Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Fuck. It. This is fun as hell. Easy goin' country with some damn-impressive vocals. Doesn't try to do anything but be a honky-tonkin' jamboree, and for that I give it props. 4 stars it is. Fave tracks: - Cornbread Moon - Boxcars - Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down) - I'll Be Your Fool - Fingernails - Honky Tonkin' Edit: Okay, this was generous. Still a lot of fun. But very simple and I don't even like 40% of these songs.
I was dreading this based on the title, however it actually proved to be an eminently listenable country album. Aside from the fairly cookie cutter lyricism for the genre, which holds no resonance for me whatsoever, and the twangy vocal style, musically it was palatable and bright enough with nothing too objectionable going on to speak of. What is that foot doing on the cover though 🤢.
I actually didn’t mind this and mostly because his voice wasn’t as obnoxiously twangy as most country singers.
this was a cute listen
Besser als irgendwelche geigenspielende Kobolde.
Huh. That was perfectly fine, but nothing particularly special or memorable to me.
Not bad at all, pretty enjoyable at times. Just not my thing!
one of those records that feels like it’s a bunch of country songwriting tropes jammed into a single record but actually is the record that invented the tropes in the first place.
Honky-tonkin' good time. Hank Williams vibes. Nothing special but it's fine for country rock. Standout is "West Texas Waltz"
I was excited about this because I typically like this style of country music. It was fine, I guess? It just sounded like generic country to me.
Not my thing but not bad for "Honky Tonk"!
Clearly channeling something but a bit samey
Liked this more than I expected. Yeah, it's country - but it's pretty solid country.
Solid classic country record that offers a tasteful blend of outlaw country and old fashioned honky tonk. Soulful and longing, but also isn't afraid to get big & loud and have a rootin' tootin' good time.
Very Yee and very Haw. And incredibly dated sounding.
No shortage of honky tonk. Honky tonk not my thing at all, but one or two songs were funny and I guess it fully delivered on what was advertised
Pretty fun listen. I like the guitar in the back. Cornbread Moon and Honky Tonkin' we my standouts. Good album, but I don't think I'll listen to this anytime soon. 5.7/10
Not bad! 3.5/5
That was some solid Honky Tonk
Not bad country album. I don't really have much to say. I thought it was good.
Not as good as other country from that era but still fun to listen to.
Lloyd Maines is an absolute monster from the first track. I prefer some other country albums contemporary to this one, but a fun album all around.
It’s not bad but not my cup of tea
I had a honky tonky time. Consider my honk tonked.
Pretty nice country music that's good for diners that serve cornbread.
Honking n tonking
Some great slide guitar work on this, but all a bit hitnmiss.
I’m sure it’s a good country album but it’s not for me 3
Don’t love country but this is tolerable for old school country. You can hear how it influenced other artists.
Titelspåret är kanon! Ytterligare ett par spår riktigt bra (Boxcars skulle kunnat varit en låt med The Carny). Resten är habil men lite tråkig country. Klarar en trean med ett nödrop
En ny bekantskap för mig. En ganska trevlig sådan. En fin blandning av honkey tonk och outlaw. Vissa låtar som West Texas Waltz hade vi kunnat vara utan. Andra som titelspåret och Boxcars håller fin klass.
Jag köpte den här skivan på chans på en loppis på Karsefors festplats. Några riktigt fina låtar som Because of the Wind och titelspåret. Men visst finns det gott om album i den här genren och från den här tiden som är bättre. Det är som helhet ok, men långtifrån fantastiskt. En aning för mycket dragspel emellanåt. Läser på Wikipedia att han är omsjungen av the Clash på "If Music Could Talk" från sandinista. Otippat.
Good album
Classic honkey tonk country
5/10
There's no masquerade here, this is pure honky tonk. It's a good cross over of country and rock but don't expect any different lyrical observations from other country music. The real difference here is the production. This highlights the mix of country and rock and considering when it was recorded still sounds fresh and not dated. Best Tracks: Cornbread Moon; Boxcars; Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown
I hate country but this is OLD country so it’s bearable. No terrible songs and some funny lyrics ai it was a pleasant surprise.
i am truly coming around on country. not entirely my thing but this was a fun enough listen. plus honky tonk masquerade is just a fun phrase to hear sung over and over again
Texas folk music hits the nostalgia button for me
Rock fuckin solid
I think this is the first country music album that has come up from me since starting this. Country is one genre of music that I've never been a huge fan of (although I have started appreciating it a bit more lately) and I'm just not really familiar with most of it. I don't think I had heard anything by Joe Ely before and didn't know much about him. After listening, the older country music is still not my thing, but I can appreciate this for just a good, solid honky tonk album. Don't think I would listen again, but I didn't mind listening to it.
I rather enjoyed this one, it was fun. I think some of you lot are being a bit harsh with a 2.6 tbh Opening track was my fav
Best Track - "Boxcars"
Not a bad country album. Not great, but good enough to listen to once. 3/5
Not as bad as I anticipated.
