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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Check in to the Rose Hotel Today, September 29, 2009
I have been listening to an advance copy of this album for the last month. After many, many spins, I can say with conviction that this is the best album of Robert Earl Keen's celebrated career.
The record really displays Robert's impressive songwriting talent. With each new album, it becomes more apparent that Robert is keeping alive the tradition of great Texas songwriters. The torch has now been passed from Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Willie Nelson and Billy Joe Shaver to Robert Earl Keen. There are very few modern writers who consistently turn out songs of this quality.
These new original songs, which include Rose Hotel, Something That I Do, Throwin' Rocks, Village Inn and Wireless in Heaven, are all good examples of the clever song pictures that come from the mind of REK. A number of different influences are found in his songs. There is a mix of traditional country themes, Robert's twisted humor and a dash of the darkness of Cormac McCarthy combined in his personal view of the world. Robert is able to take common events and turn them into songs that say a lot about the world we inhabit. He is able to avoid the chiches that are found in most country songs being written in Nashville these days.
Having been familiar with most of the original songs on the album in earlier acoustic versions, it was exciting to hear them with the backing of the band. If you have seen Robert's live show, you know that the players in his band are very talented. Rich Brotherton (guitar) and Bill Whitbeck (Bass) are fans and students of great music and their playing reflects it. Marty Muse has great touch on the steel guitar. Tom Van Schaik always lays down a solid foundation with the drums. Their inspired playing at the live shows has finally been captured on an album.
Here are some of my impressions of the new songs. The album opens with Rose Hotel, which contains some vintage REK story telling. I really like the chorus of Sometimes you run/ Sometimes you fall/stall. There is a nice transition on the break from Rich (lead) to Marty (steel guitar). Robert has always had great affinity for the songs of Townes Van Zandt. Flyin' Shoes really fits his voice. The playing of the band and especially Bill's bass at the beginning is excellent. Compare this cut to Steve Earle's covers on Townes and Earle's work is exposed for the boring crap that is it. Throwin' Rocks sounds like it could have been on Farm Fresh Onions. It has great keyboards and backup singing. Something That I Do is a nice example of Robert's whimsical song writing. On The Man Behind The Drums, Robert sings about the great Levon Helm. What's not to like about that? Village Inn is probably the best song ever written about a motel. It has a very pretty melody that reminds me of Road To Nowhere/Carolina on Walking Distance. Wireless in Heaven is a nice piece of REK wit. It is funny as hell.
If you are already a Robert Earl Keen fan, you are going to love this album. If you are not familiar with his music, this is a good place to start. Check in to The Rose Hotel today!
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
not the entire CD?, October 14, 2009
The Amazon exclusive version contains the song Deep Blue Summer but omits the song Village Inn which IS on the hard CD version. The apple version is a $1 more but has a 12th song Little 67 172....and has the digital booklet.... its sad you cant get all 13 of these songs on a "complete version" of this record. I don't know if this is the record company thinking it can make a few extra bucks, but it stinks.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not REK's best by a long shot, November 10, 2009
I have waited several weeks to review this, while listening to the CD, hoping it would grow on me. I have long been a huge fan of Robert Earl Keen, and generally can listen to his CD's over and over without growing tired of them, but I am sad to say that this CD, with the exception of 'The Rose Hotel' and 'Wireless in Heaven' really does not do much for me. I have never before had to try to let one of his CD's 'grow' on me, I have always loved them at first listen.
The song '10,000 Chinese Walk Into A Bar' I cannot stand to listen to. I have to skip that track, something I have not done since I skipped Yoko Ono's tracks that were in-between John Lennon's on one of his albums. 'Village Inn' sounds like it was composed by reading an advertisement of the place. 'Something I Do' may be true, but it is a yawner. I do not find myself singing any of the songs during the day, or thinking about the lyrics.
There is one thing that is absolutely outstanding on the CD, and to me it makes it well worth buying- and that is the banjo playing. The banjo player has to be the very best I have ever heard, and he is the bright spot and the salvation of the CD.
It is a shame that there are not any songs that I truly love, songs like 'What I Really Mean', 'Feeling Good Again', 'A Border Tragedy', 'Let the Music Play', 'Gringo Honeymoon', and on and on I could go....
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