Customer Reviews

The Wolf

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Shooter Jennings is one of the true outlaws of today's musical scene. His albums are a unique blend of country--both slick and traditional--rock, and blues. THE WOLF is Jennings's third studio effort, and it continues his tradition of playing by his own rules.

The only problem is this: Shooter isn't about to let you forget that he's Waylon's son. On the opening track, he sings of listening to his dad and Johnny Cash. You get a Hank reference latter. On "A Matter of Time," one of the album's highlights, he affects a quirky Waylon growl that makes you think, for just a moment, that you've discovered a brand new Waylon song. What Jennings is doing isn't original; but since he's the son of the man who started it all, we can forgive him. We can even forgive him for referencing his father every third or fourth song; after all, odds are that you're a Waylon fan and enjoy the referenes as much as Shooter seems to enjoy dropping them.

And besides--his albums stand on their own. THE WOLF is a great country/rock record, no doubt. Shooter's lyrics aren't of the highest caliber, but they don't have to be; these are honest rock songs, done more of a country bent than perhaps they deserve. He sings of music, drugs, women, heartache, pride...things that underly the very best country and rock have to offer. If you want proof that country and rock aren't all that far apart, pick up a Shooter Jennings record. THE WOLF is as good a place as any to start. His father opened the doors, and Shooter strolls right on in and does his own thing. And, thank God, he's damned good at it.

Shooter's new cd The Wolf is a great buy. This album delivers from beginning to end. This is NOt a cheesy album with 2 good songs. Put it in the cd player sit back and enjoy the ride. It may make you wish the drive were longer. I can't stop listening to it. I can't wait for the tour to promote this album. Shooter is even better live!

Shooter is a very talented songwriter, musician, and graphic artist. I have enjoyed Shooter's other 3 cd's and the Wolf is another awesome cd from Shooter and the .357's. Shooter and the .357's always bring something new to the table and they have managed to do it again with the Wolf---it will not dissappoint. The artwork on the cd cover is another one of Shooter's many talents. Not your mainstream country band(thank god)something new and different with a old school outlaw country/rock feel. Shooter's voice is amazing and his sense of humor shines in all of his cd's. The whole band is talented-- buy it!

Love this CD!! I have all three Shooter albums, and love them all. I really like how musically diverse each ablum or song is for that matter. Listening to raw outlaw country is so refreshing after listening to all the crap on the radio. Shooters southern rock/outlaw hits don't sound anything like the boy band country that your used to hearing these days. If you like Keith Urban or Rascal Faggot that this probably isn't the cd for you.

I really wanted to like this album. I despise the direction country music has gone in during the last 25 or so years. Shooter is pointed in the right direction, but I think he has yet to define his own style. The songs were overall too eclectic both lyrically and musically, and didn't have the "stripped down/minimalist" sound I like to hear in alternative country. Some songs sound like overproduced country of today, some sound like old Waylon songs (can't help the comparison), some sounded like a whole new sound altogether (ex: This Ol Wheel). I think with a few more years and perhaps some good producing and writing, he could be great. He definitely has the pedigree.

Overall, the album is enjoyable, and I am looking forward to Shooter's next album. I think he has vast room for improvement. I hope he moves toward a more consistent, minimalist style.

The Wolf

Shooter Jennings

Five stars don't begin to say how much I love this album. It's Shooter

flat out--creative, energetic, open to change and experiment, always

musically bold, lyrically inventive, melodically rich, and oh so various

in expressing a range of REAL feelings and experience that so many

other stars of the day don't even approach. He's willing to be on'ry. He

can laugh at himself. He reaches deep inside for the truths

country music fans want (need) to hear. He's always on a path to HIMSELF,

and he takes his listeners farther down their own paths to THEMSELVES. For

me, this is what the best of country music is all about: finding the heart

of the matters of life and expressing it in ways that everyone who listens can

relate to. And he rocks! Buy this record. Better get two. You'll wear out the

first one real fast!