Loose, road-worn grooves built from twangy electric guitars, fiddle flourishes, steady shuffle rhythms, and plainspoken, unforced vocals move the album like a dependable pickup truck cruising a backroad at dusk—not flashy, not in a hurry, but steady enough to get you trough (listening) once.
When someone asks you what country music sounds like, just show them this. It sounds a bit samey after a while but at roughly 30 minutes, the album doesn't overstay its welcome too much. Not really my style but the songs achieve what they set put to do: being listenable during car rides in the great planes. Best songs are Jericho and Honky Tonk Masquerade. 6/10, not bad but my cup of tea either.
I feel it is severely understated just how weird this album is. Half of these songs almost sound like precursors to Ween's 12 Golden Country Greats: slightly absurd, just-over-the-top, genre-bending tunes that have an almost postmodern feel to them. I somehow doubt any of these qualities were on purpose on Joe Ely's part, but that doesn't take away from just how oddly entertaining they are. The other half - mostly the ballads - is just regular corny though, so that's a shame.
Cornbread moon - 4 Because of the wind - 3 Boxcars - 4 Jericho (your walls must come tumbling down) - 3 Tonight i think I'm gonna go downtown - 3 Honkey tonk masquerade - 3 I'll be your fool - 3 Fingernails - 3 West texas waltz - 3 Honky tonkin' - 4
My heart sank when this came up but it's actually pretty good. Almost a 4
I think I would like this if given more time with it - and I can see its influence. But on its own for one day, it was just fine.
Not bad for a country album. I especially enjoyed the sound in Boxcars.
Decent enough country. May revisit.
somewhat unique and different from other country albums. chill
These songs sound incredibly timeless, despite having been recorded almost 50 years ago. The man knows how to write a classic country song.
Decent, easy listening country rock. BUT, it was agonizing how his voice always seemed to be just a few cents off pitch at all times.
Bits of this were good and bits veered a bit too close to parody
I like a lot of old school country, but nothing stood out for me here. I liked a few songs.
Este al ser más Country Rock blusero lo toleré un poco más. Pero estoy remil podrido de este tipo de álbumes. Cómo se nota que gente acostumbrada al sombrero de cowboy pensó los 1001 álbumes para el libro. Más cresta y menos sombrero cowboy la próxima. 5/10
Okay
As much as I can appreciate country...
easy listening, not really my thing but was ok as background noise.
Was really in the mood to listen to some good country bangers. First three songs were okaaay. Jericho was getting better. Nothing in here felt worth saving it coming back to really idk. Like, almost there but something was missing.
Sound a lot like Delbert McClinton, maybe its the other way around... I liked it more than I thought.
Never heard of Joe Ely but recognise this genre well. Keeping away from it was sometimes difficult in the 1970s. What we have here is an album that would have delighted the country and western fans back in the day and quite possibly still does. The lyrics provide the most entertainment. Some character couldn't tell the difference between a cow and a horse. Otherwise, the lifestyle of a cowboy and his woman provides the basic starting point for most songs. Boy, the gender roles for country and western are clearly drawn. Lots of other cliches about early in the morning, just about the break of day... This album served to remind me that I don't much like country and western. But I suppose this album is a classic of its type, easy enough on the ear if you ignore the lyrics. There may be more to say about it musically but I'll leave that to others.
Normally, I’m not a country fan and would have given this album one or two stars at most. But this morning, while riding my bike to work in roughly –5°C, I put it on. As I cycled through the cold, snowy landscape, a strange thing happened: I started to feel a warm summer breeze instead. Suddenly, I was imagining myself in Texas, a Bud Light in my hand, the sun on my back. So yeah — because of that, three stars.
Honky Tonk is right. If I gave this another listen I'd probably rank it higher, but I was running a 5k pr at the time and I honestly don't remember much
Not too bad.
Honky tonky wonky bonky conky ponky vonky donky. 5/10
It's a little different hearing a country album on this list. I didn't hate it because it didn't sound like new country.
Some decent country. Enjoyable enough.
This feels like some real deal, West Texas truckin' music! I liked the more bluegrass inspired songs, thought the lap steel was great. The more fast paced honkey tonk style songs I found less enjoyable. He's definitely going for an old school , blues inspired rock and roll meets country style sound which I feel like is a bit unique but doesn't really capture me much.
I like country, but I mean THIS country. Ragged, authentic, the sound of dive bars and broken hearts. Elys voice is warm but battered, and that equally applies to the songs. I’m an absolute sucker for a pedal steel and this is dripping in it
Recording sounds great. This album is maybe a little bit too Honky Tonk for my taste, but it still flows pretty good. How influential it is? That's a question that I can't answer. I've heard a lot of 90s and newer country that sounds like it draws from this, so maybe this one is a real influence to a lot of modern country artists. Or maybe it just sounds like everything during this era? I have no idea, but didn't hate it enough to give it less than 3 stars.
