Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Country is criminally underrepresented on this list. This album wouldn't be my choice but it's a good example all the same.
Being from south Texas makes it really hard to hate on tejano accordion and pedal steel. 4/5
Short and sweet
Fun!
J’ai trop aimé En fait j’aime trop la country
This was the first artist in this project that I had zero history with whatsoever, and I really enjoyed it. Cool to learn he performed with bands like the Clash, and is in the country music hall of fame.
With his Lubbock background, Ely help make Austin the second best music capital in the world
A lot of twang, but catchy
More country, less punk and EDM!
Enjoyed this
I see why The Clash used Joe Ely on "Should I Stay or Should I Go" . This version of country I like.
I’m convinced I’ve never actually heard this before, but it reminds me of my dad. There’s so really good songs on here and I hear the influence this had on the 80s and 90s country to come. Fun and enjoyable.
I love me some honkin and some tonkin 4 ⭐️
so fun
An accordion AND a lap steel geetar on the 1st song? my heart is won...great/solid country/honky-tonk rock (reminds me of my days in Salem with a group of drunken/stoner Oregon hippies). Just a real fun album. 4 country-rock solid album.
An enjoyable listen. This was my first listening experience with Joe Ely and it was a fantastic feel good album from start to finish. I don’t know about lyrically but vibe-wise I it reminds me of a rockier John Prine.
4 stars Starts out with a bang. Wasn’t sure what I’d think and I liked it a lot. Listened to it twice. 70s country on here has been more promising.
Good
When did Country become not a music evocative of a place (the American South), but of a whole worldview of a subset of white Americans? Rhetorical question, I know. This record stands firmly outside of what I thought of country music at the time it was made: sequined leisure suits and helmets of hair held in place by hairspray. It's refreshingly different from the era in which it was born, and a great listen.
This was AWESOME! Incredibly country, but the quality is so high that even I fell in love. Felt incredibly modern, even with the stripped down production. Standout Tracks: Opener, Boxcars, Closer 3.9
That rich 70's country sound. Fun.
I didn't know him. Liked his style
I'm going honky tonk mode. Ask me if I care (I don't) (Also, top reviewer, a honky tonk is a type of piano where there are tacks inserted into the hammers, or a bar where country music is played. Hope this helps!)
Le meilleur album de country que j’ai écouté pour le moment, un peu basique sur le style mais efficace rapide et un peu fun
texas forever
Just good
This is a great country record. I’ve never heard of it but it’s great fun, tons of energy, blues and rock influences, great vocal and instrumentation. I love it.
Favourite songs: Title track
Okay that's 2 on the bounce for "thought would not be my thing and I'm really happy that they were" :) This was awesome, it went places, wasn't just about old dirt roads and beer, and musically very good, interesting stuff! :) Will listen again!
Good solid country album! Love the accordion use throughout. Boxcars a highlight.
God blessed Texas
What a fun little album! I'm not much for country, but I was bouncing right along with this
I enjoyed it. Each time I listen to some old country I get surprised how much I actually do enjoy it. Who knew. I guess the acoustic instrumentations, rock-adjacent sound and storytelling do it for me.
I wonder what my tastes would be like if I didn't grow up with relatives that enjoyed this kind of music.
I’m not a huge country guy, but I can’t imagine liking a country album more than this one! Infinitely better than the modern Texas Roadhouse-grade country you hear today, a nice mix of country vibes with some solid rock. You all are so dramatic with your reviews 🤠
Nice
Quick review before bed: This was a very enjoyable listen. Good production, good songwriting. Didn't get to pay close attention to the lyrics, but both the words and the music felt upbeat and melancholy simultaneously, which is something that I LOVE in music. Will absolutely be listening to this again. I knew the name and the genre, but never the music, and now Joe Ely has a new fan.
Genuinely was not expecting it to be as good as it was. Really solid old timey country
It's as bouncy as the album name suggests. Full of Honky Tonk, a hint of Cajun. An enjoyable listen.
Let's go honky tonkin'. Bring the pedal steel.
I’m at a 4. I didn’t have a lot of hope after the first 5 tracks of this album – only two of the tracks had really clicked (“Boxcars” & “Jericho”), neither of which were written by Joe Ely himself, but his bandmates instead. “Cornbread Moon” is a fun listen & a good instrumental tonesetter, but I think it’s a little loose lyrically. “Because of the Wind” felt like it was stalling for time on what’s already a pretty stretchy metaphor. “Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown” just felt too ambiguously written to capture the intent / mood of the track. Batting at 40% had me a rather middling 3 through the first half. Thankfully, the second half of this album really picks up the pace, simply by going back to basics on the imagery & vibes, evoking much more of the ‘80s era of country (George Strait, Randy Travis, etc) in its production style, though with a little bit of bombast that’s slightly reminiscent of some rock / punk bands of the time. If you want a weird fun fact, Joe Ely did some of the backing vocals on “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash, & even toured with them a few times. That explains some of the genre-blending here, & it’s done pretty well in the back half of the album, even letting the occasionally baffling choice of an accordion to shine. The songwriting tightens up, his vocals get looser (in a good way), and the whole thing just feels more confident. There’s not a track I’d skip in the back half of the album; I might trim down “West Texas Waltz” by a minute or so, but overall, I’d say the final tracks here elevate this album up to a pretty competent 4. It does make me wonder though; why Joe Ely? By all accounts, he didn’t seem as successful as his peers at the time, & it doesn’t seem like he’s very remembered. I’m glad this is on the list, to throw him & his legacy a bone, but if this is here, why not also throw in some other ‘80s contemporaries in the country space, to really represent this era of the genre better? There’s gotta be at least one George Strait album worth throwing on here, right? Regardless, I did happen to enjoy it, and I’m glad it recovered from a totally fine start to become an album that is worth hearing out before you die. Sure, it might not click, but this is a good representation of the midpoint between mid ‘70s and early ‘80s country, while foreshadowing a lot of the genre-mixing to come. It’s a fun listen, it’s worth your time, and it’s a very solid 4.
