Customer Reviews

Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

...but I'm trying to make up for the guy who only gave it two. This album is way better than two stars. Yes, you SHOULD go buy some '"real" Hank Williams if you haven't already. "40 Greatest Hits" is a great starter album if it's still in print.

Only three kinds of people generally buy tribute albums: someone who is a huge fan of the artist who is being paid tribute, or someone who really likes one or more of the artists on the album, or the person who falls into both categories. So chances are you probably already are familiar with Hank and don't need preaching from the likes of me and the guy who gave the album two stars.

Now, lets get down to the nitty gritty. Most of the songs on this album are fine renditions of Hank Williams work. Some that stick out:

Dylan. Yeah, he's blown out his voice. Get over it. He never had one anyway. Just marvel at the turns of phrase, intonations, and humor he can inject into the song with what he's got. A vocal master, even if he never could "sing". And that band is smokin'.

Sheryl Crow. She should sing more country. Wow.

Keb' Mo'. The drums on this track really detract from the softness of the rest of the song. I just don't get it. Big mistake. Could have been great.

Hank III. Straight up but fine interpretation.

Keith Richards. Knocked my socks off by starting off in a quirky kind of country style and transcending into Memphis style soul. Amazing. Best track on the album.

All the other tracks on the album are fine. However, I find that Emmylou and Lucinda Williams are both a little overwrought and depressing for my tastes. Yes, Hank could tear your heart out when he sang, but these girls are wearing it on their sleeve, and Hank never did that. Also, Ryan Adams...I can't make up my mind if he is just bored or if he is fantastic. Guess I need to listen a few more times. A fine album, in all.

Hank Williams is undoubtedly one of the most talented singers and songwriters of our time. And while this album does not contain any of his own musicianship, it does exhibit performances of his songs that he would surely be proud of if he were alive today. Every artist on this tribute does a fabulous job of intertwining the classic sound of hank williams with their own contemporary edge. Only Hank Williams could bring artists like Beck, Keb 'Mo, and Johnny Cash together on the same album. This album comes highly recommended for anyone who has heard the name Hank Williams. The simple fact that you are reading this makes you a prime candidate to buy this album! I promise you will not be disappointed.

Hank Williams' music is still thriving here in the new century. Some great artists have gotten together for this loving tribute to his music. Bob Dylan's expressive snarl rocks happily on "I Can't Get You Off of My Mind." Sheryl Crow's take on "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" is remarkable for how well she does country! Heck, we might have to stick her up there with Patty Loveless & Trish Yearwood! Blues master Keb' Mo's voice caresses the melody with a beautiful fiddle and transforms the classic "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" with a reading more wistful than sad. Beck's voice is fragile with a music box arrangement of "Your Cheatin' Heart." Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame does a churchlike take on "Lost on the River" with Emmylou on background vocals. One of my favorites is Tom Petty's country rocking on "You're Gonna Change (Or I'm Gonna Leave)." The beauty of the melody really comes out even if the lyric seems somewhat dated in retrospect where you "ball her out at night." Keith Richard's ragged voice is like Stones-go-country on the slow "You Win Again." Emmylou Harris takes lead on the sad lament "Alone & Forsaken." Another favorite of mine is Hank III's uptempo vocal on "I'm A Long Gone Daddy." The great fiddle work is classic and singing must be in his genes! Ryan Adam's "Lovesick Blues" works less well for me. The spare arrangement is fine, but the squeeky voice doesn't carry the melody. Lucinda Williams milks the sad, slow "Cold Cold Heart"; and David Mansfield's gorgeous violin is worth the price of admission. The song-talk style never worked well with me, and although I love Johnny Cash's voice, I'd have preferred a stronger close than this talked "I Dreamed of Mama Last Night." However, the strong points from Dylan, Crow, Petty, & Mo' more than adequately show how important Hank Williams' music continues to be in the 21st century! Don't miss it!

When I was 6 years old I'd hear half drunk Appalachains play Hank's songs on front porches and in clubhouses. I loved those songs dearly then and much more so today.

The first album I ever bought (at age 6) was "Hank Williams' Greatest Hits." The first song I learned on the guitar was "Your Cheating Heart."

Today, I have everything he ever recorded. I've made the pilgrimages to Mt. Olive, Georgiana and Montgomery. I've been listening to Hank for over 35 years now and have been playing his songs for over 25.

I know Hank pretty well and I know why people love his songs so much. Of course, it goes without saying that the authentic Hank is the best. But I've been hearing Hank do em' for 35 years. It was refreshing to give others a shot at it and I wasn't disappointed.

I've been singing his songs the same way for a long time. Now I have some good ideas about how I can put some shakes and mixes on those songs that I love so much.

They're not better than Hank did em,' not as good either. BUT all of the renditions are interesting, inspired and in good taste. And if the "Rockers" on these tracks help a younger audience come to know Hank and how vitally important he was to the musical landscape that exists today, which I think they will, I applaud their heart felt efforts.

I liked the album. My favourites are Keb Mo's "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (beautiful), Keith Richard's "You Win Again" (Hank would have been proud)and Emmylou Harris' "Alone and Forsaken" (it'll bring a tear to your eye).

If you love Hank or if you like the artists who took part, enjoy. This is the only Hank tribute album that I've ever heard that's worth a dime or even a listen. Man, I sure would like to hear Tom Waits taking a stab at some of Hank's songs. Keith Richard could sit in too.

KGLT, our alternative radio station here in Bozeman, was playing a string of songs on Monday, Jan. 7, 2002 that absolutely knocked my socks off. As soon as I got near a phone, I called and asked "Who's singing these songs and what albums are they from, and by the way, whoever's doing your programming there...this is the best set of songs I've ever heard."