Hilarious in many ways, I kinda liked it!
I'm not a fan of country, but the strain of country I can tolerate is Texas country and in particular the "outlaw" variety. This is straight up the fairway classic Texas country. It's well executed if a little boring. I'm not offended by it, but it’s unlikely to be something I'd choose to spin again.
Liked Boxcars Surprised by how much I enjoyed this album; country rock is generally a genre I really dislike.
I am not much of a country fan, but 70s country is usually easier for me to handle, and this one fit right into that lane. Nothing offensive, nothing amazing, just solid songwriting and a relaxed vibe. It worked well as background music while I was working. I did not feel the urge to skip anything, but I also was not stopping what I was doing to pay closer attention. Overall, it was decent and easy to sit with, even if it did not really pull me in.
Inoffensive country music
Cornbread Moon ★★★☆☆ Because of the Wind ★★★☆☆ Boxcars ★★★☆☆ Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down) ★★★☆☆ Tonight I Think I’m Gonna Go Downtown ★★★☆☆ Honky Tonk Masquerade ★★★☆☆ I’ll Be Your Fool ★★★☆☆ Fingernails ★★★☆☆ West Texas Waltz ★★★☆☆ Honky Tonkin’ ★★★☆☆ Average Album Rating: 3.0/5.0 ★★★☆☆
Very honky tonk and twangy country music. It's mellow and cool enough though. Not my typical forte of what I like to listen to, but this is nice.
Last song went incredibly hard. This is the kind of country I’m excited the list is getting me more into
Damn how many honky tonkies are there?
This is some country music from DEEP in the cornfields. These songs predate singing about your dog, your truck and drinking and focus on Texas, rail cars and biblical scriptures. As I’ve matured, I’ve gained an appreciation for county music that I never had before, so this is a lot more digestible to me nowadays. That being said, this is way too deep in the sticks for me to really enjoy. I’ll recognize the era it was recorded and tip my hat at it, but this was one and done for me, cowboy.
If you like this sort of thing, then this is the sort of thing you’ll probably like. It didn’t do much for me, mostly because of the constraints of the country style, but Boxcars really slaps though. That song would work well in any genre.
honky tonk fucks
Quality country, beautifuls singing, just a pity I don't dig it.
Subject matter was not deep
A perfectly fine late-70s country album. Nothing too exciting, but nothing to complain about either. I do get a little bit of satisfaction knowing how many British people have to listen to this. One click on the public reviews tells me they must not have Honky Tonks across the pond.
Have spent a lot of time with Joe Ely (RIP) and his stuff is always a lot of fun but for me, there's never *that* song that ties the whole thing together like there is for TVZ, Guy Clark or Jerry Jeff Walker. Still, he's a good time to kick back with. The Butch Hancock penned tracks are incredible. The way this leans into some electric guitar work and synths too, interesting preview of the next decade but what's the real kicker is the steel guitar. Favorite Tracks: Boxcars, Honky Tonk Masquerade, West Texas Waltz
First listen
Got no problem with country music, but this is pretty bland
Goon energy. Many layers of instruments but some tracks are fighting against each other. Sometimes it’s just unpleasantly loud. Also all tracks have a very similar vocal range. His voice is just ok. I’d like to hear him to sing a bit higher, maybe just one note or two. And use a little bit of registration change, or sometimes be a bit more breathier to spice everything up. At the moment, it’s very dry. It’s good at first track but the entire album feels like a whole big chunk of boiled chicken breast. It’s not too bad but it can also be far more interesting. Luckily the album is short, so overall still ok.
I like the songs that are more Honky rather than Tonk on this album. Glad to see some country representation on the list. A good listen, and I well needed mix-up
This was a good discovery by an artist I would like to dig more into. As of writing this, he passed away just over two weeks ago. This is good and has some elements that keep me back from rating it higher.
I’m not a country music fan but this was way better than the typical modern hokey hip hop type country
Love me some normal ass country, good voice, cool topics that aren’t ’standard’ nowadays. Gotta give it to him it feels like an era album and I’m all for it (though not a lover of all country, this is fine) 3.2
Pleasant to listen, nice vibe and globally a good album but c'est pas ma came la country!
Listened to it too passively but eventually found a few memorable songs. 2.5.
This one didn’t do much for me. It was fine but it seems like I am getting a lot of fine lately. 2.5 but I will round up.
I like country music, especially from this era. I have no fucking idea why this album is on the the list. It wasn't bad, but there have to be a hundred albums that should have been in its place. Not unenjoyable, but definitely unremarkable
Not a masquerade. This is honky tonk. Play at your next hootenanny. Couple ear worms raise it from a 2 to a 3. “I keep my fingernails long so they click when I play the piana”…
One I definitely haven't heard before. Which is the point of this whole thing for me. Eh, seems fine. Inoffensive, clean. Can't compare it to much. 3 Heard before? No Owned: No: 35/137 (25%) Will I get? No.