It was a fun record and a joy to listen to, very good songs, lovely and timeless. Will keep it in rotation.
Good Music
Solid Country from a Texas Legend! Would’ve loved to have seen him live at the Continental Club or Gruene Hall. They don’t make these fellas like they used to. Went into Allen’s Boots on Congress last month… it’s for tourists and Cali -Transplants now, like that idiot Joe Rogen. A bunch of Tech-Bros and Trophy Wife Wannabes playing dress up. They’ve never been near a horse or a cow, but they sport $900 Stetsons and $4k designer boots. Fucking hive-minded morons! Austin is officially broken. Right there with Seattle now. God Bless Joe Ely!
Some good ol' honky tonk country music. Early country western music > modern day country all day long. And that steel guitar is swwwweeet.
i know for sure i listened to this one before. dont think the review stuck, but ya know what, gonna rank this as probably my favorite country album. its simple, its sweet, and its all you need far as a country album goes. i think i like this more on another go around.
New artist to me. Great 70's country. Slide guitar, twang, yodeling. Easy listen on a long road trip. Better than 3.5/5 so I went with 4.
Good collection of Honky Tonk music. 4 stars or B.
Jaunty Country
I actually really liked this. It’s fun, and with a bit more to it than your bog standard my baby done left me or whatever country nonsense: I will admit it sort of took me by surprise. Also he just passed away a few days ago so RIP Joe. 3.5
Riktigt stadig country, bra musicerande och tydlig inriktning. Det är country och Rock And Roll. Inget mer, och det är bra:) Rest in peace
hell yeah brother we honking this tonk
i'm honking my tonk
I saw Joe Ely open for either John Hiatt or Chris Isaak (I am not sure which) in an intimate venue called the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix 20 or 30 years ago. I had no idea who he was, but I thought he was terrific live…so much so, I went out and purchased a couple of CDs that he recorded in the 90’s. The CDs were ok, but disappointing compared to the live performance that I had just attended. Anyway, I had forgotten all about Joe Ely until this album popped up on the list. Based on the CDs that I owned, I tempered my expectations, but found that I really liked this old one from 1978. Not a perfect album, but a pretty good one if you like country rock. I give this one four stars, and I will have to go back and give those CDs that I own another listen!
I'm not a great fan of country, but this was quite nice to listen to.
With this being a list of "must-hear" records, I get how a country album can be seen as to plain and traditional to deserve a spot. That being said, Joe Ely's "Honky Tonk Masquerade" is well worth the listen for me. What can easily be ridden off as bog-standard country music is elevated by Ely's passion and charm, as well as a bright, sparkly production. There's also plenty of unconventional instrumental touches that break up the usual honky-tonk sound, such as an accordion and a Moog synthesizer (of all things!). Even if you're not the biggest fan of the country genre, I would still recommend checking this album out. You may be pleasantly surprised. Standout Tracks: Because of the Wind, Boxcars, Honky Tonk Masquerade, Fingernails Score: B-
The time signature changes on Cornbread Moon are really ear catching. This is the most exciting start to a country album I can recall. I've become quite unenthused by Country music from the 1001, but this is a really welcome change. There is way more character and originality here than the vast majority of what I've heard on this list. Another great example of that is the slightly strange key change in the last 30 seconds or so of Honky Tonk Masquerade. It grabs you as if to say, get out of your comfort zone ya hick. Then there's the vocal cracks on I'll Be Your Fool. They reek of tongue in cheek coyness. That's a compliment. Favourite Tracks: Cornbread Moon, Boxcars, Honky Tonkin' 4.2/5
Love, Joe Ely and I think this is probably his best album. Box cars is just phenomenal.
Pretty honky and tonky
Probably my favorite of this style of honky tonk country that we have listened to so far. Some of these songs are extremely catchy. And Boxcars was actually an absolute jam.
Sometimes you just need a good honky tonk album. I enjoyed this discovery. I don’t believe I’ve ever consciously listened to Joe.
12/11/2025 Never heard of this guy before, he wasn't too shabby. Spotify listeners: 61.3k
Listened Before? N Now THIS is why I'm doing this project. This is a hidden gem. A really great throwback country-rock album. Ranging from poppy hooks to storytelling epics, this one has it all. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Boxcars, Fingernails
Excellent honky tonk country and western album. I enjoyed all of it. If you're stuck on, "I just hate country music no matter what", maybe it's time to move on from middle school and listen to the music. 4 / 5
pretty fun country romp. i wasn't sure what to expect, but it's a really enjoyable, high energy album. there's some fuzz guitar on here which was a little wild to hear. some of it's more rock n roll, and some of it's more fiddly, but either way, it's a pretty nice surprise of an album.
Classic honky tonk, and I’m glad I got introduced to Joe Ely.
Enjoyable country/blues album
This was a really enjoyable album even if it's not perfect. Great guitar and singing, I understand why the Clash liked him
Honestly, this is why I wanted to do this list. This album is really good. Good roots modern country. This is before "country" just became propaganda for morons. It's a going out album, it's a crying in your beer album.
Pretty terrific, if MOR, traditionalist country, that's easy to like. Bonus points for properly pronouncing "piana."
Quite good for a country album. Seems a bit smarter than your average country singer
I really enjoyed this album
The voice, intonation, and song writing/interpretation more tha make up for the slick Nashville sound of this album.
When settling down with Joe Ely's Honky Tonk Masquerade, one is bound to find that it is nothing but a grand ol' time to be had. There is little to no flaws to be found for the better part of thirty plus minutes, which delivers a country rock gauntlet that can throw down and make one cry at will. It would be a mistake to leave this out when considering really great country albums, for they wouldn't be worth thinking of without Honky Tonk Masquerade. Favorites: Cornbread Moon, Because of the Wind, Boxcars, Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown, Honky Tonk Masquerade, Fingernails, West Texas Waltz.
