dwightyoakamacoustic.net

Dwight Yoakam

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 30, 2000)
• Original Release Date: May 30, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B00004TAZ4
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (111 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,915 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Country > Classic Country > Bakersfield Sound

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

Here are some of Yoakam's best moments--which is to say some of the finest moments of recent country music history--distilled to their intoxicating essence. With only a simply strummed acoustic guitar to accompany these tales of lost love, shattered dreams, and barstool misery, Yoakam wields the ability to move mountains and break hearts with an attitude that's both understated and confident. A stunning collection of country music's new standards. --S. Duda

Amazon.com essential recording

Over the course of his career, Dwight Yoakam has both relished and leveraged his "outsider" image. From his earliest days sharing stages with Los Angeles punk bands to his rejection of Nashville's hit machine, Yoakam's career has been smart, quirky, and hip, even as his music looked back to the glories of Buck Owens's Bakersfield sound. Through it all, of course, Yoakam's music has rarely faltered and his natural abilities are often stunning. On Dwightyoakamacoustic.net, a run through Yoakam's greatest hits featuring just acoustic guitar and voice, the only misstep is the cheesy title. Throughout these 25 songs (most of which you know by heart), Yoakam uses the intimacy of the unplugged format to offer new insights into his music. Here, the sad parts are sadder, the sly parts are more mischievous, and the dusty swagger seems even more charming. But it's Yoakam's raw talent and enthusiasm that steals this show. His guitar playing sparkles: from the intricate fills on "I'll Be Gone" to the straightahead stomp of "Nothing's Changed Here," Yoakam proves he knows his way around a six-stringer. And with only that guitar standing between his voice and your ears, these tunes go down easier than free beer. From the Elvislike vamping on "It Only Hurts When I Cry" to his barstool lament on "It Won't Hurt," Yoakam growls, begs, and croons with enough conviction to make this stripped-down collection absolutely essential. --S. Duda

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dwight does it again, July 4, 2000

By A Customer

I'm a long-time Dwight Yoakam fan, and I have enjoyed all of his albums to date. I wasn't sure what an acoustic album would be like (it was hard to imagine something like "Fast As You" without electric guitar), but I certainly wasn't disappointed; I was, in fact, pleasantly surprised. The album is good in more than one respect. The tracks are well-chosen and span Dwight's career, providing a pleasant retrospective that distinguishes itself from your typical repackaged greatest hits-type album (but do check out Just Lookin' for a Hit and Last Chance for a Thousand Years if you want to hear some great music). The engineering seems clear, and Dwight and his guitar turn out to be all you need to enjoy these excellent songs. The first track, "Bury Me," sounds perfect as it appears here, and "Guitars, Cadillacs" sums up the work neatly. Also, the album is over 70 minutes long, meaning you get a lot of (once again, very good; it's repetitive, but it's true) music for your money. For longtime fans of Dwight Yoakam, for people who enjoy a stripped-down sound, or for people wanting to experience a talented artist from a new angle, this album is for you.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yoakam Unplugged!, May 31, 2000

By A Customer

Never mind the unusual, barebones packaging, just focus on the great music on this CD. Yoakam has never sounded better, and his solo voice, accompanied by his acoutic guitar, is by turns heartbreaking, haunting, and sexy. The 25 songs are taken from his entire career, and range from a magnificent, hymn-like, a capella version of Guitars, Cadillacs to an Elvis-like remake of Fast As You. With the new arrangements, he has managed to make all his classics sound new, and the acoustic format makes it sound as if he's performing in your living room. This CD will make you realize how under-rated this great singer/songwriter is. In an era where far too many country singers sound alike and write alike, Yoakam's originality and pure talent shine through. It doesn't matter whether you call his style of music honky-tonk, Bakersfield sound, Americana, or alt-country, it's great music. Buy this CD, you won't regret it. Now, if only country radio would play some of these tracks . . .

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, May 31, 2000

By	D. Salinero "davidrs" (Delta) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Unlike the previous reviewer, I HAVE heard this album and I think it is wonderful. The previous reviewer did not take the time to understand what the album is all about. It is not a greatest hits album! Dwight reinvents some of his old songs with only his voice and guitar. All of the emphasis on these songs are on Dwight's lyrics and voice. No other guitars; No drums; no back-up singers! It's just wonderful. True fans of Dwight will love this CD.