Wasn't expecting to like a country record like this.
I have never heard this album surprisingly it’s up my alley. God blend of rock/country I love the sound of a steel guitar.
So far? Generic I do like the production of the album. Everything is so clear. Some would probably say it’s too over produced. I spit in their general direction. Back to the album. Slightly more than generic. It’s ok. That’s about it. Yep. I didn’t hate it Choice cut: Hinkey Tonk Masquerade
I now have a better understanding of what Honky Tonk is, and it is clearly masquerading as a genre. Ok, that might be a little over the top, but only a little.
Good clean country fun! Nice to listen to on the six hour drive back to Pittsburgh. “Boxcars” was my favorite.
Not bad at all very likeable. I think i like honky tonk
Weird that we have had 3 honky tonk albums in the last 3 weeks. Its like they procrastinated it till the very end. That said, this is the best honky tonk of the three (Lourvin Brothers, Ray Price). Could certainly see myself goofin' boots to Joe while on Broadway.
Never my fav genre, but I am jamming to Boxcars right now especially when the electric guitar comes in. Honky Tonkin' also crushes it with the electric guitar. I didn't enjoy the country ass parts of this, but there was enough other fun things to at least mark this a 3 in my book.
It was fine. I’d listen again but won’t seek it out
So e really fun/funny tracks on here. Not really the stodgy country I thought it would be. Maybe not something I'd spin a bunch but maybe every once in awhile?
Favorite Track: Honky Tonkin'
I think some of the songs on this album have fewer streams (on Spotify) than users in this project.. It’s the musical equivalent of a polite handshake. The rhythm is there and the vibe is right, but I want that outlaw grit. This feels like it went to bed at a reasonable hour. It’s perfectly competent honky tonk country music, but nothing here offends me, and nothing grabs me either. It’s country bar band music, nothing more. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Boxcars - Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown - I'll Be Your Fool
Twangy old timey country. Not for me but not bad
Putting the Honky in Honky Tonk.
I was a bit doubtful going into this album, but it really grew on me as it went along. Most of the tracks have a lively, upbeat vibe that mixes honky tonk country with rock, blues, and a good dose of southwestern Tex-Mex flavor. It even made me wonder if Joe Ely had some influence on a band like Calexico with their modern take on Tex-Mex country rock. This isn’t something I’d listen to regularly, but I enjoyed it and would definitely be interested in checking out more of Joe Ely’s work.
Not a big fan of Country but there are one or two decent moments on this.
Was hoping to like this more. Perfectly fine but not too interesting and so, so twangy. Need a little kore substance in my country. High 3.
Good Texas country & western music. Reminded me a lot of Steve Earle.
Decent country but not really sure why this is on the list.
Je ne sais pas trop quoi penser de cet album. D’un côté, son aspect country rock me rebute. La slide guitare, l’accordéon, c’est pas pour moi. D’un autre côté, l’énergie de Joe Ely est contagieuse (malgré que ce n’est pas pour toutes les tounes). Et l’influence du honky tonk donne à l’ensemble un souffle que les autres albums de country rock que j’ai écoutés n’avaient pas.
Super easy country record to listen to. Not a ton of twang. Great voice. Rocked at times. This was good and I never heard of this guy. Very pleasant record.
Not my usual listen. Surprisingly, I kinda liked some songs.
292/1089 - First song was cool but then there was no variation for the rest of the album. I've been thinking about how Country and Hip-Hop have a lot in common recently.
Great sound
The start of this album hits you with a very professional, rich sounding take on country. There are moments of absolute brilliance sprinkled thereafter, but there are also whole songs which are quite plain and forgettable.
Country entre melancolico te extrano mucho y bebe avisame y caemo al pari. Por momentos me parecio monotono pero divertido los cambios. Estaba estudiando para fertilidad, nunca me senti mas agro en mi vida. 07/11/2025 - 3/5
Can’t decide how I feel about this. My first thought was ‘this is actually quite fun, despite it being the kind of cheesy country I don’t usually like’. Second thought (around tracks 2 and 3): ‘actually this is legitimately good, not just a guilty pleasure!’ Third thought was ‘ah… we’re back to cheesy country again, but now I’m enjoying it slightly less’. Tempted to give 2 stars but that would probably be somewhat disingenuous, as I did have a nice time listening to it for the most part.
2.5…rounded up because I feel bad?
Started out promising but then got TOO Honky Tonk for me. 3/5
Favorite Track: Honky Tonk Masquerade
Some fun diddies but overall it didn't absorb me.
You know, there was a very specific window in my life when this could have been a really significant album for me, somewhere around age 27-29 when I was obsessed with "authentic modern country" like Steve Earle, Alejandro Escovado, Fred Eaglesmith, all that No Depression stuff... feels like a lifetime ago, and now I can only give this a sort of genial thumbs up and admit that I don't give much of a damn about this genre anymore. I guess this is actually pretty remarkable for coming out in 1978, it feels very much like a mid-90s alt-country thing, more on the milder, rootsier, Tex Mex end of that spectrum than the rockin end.