Len Houmous’ birthday party in 1982 was a Honky Tonk Masquerade Ball. He was 26…..apparently! 3.5 7/10 I’ll be Your Fool
Actually really liked this
good stuff
Hey, hipster alt-country didn't come from nowhere; Joe Ely is obviously essential to the tattooed bearded dudes with guitars that haunt us to this day. This is the real deal.
++: Cornbread Moon, Boxcars, Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down), Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown, I'll Be Your Fool, Fingernails, Honky Tonkin' +: West Texas Waltz +-: Because of the Wind, Honky Tonk Masquerade 7,9/10
Definitely honky tonk. I like
This album made me think of Gram Parsons. I'm kind of a sucker for good steel pedal guitar country. I enjoyed this so much I listened to it again right after the first listen!
If you put aside just how bad 'honky tonk' sounds as a phrase - and that is no mean feat - what you're left with is some very listenable country music with a clear 80s bent to it and some interesting technical parts... but a certain lack of soul, for me.
A little dry and samey in the vocals but really propped up by some diverse and fantastic instrumentals. A definite surprise among this list
Honky tonk country, great instrumental variety (guitar, piano, accordion, slidesteel)
Ok, so here we go again, yet more country. But to be honest I really enjoyed this. Perhaps it was the light relief from the previous few, but it put a smile on my face. Even the more dour ones were done in an upbeat style. With the title track, West Texas Walts, and Honky Tonkin' being the stand out tracks. Only problem now is what to score it.... It's a very high 3 at the very least, but is it worth a 4? As I said on the previous one, I, I'm in a generous mood.
I’d never heard of Joe Ely before. He’s a honky tonkin’ good time. 4/5 Highlights: Cornbread Moon I’ll Be Your Fool Honky Tonkin’
I always enjoy older country music.
No idea who this is but this was a blast
Another incredible artist and album I totally missed. This is country at its best. Real. Not Nashville. I need to go back and listen to his entire catalog.
Fun Outlaw country album. Pleasantly surprised to see it here, since this isn't the most well known of albums. The songwriting is great here and Joe manages to combine traditional country well with modern instruments. The album is a bit on the short side sadly, wish it had just 1 or 2 tracks more.
unexpectedly good. quite fun country of a different flavor fingernails is wild lyrically. interesting perspective. nice Best tunes: cornbread moon, because of the wind, boxcars, jericho (your walls must come tumbling down), honky tonkin'
MAISBROTMOND???? ok er het na e cooli stimm! schön warmi gitarre bi becausr of the wind aaaaber chli langsam für mini begriff jericho macht no easy spass hahaha au wennsmer fast zu folk/schlagermässig isch I'll be your fool isch iwie recht cool gsi? hahah hützutags wär das en simp hä ABER ICH CHEGGS NÖD iwie erinneret mich de rhythmus amigs chli ah schlager? ischs eifach de ¾? FINGERNAILS BANGER IWIE? DAMN OMG RIESIIG west texas waltz hani iwie au mega gern HÄ WISO jaa ich chegg nöd ganz, was füren spot er troffe het, will wie gseit mengisch hets mi fast chli gnervt, aber schlussendlich hani e gueti luune gha. knapps 4i
Listened to a lot of Joe in the early 90s, when was a young rocker. There sure is a lot of prejudice against anything country at the top of these reviews. Guess country is an acquired taste, but seeing as my parents would on occasion listen to some and so I got into uncle Tupelo and the No depression stuff I have always been open to it. Joe did, still does a great rock country sound and I wore out the Live at liberty lunch album. Glad this reminded me how much I like this, 4.5 Star - so against all the 1s round it up. 5 Star.
Fun record.
en aijjo valehdella (ehkä viimeinen asia mitä tässä tilanteessa alkaisin tekemään). erittäin hyvä albumi peukut pystyyn tykkäys. kantria parhaimillaan on tämä mielestäni. etenkin kun käytetään sitä ihme poljin-soitinta twääääng äääninen siis niin joe käyttää sitä oikein honkki tonkki tyyppisessä rallatuksessa sen sijaan että jotain hidasta balladi hingutusta johon tämä äänimaailma ei koskaan tai hyvin harvoin toimii. näyttäisi olevan vähän satunnainen lisäys listalle taaskerran eikä kovin kestävä ollut taiteilijana tämä jätkylenssi mutta ainakin meikäläinen herran vuonna 2025 nautiskeli. cornbread nation
Most people who claim they hate country are talking about the modern version of it, pop with a southern accent and an acoustic in the background (morgan wallen), a more appropriate name for that by the way would be pop(with country influences). 3.5
Once joe was playing at the continental club in Austin. I went to see him. And I met this big thick cowgirl and we had one hell of a night. Thanks joe.
A good album, I liked Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down) the most.
I honestly liked this.
Late 70’s country-rock. This was pretty catchy and surprised me how much I liked it. Stand out tracks are West Texas Waltz and Cornbread Moon.
very kitschy, but a few of the songs were pretty good - 7/10
Good old fashioned country (or western?) music. Enjoyed listening to this even though I am not a big country music fan.
I have always liked Joe Ely. There is something different about him.
Pretty cool. Nice mix of honky-tonk and ballads. Reminds me of Dwight Yokum mixed with Jerry Jeff Walker.
Nisam sluša prije negdi na polovici mi postane malo dosadan
Haha, I liked this one. During my monotonous work day, this was very cheerful. :) But this definitely is not my genre of music. :D
4/5
Good country rock
Good ol’ country– very forward-thinking production too
I'd give this a 3.5, but I'll round up to 4, because I do think it is a very well-done version of what it is trying to do. This from Wikipedia is a great encapsulation of what I feel: The Los Angeles Times wrote that "Ely's pure, unadorned vocals and wry, gently philosophical songs revive the Hank Williams-Lefty Frizzell honky-tonk tradition in country music without showing any traces of nostalgia or self-consciousness. I could see myself putting this on again. Not going to be a huge favorite, but it's easy to listen to and, especially for 1978, pretty surprising, as I would have believed it was released in 82, 88, or maybe even early 90's.
very fun! good bbq music. didnt listen to the whole album but i absolutely will.