Turns out they were all from one CD called simply "Timeless" from Lost Highway Records. They had played the whole album in its entirety during the lunch hour. I immediately called our local record shop here in town and lo and behold, they had it on hand. I rushed down the street and bought it. The girl behind the counter said "Boy, you must not be far from here because you sure were fast in getting here." I'm on a budget and can't splurge right now. But this is one CD I had to have.

This CD is far and away the best collection of Hank Williams tunes by other artists. Hell, it may be even better than Hank himself. The song that really hooked me was Beck's rendition of "Your Cheatin' Heart". Eerie. I couldn't put it out of my mind. Tom Petty, Hank III, and EmmyLou Harris are great. Everyone is great on this CD!

I'd recommend getting this CD right now if you have ever listened and remotely liked Hank Williams.

This is the rare tribute album that contains no embarrassments: no gross misinterpretations of style, no bastardizations of arrangement, no missing-the-point-entirely understanding the words (this last one is a particular problem on Dylan tributes). But "Timeless" is more than its lack of black eyes or sore thumbs. It is more, even, than a collection of classic American songs. This is a powerful statement about the tradition of music in which Hank Williams is a towering figure: soulful, rough-edged, visceral music, where writing good songs, and meaning it, is more important than cranking out hits. This is the class that includes [other bands], and of course Hank Williams, and it is this tradition -- not the hit-making, Tin Pan Alley-descended, product-driven indrustry of [other bands]-- that is wonderfully represented on "Timeless."

And all of these artists give it what they've got. Bob Dylan's latest tour band (the same one from "Love and Theft," it sounds like) is extremely hot, and his delivery has never been better; his fun "I Can't Get You Off of My Mind" sounds like it's one of his own, and this is a high compliment. Keb' Mo' is the closest thing we have now to Robert Johnson, and his "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" positively aches. Mark Knopfler, in addition to earning his way onto "Timeless" with his consistent, blues-based, songwriting- and musicianship-driven career, also has one of those voices that, on a song like "Lost on the River," could make an avalanche stop and think. Emmylou Harris turns "Alone and Forsaken" into an old English aire, yet somehow this interpretation, and her dangerously pretty voice, are not disrespectful, but poignant. Even the young ones who may not yet have earned their place among the more grizzled artists on "Timeless" -- young ones like Sheryl Crow, Ryan Adams, Beck, Hank Williams III -- do themselves proud...who knew? Still, the best thing here has to be Keith Richards with "You Win Again." The song itself is one of Williams' best, with verses that are metered and rhymed flawlessly, a classic chord progression, and a timeless (coincidence?) theme. Keith takes that material and delivers it with a gritty, cobwebby, slumping swing that is nothing if not Great Music. Sure, we can listen to him sing and know why he mostly leaves it up to Jagger, but we can also think that maybe there's something to be said for having been around a time or two. This is a guy who knows the blues, knows a great song, knows how it's done, and who doesn't care what he looks like or how he sounds. Fortunately for all of us, he sounds great.

But everything here is good stuff. The only thing that would make "Timeless" better is if there were more of it.

If you want to hear the "real" Hank Williams, buy one of his albums. If you want to hear some engaging renditions of some of his "classic" songs, buy this album. You won't be disappointed.

great overall tribute. this is not hank. if you think you should be comparing this album to a hank williams album (...) - it's a tribute to him and a damn fine one at that. interesting takes on his tunes done by artists who are not necessarily country (thank god, cause i don't think new 'country' stars even know who hank williams is). my personal favorites are ryan adams 'lovesick' and keith richards 'you win again'. keith - i want an album of tunes recorded and sung just like that. so tasteful!! his track reminds me of two new albums - tom waits' "get behind the mule" and john hammond's "wicked grin". new or uniquely recycled, i need songs like these every once in a while to make me excited about music again.

I never heard 1 single song by Hank Williams. I came across this CD just by browsing the musics shop country collection. I took a listen and skipped the first song by Bob Dylan, sorry but i dont like his voice.. Then came Sheryl Crow yodeling! Wow! So fresh and I loved the lyric..like a tragicomedy. Keb Mo is great blues. Beck...so sweet, a wonderful production...do I hear several old records mixed with todays music? Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris sing a perfect country duet...not campy or over the top but quiet and touching. Tom Petty then gives away a rocker that is so country it makes u wanna drive on a highway forever! Keith Richards then does a huge blues track, a highlight on this record. Emmylou again with Mark, very tragic song that makes me shiver. Hank III, what a punk, this guy just has it. Ryan Adams sounds like we all want to be sung too...so sensitive. Lucinda Williams...almost too much pain...the song makes me angry to the person it is addressed to. Finally Johnny Cash makes me cry over the memories about his mother. This CD is a work of art, believe me.

I think you country fans are being a little hard on this one. I think the point of this album is to, not only pay tribute to THE greatest singer songwriter of all time, but to introduce him to people who may not otherwise have heard his music. Who wants to hear Bocephus sing more of his daddys songs? He's done that already. When Hank Sr. Was alive and making music , there were only really 2 types of popular music (as opposed to the virtually limitless styles we have now ) being made: country & blues, both styles Hank openly embraced. So this album also pays tribute to that very same spirit of experimenting and cross-pollenation. Every artist on this album is notorious for dipping their respective feathers in many musical inks. Tom Petty, Keith Richards,Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams & Hank III's contributions are the standouts to me , but there isn't one bad tune here. Anyone with a genuine love for Music, will appreciate 'Timeless'. Maybe modern ''Country'' artists like Toby Keith, Travis Tritt ,Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney etc. should take notice of this one ,organize a stellar and respectful tribute the way Mr.Bob Dylan did here, and pay a little of their own respect to the Long Gone Daddy that made it possible for their music to be heard today.