The Grifter's Hymnal

Ray Wylie Hubbard | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: March 26, 2012
• Label: Bordello Records
• Copyright: 2012 Bordello Records
• Total Length: 45:38
• Genres:
  • Country
• ASIN: B007DD2Y8S
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,960 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the strongest set by RWH yet... May 2, 2012

By Roger D. Osburn

Format:Audio CD

I'm not going to do a song-by-song review of Ray's newest CD. It is grit 'n groove from start to finish, heavy on the blues influences, once again visiting the "darkness vs. light" subject matter for many of the songs. The whole album has a loose, raw, live-in-the-studio feel to it. If you're familiar w/ Ray's recent recordings "Grifter's Hymnal" is a continuation of the same style and theme as the previous two or three recordings. Except that this one seems to lean heavier on the rockin' blues side and not the folk/country/singer-songwriter songs of years gone by.

I saw Ray at a gig in Tulsa last week and visited w/ him after the show over a late dinner. I told him that my impression of several of the songs, "New Year's Eve at the Gates of Hell" in particular, sounded like they kicked it into overdrive from the very beginning and the whole thing was about to derail by the time the song ended but stopped just short of that. He did say that New Year's Eve was pretty much done live in one take w/ only a line "punched in" afterwards.

I have all of Ray's work, from the first ill-fated Cowboy Twinkies LP to this new one and I honestly don't think Ray has ever sounded better or has released a stronger, more consistently realized album than "Grifter's Hymnal". I don't see how any fan of Ray's could be disappointed.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Fine Release March 29, 2012

By bob b

Format:Audio CD

Ray Wylie is just like good wine, with age he only improves. After a few bouts with singer/songwriter syndrome, his last few albums have hit the growling troubador stage. This one stays mostly with same musicians (a good thing) and even adds Richard Starkey on one track. Worthy example of what is called third coast music.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Barbed wit and grit twisted with humility and gratitute July 31, 2012

By loce_the_wizard VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

The strands of barbed wit and grit twisted with humility and gratitute throughout "Grifter's Hymnal" should snare RWH some new fans and keep most of his long-time listeners smiling. It shines with the funky, wry humor and insight marks Ray Wylie Hubbard's music and, for me, redeems what I thought was a subpar effort on his previous recording with the unwieldy title of "A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C)."

Mr. Hubbard tosses off one clever line after another, melding cultural commentary and wordplay as deftly as a hip hop artist, but laying down some mean riffs throughout. The music is more open and clear, and a nod should go to the production and mastering team who gave us this great sounding session.

The percussion, as always when Rick Richards is on the skins, proves the perfect foil for the fret work, both the electric guitars (including some guest lead playing from Hubbard's son Lucas on several tracks), the solid bass from George Reiff, and, of course, RWH's fleet fingers on the acoustic guitars.

In short, Mr. Hubbard takes his game up a notch when he could just be phoning it like plently of folks are content to do. Thanks for this one!