I really like this, even though I'm not usually a fan of modern country. It still has the sort of twang and instrumentals that you'd expect out of country, but it doesn't have that fucking annoying Dixon Dallas Blake Shelton voice that every country artist nowadays has a copy paste version of. It's got some serious character to it.
Not typically my jam, but this is full-on good-natured West Texas sound. I know this recording is decades old... but it feels like a breath of fresh air compared to modern Country/Western. This has humor and humility while still focusing on having a good time. This is a low-key gem I didn't expect.
I like it— good country. Great instrumentation and really fitting lyrics. Meet a fine lady banker and sure I oughta thank her—- the credit she gave me really set me out Like how do I describe how good this is?
Pretty good.
Very fun and pleasant album 7.5/10 Fav: cornbread moon
The Best country album i heard yet. Interesting timings and progressions. A short at Sweet listen.
What seems like actual country, and not stadium country. If his fingernails are anything to go buy, Joe Ely is not writing about tractors and farms while on a private jet or wearing boots that cost 3 grand. I don't like much country, but this was pretty enjoyable. 4/5
A honky tonk good time Nice voice. Good guitar. Some cool sounds - liked the zydeco esque parts on some songs. Very much enjoyed this record
Quite safe, but good. 4 stars
Hadn't heard much Joe Ely before this, but it's really cool. I don't think I've heard too many country songs with both an accordion and a Moog synth on them, "Boxcars" and the title track are probably my favorites, but it's a super solid album. 4 stars.
Very nice
A large section of country seems to be on display here, from waltz to boogie, with some accordion, string, and organ to keep things interesting. A few typical (read: boring) tunes, but I’ll still round up.
I kinda liked this, despite my typical disdain of country. Still hate the word honky tonk
This album was a lot of fun. I'm not a country boy but I can respect the classics and I can tap my feet to a great beat.
Tolles Country Album im Honky Tonky Stil. Saubere Sounds treffen auf ein raue Stimme und stimmige kurzweilige Musik. Topsongs sind „Boxcars“ und „Honky Tonk Masquerade. Gerne mal wieder auf‘s Country.
West Texas Country Rock Punk. Sounds like a sweet name for a fusion restaurant whose food doesn't hold up to the name. But in this case it's country music and Joe puts it together well. And is it a coincidence that Boxcars, which became one of his signature songs, is a train theme? I don't think so.
This must be where 90s country gets its influence from. I liked it. 3.5 stars.
first listen the Moog and accordion really threw me off i like it
This is allowable country for me. Still not a favorite album (or genre), but a solid listen.
3.5. Nostan neloseen koska en yleensä countrysta pidä
Pretty good and chilled country album
Cornbread Moon is a banger
Perhaps this benefitted from me being somewhat preoccupied as played, but the songwriting is solid, humorous at times, nice steel guitar throughout... other than my disinclination to connect to country music, I couldn't find reason not to award this with a strong star rating. I'm still a lot more rock 'n roll than I am country, but I can dig a West Texas Waltz now and again.
boy, i haven't listened to this in ages. held up great. lyrically, it's rather slight, but it's great fun. i first heard Ely when he was in The Flatlanders (who somehow aren't on this list, but Tonight I'm Gonna Go Downtown is their tune and their version is slightly better, thanks to their musical saw). anyway, glad i got to revisit this.
I didn't know Joe Ely at all but this is great.
Yee-haw
New to me and some excellent stuff. Will listen to this again and his later stuff.
Honky tonk indeed. This was fun
yeah that was honkey tonk alright really enjoyed i can't even lie
Had me interested 30 seconds in, a whole lot of fun, this is why I’ll never say I’ll hate a genre, 5 years ago I would’ve said I hated country, I hadn’t found stuff like this yet.
I think I listened to this while busy and didn't remember it at all. Relistened and liked it quite a bit. Country isn't really my thing but thus has a lot of variety and is fun. 3.5/5
B-
Great country fun album
Honk that tonk Joe!
Alright Joe- getter done.
I didn’t realize this was from the 70s at first, I thought it was contemporary with a throwback sound to seem more classic. Great production, great variety with some of the tracks. Added ‘Boxcars’ to the list but liked ‘Cornbread Moon’ as well. 3.5/5
I was expecting a pretty standard country album, which would have been totally fine but what we get here is a very innovative country album especially for 70’s standards. The implementation of the accordion and synth really add a whole other level to this record. Starts with a banger with Cornbread Moon and they let you know the dude on slide means business right away. Joe Ely leads a great band with full confidence in his vocals on this honky tonk jam. Boxcars is the standout for me as it puts the whole outfits strengths on full display, this song held the most depth and I’ll be returning to this many times moving forward. Just a solid country album, this was great. 4 stars
Really good once you're past the first couple of songs. For me in any case.
He's got a good twang that I find pleasant and enjoyable. 4.5
solid, meat and potatoes 70's country -- the best vintage for the genre, if you ask me. can the tropes get a bit grating if you're not a fan of the whole country thing? sure, but if you are it's just a very nice, well performed slice of, well, honky tonk. music for the night after a shit day at work. also, they use the moog pretty good on this thing. makes me wonder if more country is out there using wires and knobs.
Found this one fun.
