WILLIE NELSON & MERLE HAGGARD - DJANGO AND JIMMIE

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1. Django And Jimmie   2. It's All Going To Pot   3. Unfair Weather Friend   4. Missin' Ol' Johnny Cash   5. Live This Long   6. Alice In Hulaland   7. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right   8. Family Bible   9. It's Only Money   10. Swinging Doors   11. Where Dreams Come To Die   12. Somewhere Between   13. Driving The Herd   14. The Only Man Wilder Than Me

Legacy (Sony Music) / 88875093782

Two true Country & Western veterans such as Willie Nelson (born in 1933, so 82 years old) and Merle Haggard (born four years later, in 1937, and then 78 years old) have released in 2015 this record working together, showing that their age is not a problem at all for doing a good job. Because this record is a very good job, yes indeed.

Good old Country music. The real deal, not that sweetened Pop music that some people want to sell as Country music just because the singer sports a Stetson hat. No way. this CD is not that at all. Of course, with the background of the couple it is impossible to get that and it has to be real Country & Western. And more than that, despite being around 80 years old both of them, their voices sound powerful.

It is, I insist, a classic Country & Western record, with some songs made to dance, such as "It's All Going To Pot" or "It's Only Money"; some others of those called "tear in the beer songs", with "Live This Long", "Unfair Weather Friend" and "Where Dreams Come To Die" outstanding among them; and a third group of songs that remain in the middle of the road, being "Missing Ol' Johnny Cash" the best of them, a beautiful tribute to the Man in Black. A song that I believe is the best one of the whole CD and in which they have received the help of another Country star: Bobby Bare.

Fourteen songs, including some composed by Willie Nelson and/or Merle Haggard and some from different sources, both brand new for this record and old ones receiving a new chance.

The record, in its style, is a good one and I have to admit that I like it a lot. The only "negative" thing of the CD (and it's not that negative!) is to have included another cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right". Even with the good version recorded by Mr. Nelson and Mr. Haggard, I wonder if the world was really needing the zillionth cover of that song...

Just a few more lines to highlight the good artwork for the sleave and for the booklet, with wonderful pictures of the two stars.

If you like Country & Wester music, you're going to enjoy this record for good.

THE COUNTRY SIDE OF HARMONICA SAM - OPEN LETTER TO THE BLUES

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1. A Double Shot Of Heartache   2. Forbidden Wine   3. Farther Than My Eyes Can See   4. It's Such A Pretty World Today   5. I Regret It Every Day   6. That's Why I Sing In A Honky Tonk   7. Open Letter To The Blues   8. I'm Walking Slow   9. We Have Strayed So Far Away   10. Followed Closely By My Teardrops   11. The Day I Let Him In   12. The Storm Within My Heart   13. Dying A Little Every Day Is Killing Me   14. I'm Down To My Last Cigarette

El Toro Records / ETCD 6068

Terrific! What a great record! I loved this record from the very first time I played it. Really, what a very good record by the Swedish singer and band members. I knew Harmonica Sam for his Rhythm'n'Blues side: he is very good in Rhythm'n'Blues and Rock'n'Roll, but this step to Country music has been well done, showing a good knowledge of the field he was entering in. After listening to the CD, I feel that Harmonica Sam took the way knowing for sure where he was going to. Doing and not trying.

From the very first notes of the very first song ("A Double Shot Of Heartache") I felt I was listening to a 50's or early 60's Hillbilly band and I kept that feeling up to the last song ("I'm Down To My Last Cigarette"). Pure good old Hillbilly, Honky Tonk, with a Baskerfild Sound feeling and, why not saying it, sometimes Dwight Yoakam's first records coming to my mind.

I'll say it again: it is a very good record indeed, with not a single bad song in it. Fourteen great songs going from uptempo to ballads, including a mixture of own compositions (such as "I Regret It Every Day") and well chosen covers (like "Farther Than My Eyes Can See"). It would be unfair to highlight any of them among the others as all are great songs, very well played.

Believe me, please: if you like old style Country & Western, you'll love this record. If not... this is the record to start loving it. By the way, all the good words and praises witten by Deke Dikerson in the booklet are well deserved by the band and are an act of justice.

Their share of applause has to be given as well to El Toro Records for believing in a Country band from Sweden such as The Country Side Of Harmonica Sam. Note that you can also get this album in vinyl LP format (ref. # BE117).

Standing ovation for "Open Letter To The Blues" by The Country Side Of Harmonica Sam.

Harmonica Sam on the stage

during Ubangi Stomp festival 2015.