Hillbilly Deluxe

Brooks & Dunn

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 30, 2005)
• Original Release Date: August 30, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista Nashville/RLG
• ASIN: B000A7IHKS
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,753 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Boot Scootin' Boogie" zoomed Brooks & Dunn to the top of the country line-dance craze in 1992, and one could hardly blame them for riding the crest, even if it left them in a rut of shallow, preening dance ditties. They began showing greater depth in the late '90s, with albums like If You See Her and Steers and Stripes. While Hillbilly Deluxe is musically consistent, Tony Brown's production sharp and focused throughout, the themes here revert to the same old same old: empty, shallow stompers with lyrics that occasionally sound dated. "Play Something Country," another Ronnie Dunn collaboration with Terry McBride, duly name-drops current Nashville stars as well as P. Diddy and Patsy Cline. Things don't improve with the blustery "She Likes to Get Out of Town"; "Just Another Neon Night," with its painfully clichéd line "turn off that rap, boys, play me some Haggard"; or "Building Bridges," a "vocal event" with superfluous input from Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow. Only the moving story-song "Believe," brimming with heart and honesty, reminds of their potential when they think beyond the boot. --Rich Kienzle

Product Description

Since bursting onto the roiling country music horizon with "Brand New Man," Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks have made breaking new ground, pushing the honky tonk envelope and having too much fun doing it their total mandate. And on August 30, 2005, the hardcore musicians return with Hillbilly Deluxe, an album that merges classic jukebox country with Brooks & Dunn's jacked-up take on modern sounds in honky'n'rocking music. Produced by the legendary Tony Brown (Steve Earle, George Strait, Lyle Lovett, and Patty Loveless, in addition to being a member of the multiple-Grammy-nominated Notorious Cherry Bombs with Rodney Crowell and Vince Gill), Hillbilly Deluxe is a slightly ragged, fairly organic take on just how power and accessibility can merge for an intoxicating take on what Saturday night is made of.

"You never wanna rest on what you've done," says Dunn. "Working with Tony, it's pure music--front and center every time. He was part of that country scene that was Emmylou and the Hot Band, which was always just one match away from blowing the music apart it was so good, so intense, but also so raw. If you're gonna play country, you wanna strip away a lot of the stuff, get down to the heart of the matter--and find songs that dig a little deeper into the way these folks live their lives. I mean, Hillbilly Deluxe is IT: it's about how it really is, not the way the media paints it--that notion of taking the life as far out as we know these good ole boys and girls do."

Certainly "Play Something Country," the raving new single which is B&D's fastest moving ever, is a siren's song of want, release and what matters to the core on a night on the town, while the down-low title track with its funky pocket, Rolling Stones background wailing and stop-start rhythms portrays the essence of modern day "big timing in a small town." Brooks celebrates female independence with the road-tripping go-git-it-girl romp "She Likes to Get Out of Town" and Dunn invokes a classic tears-for-a-quarter country of classic vintage with "She's About as Lonely as I'm Going to Let Her Get."

"With Red Dirt Road, I think we started heading back to what got us here... meaning our roots," confesses Brooks with a wry grin. "There are so many ways to make music, but sometimes just plugging straight into your inspirations is the very best way to go--so you'll hear 'em, ALL of 'EM: the Stones, Jones, Haggard, Tom Petty, a nod even to Rod Stewart's folkie stuff, the soul that made soul music, but came out of the churches. It may be the broadest record we've ever done--and it sure was fun."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Two of the best performers Nasvhille has to offer!, August 30, 2005

By	DanD - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are two super-talented guys. They're also the reigning Duo of the Year for roughly a decade (they deserve it, though). HILLBILLY DELUXE is not their best album of all time (personally, I think that would have to be STEERS & STRIPES or RED DIRT ROAD, though each to his own). However, these guys never miss the mark, and this album is guaranteed to please!

Dunn gives some of his best vocal performances yet, such as the growled spoken-verses on "Whisky Do My Talkin" and the heartfelt spoken-verses of "Believe," and yet belts his heart out on "I May Never Get Over You." Brooks rocks out on "She Likes To Get Out Of Town" (a cliched song, yeah, but just try not to enjoy it), and "One More Roll Of the Dice." "Play Something Country" is a catchy hit that you can't help but listening too, no matter how many times you've already heard it (and it's been played a LOT). "Just Another Neon Night" and the title track are tributes to small-town rednecks who have nothin' better to do but go honky-tonkin'. The album ends with a powerful performance of Radney Foster's "Again."

Two superb singer/songwriters, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have, for more years than one dares count, entertained and delighted fans. HILLBILLY DELUXE continues their tradition of blending honky-tonk, classic country, and rock into a modern sound that has managed to garner them hits, long after many of their peers have dropped off the radio. If nothing else, HILLYBILLY DELUXE serves as an important reminder, for those of you who may not have caught the drift: Brooks & Dunn ain't finished yet, not by a long shot.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This CD is DELUXE!, August 30, 2005

By	Melzy "~Music Lover~" (WI) - See all my reviews

I am not an avid Brooks and Dunn Fan. I liked their new single "Play Something Country." I decided to give their new CD a try.

I was very surprised. Each and every song is a winner on this album. I'd have to say that my favorite songs on this album are "Play Something Country", "Whisky Do My Talkin", and "She's About As Lonely As I'm Going To Let Her Get."

Their upbeat songs are honky tonkin, foot tapin, pleasure. The balands are heart wrenching and beautiful. This is deffinately a CD that will go in heavy rotation in my jukebox.

If you do not have this album, add it to your collection. It's country music at it's best!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting Better All the Time, August 31, 2005

By	CntryLvr - See all my reviews

Every emotional element is touched on this CD and a great mix of styles. Heartfelt ballads to foot-stomping good timing songs. Kix has never sounded so good with songs that really match his vocals and Dunn really showcases his stellar vocals leaving no doubt that he has one of the best vocals in country music today. The production is very lean so you really get to hear Dunn at his finest.