Pretty good country sound. Reminded me of George strait
I’d never heard of Joe Ely or his second album “Honky Tonk Masquerade” until today. It turns out Ely has spent much of his career on the fringes of country music, railing against the polished Nashville scene, rejecting the Bakersfield sound, and living his life as a champion of Texas progressive country (I could have sworn that was an oxymoron). Later, he became great buddies with Joe Strummer and contributed backing vocals on the Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”. A country-rebel indeed. That in no way means he’s a self-serious type, though: I feel “Honky Tonk Masquerade” is notable for its verve and levity. There’s a good sense of humour running through the album: the conceit of lead single “Fingernails” is a daft but memorable one, with its central line “I keep my fingernails long so they click when I play the piano”. Ely may not have been up to scratch in the hygiene department, but he knew how to have a laugh. The lyrics to “West Texas Waltz” raise a chuckle too, as does the gibbering hook of “I’ll Be Your Fool”. It’s hard to resist. But where “Honky-Tonk Masquerade” shines even more is in its musicianship. The instrumentation here is a lot of fun, with some absolutely top-notch performances. Lloyd Maines- something of a mainstay in the country scene- is brilliant on lap-steel throughout, delivering a particularly gorgeous solo in “Because of the Wind”, and a stunningly disciplined one in “West Texas Waltz”. A little more edge is provided with searing fuzz guitars in “Boxcars” (there are three different electric guitarists here, so no idea who supplied them). And opener “Cornbread Moon” is bonkers: switching from a straight intro to swung verse, and then back again, tossing in dexterous guitar and ACCORDION solos, structuring its whole verse around the idea of a… well, a cornbread moon. Inspired. At times it feels a little fluffy- there isn’t much lyrical depth here, and often a nagging feeling of country-by-numbers. But the rowdy, raucous outro of final track “Honky Tonkin’” sealed the deal for me: this is a darn good time, and solid country music.
When did country get so bad??
Good stuff.
A rootsy country album by an outlaw. Great stuff.
Yeeee to the hawww We making it out the cornfield with this one Ely really honks my tonk
Not normally a fun of country but this was chill
Is this Honky Tonk music or is this some of that Masquerade imitation Honky Tonk? Sounds like the real thing to me but I'm not really experienced in the ways of the Honk and the Tonk. I especially like Boxcars, Think I'm Gonna Go Down Town, Honky Tonk Masquerade and Honky Tonk'n. I'm about a 3.5 with this album but that fucking honky tonk accordion in the last song boots it up to a 4 for me dang gummit.
I don't love hearing about bunions or not cutting one's fingernails but otherwise this is some pretty fun West Texas country music.
Very interesting suggestion today, which allowed me to put the *Flatlanders* / Lubbock honky tonk "mafia" on the map, right in North-West Texas. It's a group of country music performers / songwriters I had absolutely no knowledge of before today, and browsing through the music made by that gang (Joe Ely, Butch Hancock--who wrote almost half of the songs in this record--Jimmie Dale Gilmore or Terry Allen), it seems to me that they managed to keep their C&W roots authentic while implementing interesting instrumentation and/or artful flourishes in their music at the same time. Which is no small feat in my book--the sort of feat only greats such as Willie Nelson or Johnny Cash could pull off in my honest opinion. "Progressive country", that thing is called, and barring a small bunch of country-rock artists (Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons), it's the only country music worth listening to for outsiders of a genre often plagued by bland compositions and clichéed lyrics. Case in point: *Honky Tonk Masquerade* and the stellar arrangements that grace half of its tracks (along with some very endearing lyrics once in a while). I don't have the time to go into details today, but let me just say that the hectic electric guitar solo at the end of "Boxcars"--one of the standout cuts--is just simply incredible, and gives an epic mood to the whole ending. The southern rock influences are on point in this record, and some of the ballads are quite effective. Three or four tracks might be more "run-of-the-mill" for my admittedly demanding taste in that genre, but the whole collection is dynamic enough and it never stays in one particular groove for too long (which is a real repellant for me for that particular style of music). And the production and sound of this thing aged pretty well--I was surprised to read other reviewer saying that it didn't: c'mon, this is no eighties gated-drums horror flick à la Dwight Yoakam here! Not sure yet if I can include this record in my own list. 1978 was a stellar year for music of all stripes, and I just can't sacrifice some pretty important albums for me, whether in that year or another. But as of now, I leave the door open and boost my overall grade a little to make up for any future omission of this good album. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 119 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 384 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 226 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 283
Bluesy, very country I thought I wouldn't like it, but it's actually quite catchy. The lyrics have a quality where I was kind of listening in the background, but it really hooked my attention I just heard the title track and Fingernails - The groove of these songs are so cool, it really makes you want to dance 4
Pleasantly surprised to see Joe Ely made the list. Hope there's more like this.
Loved it!
Really like this!
I enjoyed this a fair bit. It’s a bit corny, but not enough to be annoying.
Fun country/rock, opens with some Texas swing styling. I don't know enough about country to say that this is absolutely better than other albums by artists of similar status and era, but I will say it's a damn sight better than the "country" crap that seems to be prevalent right now.
This feels like a fresh and original country album for the 70s. Good songwriting all around, unique chords and progressions. I was pleasantly surprised throughout the whole of the album, but never enthralled. Still, I enjoyed it thoroughly. 4/5
Maybe I’m a honky tonk kind of girl!
Real schamltzy and sweet! A lot of the country that I love really wears its heart on its sleeve and this reminded me of some of my favs (John Prine, Hank Williams) - liked it!
A pure delight, get in.
Very fun
PRetty damn fun
I have no idea why this is on this list, but I'm glad it is. It's weird. It's experimental. It's everything country usually isn't, but at no point does it betray itself. I expected this to have come out of the 60s. It it's only a hair away from having been an 80s album! I expect Joe (only a Joe could have made this album) wanted to make the country album no one else had, and boy did he succeed
Really nice timeless country music. I enjoyed listening to this a lot.
Even having worked in country radio for a while, I don't recall this name or any of these tracks. A classic country sound, for sure, which at this time in my life is just swell.
Why have I never heard this? Very fun!
I’m glad to get some more country on this list, although I have to say this didn’t quite live up to the expectations I had after reading the wikipedia article. It was good but I think there are a lot of albums I’d put ahead of this that I fear won’t make this list.