I thought I would really hate it from the description, but for some reason I quite like it. The slide guitar stuff is actually done quite interestingly, so that it kind of sounds like a synth in some areas. There are also some quite cheesy pop rock ones which I definitely like less. Vocals are fine could be a lot worse. Not too much else to say. Favourite songs: cornbread moon, boxcars, honky tonk masquerade, West Texas Waltz. Overall around 5/10
Generic country music with lyrics that a teenager would find deep and romantic. That being said, I do kinda like this. I could see myself having fun with the fun parts of this one at a bar. Unfortunately, there are a few lame tracks here that bring this one down.
nice enough
I definitely enjoy this kind of country more than others and the album starts strong with the first couple of songs. But then it kind of honky tonks into samey tedium with not much standing out. Some great guitar playing throughout but the songwriting doesn't do a whole lot for me.
Not familiar with Joe Ely but I am with his fellow Texans and contemporaries Guy Clark and the incomparable Townes Van Zandt, and theres flashes of both here. The Texas country sound is so much better than the sleek corporate Nashville one, Ill always prefer it. Not every song here is the most original or interesting, but if I happened upon a band playing stuff like this in some old honky tonk I'd be happy
You Brits sure have a weird obsession with honky tonk music. Even The Clash were taken in. He does remind me of Hank Williams Sr, that is to say, the best of honky tonk, so I actually enjoyed this way more than I thought I would.
I thought it was a British person's attempt at country at first.
Pretty fun album, not quite my jam though
Late 70s country. Country rock. Fairly standard fare.
Great choice
I enjoyed this album, even if every other song sounded practically the same.
This was fine. but nothing overwhelmingly amazing...… as are most of the albums on this list.
Country/western with blues and even jazz/big band elements. Some rock n roll too. Quite interesting (Cornbread Moon) Interesting fuzzy electro sustain sound on Boxcars Generally nice instrumentals/transitions between songs As album progresses I'm seeing less of interest. Best track - Cornbread Moon 3 stars
Honky Tonk Masquerade is fine or whatever.
It’s a 3.5, but I’m not feeling generous just because singing about honky tonkin seems silly. Most of the songs sound great.
Honky Tonk Masquerade is just your typical old country album with a few neat features but still is pretty basic. If you can think of any country album from the late 1970s, then there is a 90% chance that it sounds a lot like this. This uses all the same instruments (with a few ones i don't hear too often) the same vocal style and the same lyrical themes. If i had to pick a most interesting track from this album, it would be Boxcars since that song does have some sounds that i'm not all that used to hearing in country music. Other than that, i really don't have much to say about this album, It's fine but nothing all that special. Best Song: Boxcars Worst Song: Honky Tonk Masquerade
no es lo mio, pero es entretenido
A fun listen (representing Lubbock!). Enjoyed the album and I appreciate Ely representing West Texas. Didn't include "West Texas Waltz" on the playlist because I thought "I'll Be Your Fool" and "Honky Tonkin'" better represented the album.
country met lekker accent en alle stereotypen
It's pleasant enough, maybe it's essential for country fans, but it sounds fairly generic to these ears.
This is bound to rate poorly as it's not a genre I enjoy, however, I was impressed by the instrumentation and lyrics. Also, if The Clash liked him, he can't have been all bad. There were some upbeat numbers and some catchy little things in there.
I've liked some Ely in the past, but nothing really stood out here.
I definitely prefer country from around this time and earlier than current fare. This isn't terrible and I was surprised by the horn section in the first track.
i don't ever have high expectations for country albums, and this was right on what i expected for this album (esp when i saw the playcount on this). there was nice instrumentals bits in this but the vocals were so cringey lmaoooooo. not a bad album at all
It was a decent country album, but seriously nothing special at all. The book seriously mentions how he was underrated and deserved more attention as a member of the Clash. Not really deserving of this list, but whatever, I guess.
This is almost alt-country in places. Not my genre of choice, but I can hear how Ely must have influenced bands like REM, Grant Lee Buffalo, and Wilco. Boxcars is very, very good.
This was very average but I’m a sucker for a bit of country
Funky
Standard country with a tinny feel with a little nod in the direction of rock.
Was it awful? Yes. Was it understandably included? Yes. 3.
not my cup of tea but really enjoyable, the first song is a great starter, it made me dance immediately
Really jogged along. Cornbread Moon is nice. Boxcars has a hint of Horse with No Name - lovely stuff. Fingernails was a gross song - keeping one's fingernails long so they plink along the piano. Absolutely turned my stomach. Imagine the filth under the nails - cow dung, mud, rope strands. Clean yourself up Joe. 4 stars but lost a star through being a dirty little boy.
I like him! Pretty good honky tonk country.
I had fun, but there were no real standout performances or songs for me on here. Everything mostly blended together
ykw i think there actually is a time and a place for honky took (just maybe not a tuesday morning)
oh no... why god why? Please no more steel guitar. The rest of this would be good but he had to have that awful steel guitar.
