Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(3 customer reviews) 16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Powerful one-two punch of Haggard's debut and follow-up,
April 4, 2006 hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Strangers/Swinging Doors and The Bottle Let Me Down (Audio CD)
Capitol's deluxe series of Haggard 2-fer reissues kicks off with his first two solo albums, 1965's "Strangers," and 1966's "Swinging Doors and The Bottle Let Me Down." From the get-go Haggard was a force; wedding the directness of Johnny Cash (who Haggard had famously seen perform at San Quentin in 1959) with the danceable Bakersfield beats of Buck Owens and Wynn Stewart (in whose bands Haggard played in the early '60s). He adopted the core of the Bakersfield Sound (including the crowd-piercing Telecaster guitar and driving rhythms), but tuned it with sorrow several shades deeper than the Saturday-night honky-tonk of Bakersfield's initial stars.
Haggard's debut was constructed from six pre-Capitol sides recoded for the Tally label, and a half-dozen more produced by Fuzzy Owen specifically for the album. Liz Anderson's lead-off title cut, "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers," sets the album's tone, with Haggard flattened by romantic fallout, but warily soldiering on. The...Read more
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
All hail MERLE!,
November 15, 2006 Elliot Knapp (Seattle, Washington United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Strangers/Swinging Doors and The Bottle Let Me Down (Audio CD)
How great it is that 10 classic Haggard albums have been remastered and re-released on 5 CDs. For the price of one album, you get Merle's first and second albums--over an hour of music--and it's all top-choice. "Strangers" understandably find Merle a bit undeveloped (as he became classically known). His voice isn't quite up to its signature snuff and the arrangements/production still sounds a bit old-guard and not quite 60's Bakersfield. This said, it's still Merle, and it's still great. The title track, the early version of "You don't have very far to go," and the attitude in "I'm gonna break every heart I can" are all worth the price of admission. "Sam Hill," the novelty song, adds a little humor to the mix, and you've got Merle's first album.
What really gets this review the 5 stars is the second album. All the songs are at least co-written by Merle, and what great writing it is! At least 2 huge hits, for a reason (the two title tracks) still sound fresh today...Read more
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Congratulations Capitol country,
March 14, 2007 Michael A. Sugarman "Jones fan" (So. Vermont USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Strangers/Swinging Doors and The Bottle Let Me Down (Audio CD)
Capitol country has done a fantastic job with these five 2 CD sets of Haggard's early Capitol LP's. Mastering is pristine and the extra cuts are all well worth including, especially Jimmie the Kid. Booklet including liner notes is thorough as well. GREAT job by Capitol, only wish they were continuing this set of releases beyond Haggard's first 10 Capitol LP's.