Seriously man what happened to country music? Why did we stray from this? Shit sucks now
Country in general isn't really my genre, and this end of country particularly isn't, but I actually enjoyed this a surprising amount! I coulda done without the slower more maudlin numbers, but the upbeat tracks were quite a bop. I can see myself getting into this under cold fluorescent lighting, buzzed on cheap, nasty American beer, and surrounded by people in stetsons, and beyond them the huge skies and distant horizons of Texas... 🤠 Fave tracks - "Cornbread Moon" for sure - did a great job of winning me over straight out the gate. "Boxcars" was good too...
Kinda folky and also swing. I liked it. Made me listen to some Johnny cash
I may be a honky who doesn't often tonk but this was fine. Maybe it's because I can't stand modern country that seems so intentional with the twangy accent or whatever and also how it's formulaic garbage. This is much more enjoyable and I liked it more as it went on
A well executed country rock album. This is the sound that a lot of current country musicians are trying and failing to emulate.
Surprised by this, it's pushing country about as far as it'll go.
I'm not 100% sure why this is on the list, but I like it! Reminds me of Byrds country era, and kinda a forerunner to Dwight Yoakam. I've been eBaying "Lot of 30 country tapes. $14!" for the past year or so, and this seems like one of the tapes I'd keep.
4/5. A solid mix of calming country and heavy blues, with soft yet powerful vocals. The production quality also elevates this one above other country albums. There are some sweet lyrics along with some heavy lower class struggles. Some super generic country songs does prevent it from being a 5 but they were enjoyable nonetheless.
Surprised by how much I enjoyed it. A couple bops I listened to multiple times
I rarely listen to country music, but this is was pretty great.
Pleasant, strong start to the album but gets a little samey
I really like this album. West Texas Waltz and Honky Tonkin were my favorites. Plus there’s synth on this album?!?!? In 1978?!?! On a country album?!?!? Loved it
I can't believe I've never heard of this album. Although I've never been much of a country fan, this album is top shelf. Thanks for "broadening" me.
The accordion gives it a Mexican feel. I really enjoyed “Jericho.”
Joe Ely is the 2nd wave of great Americana artists. (Cash and Jennings). I love when the country haters loose their mind...... Good album. A ton of good songs.
Album # 29 Fingernails gave made me think..EWWW but then I thought of Dolly and how she tells the story of when she was recording 9-5 she used her nails throughout the song. She did it, she didn't write a song about it. It's funny the only 2 songs on this album that made me think "that's a pretty good tune" were two JE did not write., West Texas Waltz" & "Honky Tonkin'"
This album made me smile- especially the last couple of songs
I apologize honky tonk, I was not familiar with your game
Classical country ....
Joe Ely's songs are country rock, rockabilly, and ballads - he's a singer/songwriter that spent his life as a touring musician. Ely's a great story teller, and his songs reflect his skill in that role and present the lessons he acquired as a road-weary musician. Honky Tonk Masquerade was widely critically acclaimed, but not very commercially successful. It includes a collection of interesting country rock songs, showing Ely's skill as a story teller and the work of a polished, practiced band.
Really good rebel country. Got two country in a row and this was a nice change of pace from the previous. Lively, fun, and twangy...what you want from country
four stars, great stuff, good country songs performed very well.
I never thought I liked country music, and then we moved to Austin. This was 15 years ago, but I never realized that what is sold to the masses as country is a far cry from where the genre started and where so many great artists remain. Joe Ely is a great example. Enjoyed the album as well as the related songs that Spotify started playing after it was finished. Fits very well into my vibe.
Not bad for country
it ain't country rock if the album doesn't begin with a song titled "cornbread moon" i guess. joe ely crafted some soothing country rock on honky tonk masquerade. he also created some really corny songs, but i find myself not caring? he did a great job making those corny songs easy as pie to listen to. not to mention, this album does not sound like it's from 1978. i'm reminded of the pleasant country sound that leans toward modernity in dwight yoakam's "buenas noches from a lonely room," also on this project, but came out in 1985. ely, in comparison, was light years ahead. btw, ely on this album cover looks like elon musk. dearest joe, i am so sorry.
3 eller 4 stjerner
Sounds like good classic country.
Nice country twang. Good vocals.
Unerwartet cool, abwechslungreich und kurzweilig
I wasn’t expecting a lot. When most of these tracks started, I was like “oh yeah, a country song”, and then the instrumental mid-section hit. And hit it did. I can see why The Clash loved this guy and wanted to work with him.
Surprisingly, this is a good Country album, going more for Rock than pure Old Country. If I have to listen to this genre, I much prefer this approach. 3.5/5
I like it! Haven't really heard this before, but the music is distinctive and engaging. Will listen to this again at some point.
Its bit similar to Nick Drake
Oh! The Honky Tonky Tonky, Oh! The Honky Tonky Tonky, Oh! The Honky Tonky Tonky, Honkey Tonkey, Hon-ky Tonk. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Honky Tonk Masquerade Date listened: 25/12/23
Not a traditional country guy but this one was better than the "new country" for sure.
I had never heard this album, or even heard OF this album, before this. Its pretty good! It certainly makes a good primer for the sounds of country music and has some nice country-to-rock bridges, along with some southern zydeco sounds. Not a perfect album or anything, but definitely worth a listen. 4/5
Great Country!!! Impressive.