Favorites: Cornbread Moon, Boxcars, Honky Tonk Masquerade A relatively decent, albeit not great (with the exception of Boxcars), country rock album. I don't really have any complaints, nor do I have very many praises (again, with the exception of Boxcars). Have I mentioned how good Boxcars is? 6.5/10
Not much wheel reinvention going on here, but it's still pretty solid overall. Ely's got a nice voice and there are some interesting sonic textures that definitely elevate it a bit. The only major misstep, in my opinion, is the "Honky Tonkin'" cover, so it ends on a slightly awkward note in my book. But I could easily return to this. 3.5/5
I just don’t love country styling more than folk and many of these could be great folk songs which would just be better Nonetheless the honky tonk honks and tonks
pleasant
3 Short and sweet. No real stand outs though
Its fine. Bob Dylan from second hand
Rating: 5.5/10 A country album I found mildly enjoying, how surprising.
Always interesting to see which country artist gets in with Music Row and who stays on the outside looking in (with some deliberately positioning themselves there). Anytime someone records in Murfreesboro or really anywhere outside Davidson County, my eyebrows raise a touch. And in the case of Ely, a West Texan, I was a bit quizzical but quickly charmed. The combined sound of the steel guitar and accordion immediately took me back to my summers in south-central Texas (although that usually had a Tejano or German tilt). It’s a personally pleasing sound but at the time of this recording it was, if not quite a throwback, a declaration that this is not Music Row country music. Which I can respect. Moreover, there’s a guitar or synthesizer (moog?) lead at one point that would not have been out of place on a Wire or Eno-helmed record and probably makes about as much sense as that sounds hanging around a bunch of fellas from Lubbock and Austin. Evidently this was a much celebrated record by Joe Strummer and co., so much so they toured together and Ely ended up doing backing vocals on Combat Rock, which leads me to suspect its inclusion here is less a celebration of late-1970s country rock and more because they were, somehow or another, down with The Clash.
The country album of all time.
I thought this was pretty fun and a bit different as far as typical country music. Might listen to it again in the future.
Nothing Special.
Old country. Well I made it to the end
Folky stuff 3/5
I'm glad that this project exists to remind me that there is such a thing as "good country artists." Case in point, Joe Ely! I didn't know who this guy was before but now I vaguely know that he's a fairly talented guy who worked with the Clash at one point. Neat! This album of his is pretty good. It's not the best country album I've heard, but it's a solid time. The instrumentation is enjoyable. I do generally enjoy my country to be more on the mellow side of things, but I can appreciate some strong country rock like this every so often. This thing has a Moog synthesizer on it, okay? It's good. Joe's singing does the job. Definitely country singing alright. The writing's respectable. He's no John Prine or anything, but at least these songs have more soul to them than the manufactured crap you hear on the radio these days. This isn't a super exciting album, but it's one that I can get behind. I like other country albums more, but I'd be a fool to call this album bad. High 3/5.
nice country
I expected this to be very country but Cornbread Moon rocks pretty hard too. The second track is more in line with what I thought I'd be getting, relaxed and folksy. The steel guitar work is pretty satisfying throughout. A lot of this has me nodding my head, so I can't complain. Fingernails stands out - a short piano-driven romp. Old school for 1978, surely. Overall this doesn't feel essential for me, but it's cozy and at a modest 10 songs and 33 minutes it doesn't overstay its welcome, either.
When I saw the title, I was expecting "Honky Tonk", like the genre. This wasn't remotely the case - but that's not a bad thing! I really enjoyed how this thing used a lot of various instruments not commonly found in country music of the time, a lot of synthesiser, different drum patterns, etc. Hearing the word Honky Tonk over and over again started to get annoying (I still don't know what the fuck 'Honky Tonkin' even means). But that's really my only gripe with the album. Anyways, this was a super enjoyable listen, but I don't think I'll come back to for a relisten any time soon.
Really great single artist, just a good album. 7/10
An album that is exactly what it says on the tin. I've never been the biggest fan of honky tonk country, but Ely's performance has a genuine energy that makes the songs infectious. Wasn't interested in the "honkier" songs and I wouldn'tmind if the album was even shorter, but there is something fun to enjoy here. Top tracks: Because Of The Wind, Boxcars, Honky Tonk Masquerade
I don't process country music well. This seems pretty good.
Honky tonk is very much not my thing at all, but I guess this is on the treatable side.
Meh, had it's honky tonkin' I guess.
"I keep my fingernails long so they click when I play the piano" This guy is nuts
Un album muy country highway american way y esta bien para ese publico tiene frescura igualmente en la manera en que joe ely canta pero es eso un album de Country rock para genre que escucha country rock, divertido y sencillo escuchable pero no memorable pero eso no lo hace malo.
