke of luck indeed.

Wow! I am already incredibly impressed. Man, I am so glad to see that he has an album that will send him back to the top of the charts where he belongs.

Take a listen to "Don't Let Go" and the duet with Dolly Parton "Two of the Lucky Ones" if you don't believe that Hal Ketchum is one of the most talented artists of our time. Thank goodness for Rodney Crowell's (the producer of this album) insight and expertise to perfectly blend the 'radio friendly' songs with the trademark Hal Ketchum without losing an ounce of the soul and essence that we have all come to know and love as Hal Ketchum.

I highly recommend this album to any music fan, and it is an essential part of any Hal Ketchum fan's collection.

Though "Lucky Man" finds Hal Ketchum leaning more toward the typical country radio tune, he nonetheless inspires by his pure passion alone. True, most of these songs are rather ordinary when compared to his earlier treasures (e.g., "Every Little Word," "Drive On," "Old Soldiers"), but he still delivers as only Hal can. In this album he tries almost successfully to walk the line between his nonconformist, carpenter roots and the market-demanded necessity of producing a radio hit. Still, this album casts the current lookalike singing cowboys in a deep Ketchum shadow. Great alternative country. Hal is an original.

Hey Ketchum fans, this is what we've been waiting for!!! He is singing better than EVER!!!! Rodney Crowell produced the heck out of Hal. My favorite song is richest man in Texas...and the duet with Dolly Parton sent chills up my spine!!! They sound awesome together. This album is worth every penny, has not left my cd player since I put it in last Tuesday!! And probably will never leave till his next album comes out. Don't let Go sounds just like Elvis only better!!! Five stars, Five stars, Five stars....