"Honky Tonk Masquerade" is the second album by American country singer-songwriter Joe Ely. The genre listed is country rock. Yeah, but there's a lot more going on as well. Ely sings and plays acoustic guitar. There's also slide guitar, electronic guitar, piano, synths and an accordion. Commercially, this did not do very well but was, critically, highly regarded. "Cornbread Moon" opens things up with an acoustic guitar, slide guitar, drums and an accordion. This is bouncey. Ely has got a little twang. This actually sound like zydeco. I'm on board. "Boxcars" takes it in rock direction. Hey, an electric guitar and accordion solo. And, the songs ends with a searing guitar solo. We need more songs about trains especially if they sound like this. "Honky Tonk Masquerade" has a slide guitar and piano. Backing vocals. This is country and a very nice sounding song. The first single "Fingernails" sounds like a 50/60's pop song. A jump-jiven piano. A sax added. It's peppy. Alright. We couldn't have a country album without a waltz? Could we? No! "West Texas Waltz" takes us there. More slide guitar and accordion. And it rocks out at the end. This is a very enjoyable album. It's got a lot of variety with zydeco, country, rock and pop. The musicianship especially the guitarists is great. It is absolutely in the alt-country genre ten years before the genre. A solid recommendation.
this album is easy to listen, very country-like. Would listen to it again!
So much fun
Who would have thought honky tonk would benefit so much from a moog?
Very nice folk~
This was super fun, wish it had a few more moments like the opening of the first track, but because it’s such a tight, manageable length—about 33 minutes—it will be easy to revisit. I might even do it today! I am of course biased because country rock and honky tonk are more in my wheelhouse than boomer rock, which is the majority of what I’ve gotten so far. That being said, I am unfamiliar with Mr Ely and will have to explore more. A breath of fresh air. Great lyrics, right band. Good album.
Nice songs, but nothing out there. I couldn't be caught dead listening to this album lmao
Love me some good old fashioned country.
This is actually a really great country album - especially for 1978. It seems a little ahead of it's time in some ways. Obviously, there were other country icons at the time, but this has some mid-80s, early-90s country vibes as well. Plus, the horns on Cornbread Moon, that lead guitar tone on Boxcars, and the general "groove" of Jericho were really unique for this genre. Joe Ely gets a bump.
4 Man honky-tonk just got something
Liked it! Just the right rythm for a Sunday morning 🥰
Positively surprised by this one for sure. My main issues with old country music in general would be weak musicianship and uninteresting songwriting. On this album, musicianship is actually quite impressive. Joe Ely's vocals are solid and the guitar-playing is fantastic throughout. Songwriting does remain uninteresting - but still good enough to make this a very enjoyable album.
A well produced album with a blend of americana and a lot more depth than a typical country album.
This album had shades of what would become progressive/alt-country within a honky tonk framework. This album is so strikingly different from its contemporaries that I’m finding myself wanting to dig into Joe Ely more.
I’m not a country fan, but this album slaps. I could definitely see myself listening to more from this artist. 4/5
Kudos for being the boppiest and most interesting country album I have ever heard since "Honky Tonk Heroes".
Steel's an evergreen favorite, and the playing on this record stands up to plenty of instrumental uses of the instrument without taking over the sound. It's this pop side of outlaw country, understated enough to get lost. I'm glad the list helps fix that.
What a banger! Thanks Rob
Swäggg
How can you hate classic honky tonk music like this? It’s just a great listen in every way and never fails to be a fun time. It’s not quite a 5 but I know I’ll still be listening to west texas waltz and cornbread moon all of tomorrow.
Vrolijke country mag er ook zijn, 't is niet altijd weemoed
8/10. Good lyrics, and had a great sound to it. There were definitely some weaker songs scattered in, but the album was short enough that it never dragged on
Had no expectations for this. This is a really intriguing and crazy album. The electric vibe punctuated by the Moog synth gives it an alien feeling in the context of what I usually associate with Texas Honky Tonk Country. Really solid album and enjoyed listening to it immensely. Reading more about Joe Ely, he seems pretty sweet.
Honky Toni certainly grew on me due to this challenge haha Saved tracks: Boxcars, I’ll Be Your Fool, Honky Tonkin’
Een lekker potje country, met jankende gitaren en zo te horen de geijkte plattelandsonderwerpen. Perfect voor de langere autorit, arm uit het raam, de maat meetikken op het stuur en jezelf even een cowboy wanen.
This really honky'd my tonk
I don't usually listen to very much country music, so it's good for me to sit through a country album like this when one shows up in the rotation. I'm really glad I did as this one is particularly good. There are definitely some heavier rock music elements in the album than most country music I've heard, yet it's still very much country. The tracks are on solid footing. Not sure why that specific image comes to mind, but that's how I'm hearing these songs. There's an interesting balance between firm footing and light fun. I don't hear that so often, and this album definitely caught my ear and kept it engaged. Excellent music, very well composed and performed -- nicely done!
Fine and polished
Short country album
Solid country album but a bit lacking in the low end on the production
4.0
Expectation: -> By album title alone, this should be country. After listening: -> Indeed, country. Not an artist I am familiar with. Yet, a sound similar in 1978 to many country artists I listened to in the 90s. I liked most of this and disliked none. Some of it was average but I could listen to it with regularity, albeit in short bursts and when in such a mood. Track ranking: Cornbread Wind Masquerade Jericho Honky Fool Downtown Fingernails Boxcars Waltz
It’s okay. I LOVE the road goes on forever by him. I imagine these songs live in a packed Texas roadhouse.
Adoro country mas o album completo foi demais para mim.
Nicely produced and performed! A little inconsistent songwriting-wise but I still dug this. He toured with The Clash ?
Solid country songwriting
It honky tonks, that’s for sure. Not really my flavor of country, but it has that 60s-70s Nashville sunshine country twang that’s fine to listen to once but definitely not over and over. Nothing I’d add to a playlist but far from the worst thing I’ve heard.
A good survey of country music styles from ballads to honky tonk to bluesy slide-guitar songs all in one album.
A country album that's not complete dog??? Crazy concept.
Not my taste but I think its pretty good for its genre
Honky tonk indeed. Country in every sense of the word. Definitely wasn’t bad but it couldn’t hold my interest for long and likely won’t involve many repeated plays.
I appreciate Joe Ely doing something interesting by combining quite traditional country songwriting with more modern (for the 1970s) production, even if I'm not convinced it always gelled.