A solid performance by Jennings. For those who love rough and tough country music, this is for you. Too many highlights on this recording to mention.

I thought this album was great, and if you loved Shooter's past two albums, you should love this one as well. Some of the songs that stand out the most are Walk of LIfe, Old Friend, She lives in Color, The Wolf, and A matter of time. All of the songs are good, though I'm not that fond of the first song. I gave this alubm 4 stars, because I thought his past two albums were more original and the songs were more solid and stood out more. But this album is still great and definitely worth buying. This album is also very well rounded, every song is good (except track 1).

If you're a Shooter Jennings fan you can not afford to not get this album....

The Wolf

Shooter Jennings

Universal South

This third studio album by Shooter Jennings shows significant development as an artist while showing more of the rough-edged flavor of his first two. While just as gritty in parts as Put the O Back in Country and Electric Rodeo, The Wolf delves into the complications of life and love in a more mature fashion.

I've always been fascinated by songwriters and the first thing I look at on an album is the writers' credits. Shooter has now recorded three albums comprised of material written by him and his band plus three covers by gentlemen he's known from his childhood--Neil Young ("Are You Ready for the Country"), Hank Williams Jr. ("Living Proof") and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits ("Walk of Life"). Given that most of today's country artists are buying Cadillacs for Craig Wiseman, John Rich and Jeffrey Steele, I think that's pretty impressive--especially since Shooter's only 28.

Opener "This Ol' Wheel" is getting dissed by some for being "rap" when the song actually harkens back to Johnny Cash's "One Piece at a Time" or Charlie Daniels' "Devil Went Down to Georgia." It's Shooter looking back at where he's been and ahead to where he's going while revealing the pain of the process.

One thing I found conspicuously missing from Shooter's first two albums was a traditional love song. "Tangled Up Roses" definitely qualifies, telling the tale of a tumultuous relationship where the ferocity of the fights just makes the making-up sweeter. "Hank and Audrey fight" has to be one of the most spot-on phrases I've heard in a long time. "The Last Time I Let You Down," written by bass player Ted Russel Kamp, is a heartbreaking look at regret over past mistakes.

"Walk of Life" is one of my favorite Dire Straits songs and Shooter effectively "countrifies" it with fiddle and steel. "Old Friend" is a song I can totally relate to because I have an old friend and we've been keeping each other together since high school. "Slow Train," written by former band member Leroy Powell, is already a crowd favorite at Shooter's concerts and the Oak Ridge Boys provide their trademark killer harmonies. "Time Management 101" is pure vintage Bocephus and one of my absolutely favorite cuts on this album. It's so effervescently catchy you can't help but sing along.

"Concrete Cowboys" is bound to remind you of some of Waylon's 70s tunes like "Ladies Love Outlaws" and "My Heroes have Always Been Cowboys" but Shooter paints this landscape with his own characters. "Higher" marks the songwriting debut of drummer Bryan Keeling and it's a politically incorrect look at the women you meet on the road from a musician's jaded point of view. You'll either find this song rollicking fun or get all offended. In the latter case, I hear Rascall Flats has a new album out that should be right up your alley.

Both "Blood From A Stone" and "She Lives in Color" look at relationships, the later spiced with some tasty "Ring of Fire" style horns and a chorus you can't get out of your head. Title song "The Wolf" is my favorite song on this album so far, a scorching look at feeling like an outsider. "A Matter of Time" is the song that took the longest to grow on me, a trilogy Shooter described as "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy goes crazy." It's definitely the most complex song on the album.

As much as I love Shooter's first two albums, both took a little getting used to at first. This one grabbed me from the first listen. I hope it does that for a lot of fans old and new because Shooter is a talent that deserves to be heard--and a welcome breath of fresh air in a musical genre grown stale.

If you purchase this album put it in the CD player and turn the volume up as loud as it goes. But be careful, the first song will rock your face off.