Customer Reviews

Waylon Forever

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If, say, George Jones were to come out with a pscyhedelic rock record, we would all be shocked. We'd probably still like it (I did say George Jones, right?), but we'd tilt our heads to the side like some puzzled mutt, wondering what was wrong with this picture.

But we aren't too surprised here. Why is that? Because Waylon always did things his way. And this isn't REALLY a psychedelic rock record...it's a psychedelic country/rock record, with perhaps more emphasis upon the rock...but the country's still there, yessir. "Lonesome On'ry And Mean" hasn't really changed a whole lot since the seventies...and that's just fine. "Jack of Diamonds" is a little more spruced up, and that's fine too. "Waymore's Blues" has gone on a bender (in a good way), "Are You Ready for the Country" follows a similar suit, and "Ain't Livin' Long Like This" has finally become a flat-out rock song (as, I must suggest, it was always meant to be).

Shooter Jennings produces/arranges (this is as much his project as Daddy's), and his .357s band provided the backdrop...but the star here is Waylon, in the finest vocal form we heard him since the seventies. He snarls his way through Cream's "White Room," and that smoldering closer, "I Found the Body" (a co-write with Shooter)...it just leaves you chilled to the bone. WAYLON FOREVER, labelled as Waylon's final recordings, stands as a testament to two things: one, Waylon was perhaps the finest outlaw singer country music (or the world) ever saw...and two, he hadn't really changed all that much. Just check out "Don't You Think This Outlaw Stuff Has Done Gotten Out of Hand," reworked here into a power ballad (complete with strings!), yet simply re-titled "Outlaw Sh**." Six years after his death, Waylon is still smirking at us, not really caring if we get the joke or not. He did things HIS way; the rest of us be damned. If that's not an outlaw...then I'm sorry, but I just don't know what is.

When Waylon Jennings passed on in 2002, country music lost one of its real heroes. But the spirit always lives on and we are lucky enough to have Shooter Jennings around, who has propped up these tapes from around 1996 and put them out for us. It must have been a hell of a kick for Shooter to record with him when he was 16.

This was actually an album they were trying (unsuccessfully) to shop around for a record deal rather than a random collection thrown together. It's a bit short at 35 minutes, but back in the day that was a normal length for an album. It sounds like it's all recorded live, you wouldn't know the difference. The real stand out is "Outlaw S***" which is a slowing down of "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out Of Hand", turned into a ballad and slightly re worded. It really is something else, as said in rolling stone, it is Waylon's Hurt. Then we have a new song called "I Found The Body" which sounds like it could have been put out in the 1970s when Ol' Waylon was storming through the scene. Other than that there's nothing ground breaking, but it's a fun listen.

This was a complete surprise to me! When I saw they were releasing another Waylon Jennings CD I thought it was another compilation of his hits so I shrugged it off! Then I saw that it wasn't according to Shooter (his son) a few days later and listened to a soundbit of Lonesome On're and Mean on the internet! I knew it was different then what the song originally was and liked it! I'm a big Waylon Jennings fan and had to go out and buy it immediately. I own everything else by him so I had to add it to my collection bad or not! I'm happy to report that I will be listening to this for a long time in my car even at only eight songs! Also, this is the first time I ever heard Waylon say the "s" word in two of these songs! If you like Waylon, you'll like this CD! "Nuff said!"

I have "Lonesome, O'nry and Mean" (original) on my favorite mixed tape for the car. I also prefer the original "Jack of Diamonds" with the kicking acoustic picking. Nonetheless, I applaud Shooter for reintroducing his dad's music with his production. I hope this recording nets him an even bigger audience who will find a treasure trove in all his previous recordings. I'm glad I saw him in concert and happy to see him so honored.

I have been listening to Waylon Jennings since I can remember. My father was a big fan and had his records playing all the time. 30+ years later I'm still listening and turning my young daughters on to the greatest country/rock performer ever.

I was a little skeptical of the new record at first. Shooter would never do anything to taint his fathers sterling legacy, but still, when someone else is left to interpret and produce music that wasn't necessarily theirs, it leaves a lot of room for overkill.

I'm happy to say that this album is fantastic. A nice career cap for Waylon. He does some of his most rebelious songs and reworks a couple of classics. Any fan will be pleased with this collection. Many thanks to Shooter Jennings for making this album a tribute that captures the spirit of his father. Well done and highly recommended.

I first heard Waylon in 1966. A promo for Nashville Rebel on the radio. I had been high school DJ since 1959 and felt Rock and Roll had died with Acid Rock. Then I heard the promo!

Over the years I collected 85 Waylon LP's and 55 CD's. A month ago as I was driving down the road I heard "Outlaw SH**" from "Waylon Forever" and it sat me back on my heels in the very same way Nashville Rebel did in 66.

Well done Shooter. This is a fitting salute to Waylon's Talent and your own.

As another reviewer alluded, Waylon would probably enjoy any "controversy" from those who don't like their classics tampered with. I love it for that very reason. Hearing the same "original" recordings on the radio over and over is tiresome; "reimaginings" such as this freshens up the material. Shooter did the old man proud on this project.

As an old rocker, I'm not especially familiar with Waylong Jennings' work, but I'm a big fan of his son Shooter. This release has only 8 songs, which is disappointing, and Waylon's voice isn't quite as strong as when he was younger (no surprise). However, Shooter's guitar work really makes the album for me. I enjoy it enough to listen to it two times over whenever I pop it in my cd player. I recommend it to those who like country rock.

Been a Waylon Fan since I was 13, and this release is a real treat for me. It does remind me how much I miss him. I would highly recommend adding this to your collection!

Frank

Here in Nashville, we've got an expression: if you don't like Waylon, you can kiss my ---. But then, why would you even be on this product page if you didn't ? Shooter...GREAT JOB son. I've been a fan of your daddy since 1975,and this album...this album is something he would've totally gotten a kick out of ! Thanks, thanks a lot.