A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C) (Dig)

Comment: I wish I could given the CD more stars but 5 was the limit. We went to see RWH last month in Houston, TX. It was the best show I've ever been to.

Comment: This is a decidedly minority opinion, as Ray Wylie's latest attracts the predictable--one might posit automatic-raves from reviewers. And maybe it is as profound and deep as the majority claims, but typical of Ray Wylie albums, I couldn't make out most of the lyrics without reading along because his style makes most words unintelligible to a listener. Even when I read them, I find his lyrics pretentious and so deliberately obtuse I harbor a suspicion that somebody's pulling my leg here. The last Ray Wylie song to which I listened for fun was "Freeway Church of Christ," released on Willie's short-lived-but-lamented Lone Star label back in the '70s. That release also included the anthemic "Redneck Mother," which still brings Texas crowds to their feet with hands over hearts. Can anyone name a song by Ray Wylie since "Redneck Mother" with which they have been tempted to sing or whistle or hum along? Neither can I. Buy the record only if it is important to you to be perceived as among the cognoscenti, but I'll bet you won't listen to it a second time. And you certainly won't play it for visitors. Why would you? It is pretentious and it is DREARY. And you have better uses for your money.

Comment: "A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C)" is a very fine recording that showcases all of those elements that make Ray Wylie Hubbard stand out among the crowd. He infuses gritty, funky guitar and harmonica, primal rhythms, and lyrics that can be reflect a grimy world-weariness in one verse and the joy of seeking higher consciousness through transcendence and living in another.

After several listens, however, two thoughts emerged: first, Mr. Hubbard is expanding and exploring themes and motifs he has used previously. He is not exactly recycling ideas as much as refining them. As a consequence, the material here is not quite as edgy or surprising.

Second, this recording sounds a bit thinner and bit smoother than his monstrous album "Snake Farm." (I would wager that the diminished involvement of Gurf Morlix on this recording accounts for the brighter sound.)

Still, there is nothing quite like a blast of RWH to jolt those who are seekers to ponder the path and all that life's journey entails.

Comment: There's not much else to be said regarding the newest masterpiece from one of the most gifted singer/songwriters of this era. As has been stated by a previous reviewer, Ray redeemed himself from being a honky-tonk casualty a long time ago, releasing one critically acclaimed recording after another for the last couple of decades. On this newest offering, he is in full control of the outcome from writing to producing to releasing it on his own label and it is nothing short of brilliant. Favorite tracks: the title cut, "Whoop and Hollar", "Drunken Poet's Dream" and "Pots and Pans", although there's not a bad cut on the album. Do yourself a favor and buy this disc - and then go see him performing live. He is a master at storytelling.

Comment: This is the first review i have ever written and I've been around for a while. Like everybody else, most albums have some songs I really like, some that are ok and some I skip no matter how many times I listen to it. However, this album is good from the first to the last track. Granted Hubbard may be an acquired taste but you just need to be in the right attitude the first time you listen and I think you will agree that this is really good music. Just don't try to listen to this the first time and try to do something else at the same time.

Maybe music should be judged against what it tries to be and I think that makes this a great album. Then again maybe its just me.