Album starts like a traditional country album, but starts to shine with the rock influences in Boxcars. Jericho is actually kinda fun, but then the album goes back to slow classic country with Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown. I'll Be Your Fool is a delightful little ditty. I like the tiny howl he puts on certain words in it. Fingernails is also a fun song. The back half of the album is a little stronger than the first bit.
Surprisingly not terrible for 70’s country.
Nice sounding but a bit dull
When you think of country, this is what it's supposed to sound like. Doesn't necessarily make it good, but this is what country is supposed to sound like.
Yee haw
Straight up country music.
This album grew on me. I'm sure that Ely influenced a lot of artists that I enjoy more and hold in a higher regard i.e. Yoakum, Robert Earl Keen , and Steve Earle. It's arguable that they are better song writers and or performers but at least for me their voices are much better sounding. That being said this is a solid album that I will listen to again.
Interesting. It's like, I can tell a top class chef has made a shrimp dish, but I still don't like shrimp
das isch mega das woni hüt cha bruche glaub. uptempo country. irgendwie meh instrument alsi erwartet hett abem cover. aber cooli gitarre und ui die kicks vorem solo geeil. find alles sehr agnehme country mit bitz 70er production. sehr cool. title track isch super. fingernails huuere geil haha de cheesy synth mösst nöd sii aber jo geil. oke bi scho fast am schluss, isch etz meeeega nüt bsunders gsi so nöd mega geili harmonies gsanglich und d songs recht standard. ich has mega gern trotzdem aber finds etz nüt bsunders i sache country. het aber sehr viel charme. west texas waltz isch suuper find walzer passt gad no und de text isch fun.
It seems uncharitable to offer an opinion about an album I’ve never heard about and a genre I do not really understand. Anyway. Pleasant enough.
Cool
Solid country-rock with some of Zydeco flair with the accordion. Enjoyed this one a fair bit
Am I starting to like country music 🤮
3/5
Pretty solid country, if you're in the mood for that - Boxcars was probably my favourite track.
good listen, quite relaxing 3/5
2.6 2x
#611. It's alright, but nothing more. I dont hate it, but i wouldn't recommend it. 3/5: fine
It was fine.
Boogie country. Real honky tonk music. Toe-tappin' tunage.
I like some of Joe Ely’s later stuff, but this is a bit too twangy for me.
A rock solid country album where his singing isn't too twangy. Had a good time with this.
Just kind of average country. Lot of other country albums from the 70’s would have been better.
Thai was cool in a honky to k kinda sound
This album was so much fun to listen to but I literally cannot rank it high just because it is so basic. I'm not saying that basic is a bad thing, but it is just a typical southwestern country-rock-blues album. Like all the lyrics and the instrumental come together to form the most stereotypical country-rock sound, which does make the entire thing quite forgettable. It's not bad but once you've heard one track you've pretty much just heard them all, although it would be quite interesting to look into other albums that Joe Ely has made.
Too much pedal steel for my liking
I like to think I am a fan of classic country, but I haven't heard of this guy, so I question what I actually know. Maybe, I'm more of a Honky than I am a Tonker. This is solid classic country. It has a place, for sure. Good lyrics, nice music. I would rarely ride around vibing this, but I like it. I'll Be Your Fool is a good one. I'll give this a 3. I just check his other stuff out, and his 1977 album is baller.
A new one to me. Though not my preferred genre, Joe Ely does a good job bringing country to a more upbeat tempo and modern (at the time) stylings. "Cornbread Moon" has a jazzy bend to it and goes from a swing to a rock feel and back, while the organ smacks a bit reminiscent of watching professional games at the ballpark (Go Phillies!). Americana, eat your heart out. "Because Of The Wind" stands testament that Joe can write a middle-of-the-road country tune, even throwing in an "Amarillo" for good measure. "Boxcars" could have been a Johnny Cash tune. "Jericho" brings in some Mexican bordertown influences and seems to add a bit of Jimmy Buffet in the chorus. He reserves his crooning for "I'll Be You Fool." "I keep my fingernails long so they click when I play the piana" is an odd theme for a song, but ok, let's tell Ray Stevens to step up his game. I can't say that Joe Ely is an inspiration for Alan Jackson, but my ears hear a connection. Not my cup of tea, but quality soundwriting, singing, and musicianship.
I'm not a huge Country person, but I gave this a fair shot, and while it didn't set my soul on fire, it had many little moments that I liked enough. Nothing jumped out as a flaw. I probably liked Boxcar the best.
Nog een keer luisteren
The songs on this are undeniably great, but oh man is that production dated. Still, the songs hold up and Joe's voice is excellent. But those keyboards especially...holy muzak.
a sta ja znam. ima toliko zanimljivijeg countryja
It’s good for what it is, but I hate it for what it is
I saw Joe Ely as part of a songwriters tour with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt and Guy Clark at the beautiful Chicago Theater. It was a great show, four songwriters, four stools and four guitars. Each took turns telling a story and then playing a song, sometimes accompanied with additional guitar from one of the others. I was familiar with Lyle and John at the time but Joe and Guy were new to me. I was particularly impressed with Guy Clark but I thought Joe Ely was just fine. I honestly never did dig any deeper though beyond that show. This album from 1978 starts off a little cajuny zydeco but ultimately it’s a bit too country twangy for my tastes.