Never heard of this artist. Not a huge country fan, I do have lots of respect for the old school classic country-blue artists. Not sure if this is that. Not for me.
It has some good songs I like the instruments in because of the wind 5.2/10
Buen disco de country. Desconocido para mi.
Another "why is this even on the list?" album. It's not bad, but it's not great.
The 33-minute runtime gets a half-star adjustment, and, on a second listen, I enjoyed some of the earlier songs more. But I think I now have enough Joe Ely in my life.
nyt on random kamaa. Albumin avauskappale meni omalle listalle, oli oikeasti aikaw hyvä kappale. Loput sit aika mieleenpainumattomia kappaleita, ei mitään kummempaa.
Well that wasn’t a long stop before returning back to the land of country music. This time from the 70s. Starting the album, I actually enjoyed the first couple tracks. I liked the melancholy of Because of The Wind, the overall atmosphere and the guitar solo on Boxcars, which is my standout track, and the energy of Cornbread Moon. But once I got to the halfway point of the album, around Honky Tonk Masquerade, the song quality just dropped. It went from a cool, country sound with some soft rock influences, to really cheesy country songs, such as I’ll Be Your Fool with Joe Ely doing is best pubescent donkey impression, and Fingernails, which was just a ridiculous song idea. This album definitely had potential, and some of it was realized through the first couple tracks, but it fell of in the latter half. Definitely the true definition of a three, halfway good, halfway bad. Now I’m gonna hop back on my horse and saddle on to the next album.
not really my style but I kinda enjoyed it
Aangename country
Aangenaam
Cozy afternoon vibes
Kind of a good time
Second half was better
I was expecting a regular country album, but at the beginning my expectations were subverted because the production was more brutal and different from what I anticipated. But then from there, it became exactly what I expected. Still gets points for surprising me.
It’s alright. The 70s sheen doesn’t do these songs a lot of favors. The performances are solid and energetic, and I’m sure this guy is capable of making music I’d really like, but there’s too much polish to see the songs for what they are. I do appreciate that it’s not a nostalgia trip, but some of the songs sounded overstuffed and cluttered to me. Too much embellishment by a heavy hand makes things sound corny.
Better than I expected, not a terrible listen. Country music never gets me though.
Dont usually like this kind of thing at all But maybe im in a good mood or something. Thought it was okay. Really okay. Not great, not bad. Acceptable Low 3 maybe, a 2 pushing
I enjoyed listening to this. Even average country music in the 70s was pretty dang good.
It’s alright, I think he does better with the rocking songs than the country songs. Something about his voice
Some really cool moments on this one! Not quite long enough to leave more of an impression on me though? Before i knew it, it was done. The hook on Fingernails is kinda gross?
I found this perfectly acceptable and inoffensive 70's country. I wont be going back to it but i didn't dislike it. Sits exactly in the middle of the bell curve.
could honk a bit more, but not bad
-"cornbread moon" BANGS. -skimmed ely's wikipedia page and i'm so giddy about his having worked with the clash. really fun and unexpected. he sang backing vocals on "should i stay or should i go". small world, lol. -"boxcars" WOW! crazy good. -fuckass barefoot toes on the cover. i dig it. -i can't get with the "twangy" country sound of a song like "jericho". it just doesn't work for me. -i like "fingernails"! fun tune.
Country kan vara så tråkigt eller så kan det vara så här poppigt och kul. En stark trea.
Review - I'd never heard of this guy but he's good. When I imagine country rock this is what I'd always expected. Rather than 70s rock but with a slide guitar, it's actual country music with the occasional distorted guitar solo. Lovely stuff Score - 7/10 Need to listen? YES
Ok listen.
People have such a weird unearned superiority complex on here about country music so I feel weirdly defensive about this genre in general. Many genres all sound the same, not just this one. Anyway, I'm more willing to be generous with this rating than the endless slog of brit pop and just bizarre things on here. This isn't the best thing I've ever heard but it's not bad and I'm glad it's on the list.
אחלה של אלבום, וייב של רוקנרול פיפטיז עם איכות צליל של הסבנטיז
אהבתי מאוד את השיר הראשון בעיקר, וייב טוב ומפתיע, הגיוני שאחזור אליו
hell yeah
Morceaux assez dynamiques parfois avec des instruments inhabituels qui sont pas mals pour un album country car proposition de choses différentes qui sortent du cadre "country" habituels. On arrive bien à comprendre ce que raconte joe Ely. Il y a aussi du très mauvais qui fait presque un peu fête de village. Le honky tonk semble être l'un des styles les plus connus de musique country. Respirant souvent la joie de vivre, mais ne dédaignant pas la mélancolie, c'est une musique "à boire et à danser" qu'on jouait souvent dans les bars du sud des États-Unis. L'un des meilleurs albums de country.
I like my country a little more polished but I’m embarrassed to say.
It's short, it's fine, there's certainly some toe-tappin' goin' on. I gather that this is generally considered to be fantastic, and I wouldn't mind it in the background of a restaurant, I guess, but I won't be playing it again. 3.
The album reminds me of Saturday Nights in Cambridge City when it was late in the bar and people would be dancing to this sound. It was depressing. Some of the lyrics were interesting but I still don’t like twangy country music.
Cool
A lot of tootin' and hollerin'.
This is what hipsters think country music is. I’ve never enjoyed Joe Ely and I can’t quite say why. It’s not bad but like Tom waits I can’t see the appeal. Giving 3 because I can’t give it more and it seems churlish to give less. .
6/10
I like country, listen to it often, grew up in Texas but have never heard of good ol' Joe Ely. I don't really care for old timey country but this guy's voice actually sounds a bit more modern. I can see how it spawned the likes of George Strait and Garth.
This was like... Fine... Idk why its on the list tbh
fun
Solid stuff. A lot of toe-tappers on here for sure. 3.5