78% Best: Cornbread Moon; Boxcars Must-Hear? Not quite
the best country music barely even sounds like country
A surprisingly pleasant little country album. All I could think is that, even tho this was released in the 70s, it sounded like late 80/early 90s country, so I have to imagine the production here was really influential for the genre.
Average country album
Not my usual fare, but honestly a pretty good album. Good energy, some real vulnerability. It's vocal forward, musically kind of one-note country, but it's country at its best before the stadiumification of it all, and there's some real emotion behind the songs. I enjoyed it!
Enjoyed it
Kind of fun, but still a bit country for me.
Thought the first track, Cornbread Moon, was fantastic and that I was in for a brilliant discovery here. I couldn't find out too much about Joe Ely from the internet but tried to read around a bit. "Too rock for country, too country for rock", according to one article I found. But after a couple of listens, I decided it was probably country enough for country and doesn't quite maintain the excitement of that opener. When he does lean more bluesy rock'n'roll, he's great but I certainly didn't think he was 'too rock' for country. I'm keeping Cornbread Moon though.
"I keep my fingernails long so they click when I play the piano." Not sure what to make of this. It's certainly not relevant today.
Usually when I hear this accent in music form it’s an immediate no, but after giving this a chance I was kinda vining with it more than I thought I would. I think after a little while I was like okayyy…. But I can see the pleasure.
exactly what the name suggests!
Just some run of the mill country music.
3.5/5
This album was… fine? It’s unremarkable but it’s not bad I guess. We haven’t gotten many country albums in the 200 albums into this list so far and the handful we have gotten have been some kinda confusing choices. This is one of them. “Boxcars” is pretty good. I dunno.
Not bad. Country rock, could hear a little Zydeco in there too. I can hear how this influenced a lot of people coming up behind him.
I didn't pay much attention to it - distracted today - but it was fine.
This feels so random for this list, but I’m very happy it was here.
It was a good album, though I don't usually like country music, this was ok
It's wild how different Country use to sound like compared to today's Country. I definitely prefer this over modern country, but not by much....2.5/5.
that steel guitarist good though. Ely's voice does not hit
Wow, such great guitar playing. Accompanied by such inane lyrics. What a shame. Does this guy have an instrumental album?
Legit progressive country guy I'd heard the name of (I think) but never listened to. I thought this album was pretty solid. 3.5 in my opinion but not quite worth rounding up. He did run with some good company. The spotify mix after this album had some great work from contemporaries of his and bands in the same vein.
This is alright; it's not my favorite country experience. If this album were to be put on again for me, I wouldn't complain, but I'm not there the entire time. "I'll Be Your Fool" is great!
cornbread moon- 6 because of the wind- 5 boxcars- 5 jericho- 5 tonight I think gonna go downtown- 5 honky tonk masquerade- 5 I'll be your fool- 5 fingernails- 5 west Texas waltz- 5 honky tonkin- 5
I wish the moon was made of cornbread
A little too twangy for me, but clearly Ely is an excellent musician. “Boxcar” is exceptional, but that was the clear highlight for me here.
Good classic county. Great when in the right mood but not an everyday album for me.
That sure was fun!
This is very much on the Western side of the Country and Western spectrum, with songs of lost loves in Amarillo and lonesome boxcars, as well as two songs about good ol’ honky tonks closing with a great Hank Williams cover. I always used to think that I didn’t like music like this, but it turns out it’s the schmaltzy 70s Nashville style that I’m not a fan of. Albums like this bring in elements of traditional blues, rock and western swing and I would happily listen to this in a dusty bar late at night with a beer in hand. Boxcar-tastic!
I'm not a fan of country -- to say the least -- but this is surprisingly OK to listen to. Still not my cup of tea, but way better than what I expected.
I enjoyed this album, especially because I'd never heard of him before, never heard of this album, and I'm pretty sure never heard any of the songs either. But I'm also completely baffled why this album is in this collection, and neither the Wikpedia entry nor the "1001 Albums" entry provide any real clue either, and the latter review seems equally mystified why Joe Ely never got more than a cult following. I guess we're listening to him because The Clash had him open for them in the late 70s (poor guy)? Given how few country-related (or even -adjacent) albums we get in this album, it seems a shame to get what appears to be an arbitrary choice instead of substantially more established/respected/acclaimed country artists (no Jerry Jeff Walker, no Townes van Zandt, no Robert Earl Keen, to name just a few). But that's certainly not Ely's fault, and it's an interesting enough album. I think my favorites were "Boxcars" and "Fingernails", in part because they had more of a rock-crossover aspect to them.
Enjoyed the country sound; suspect it doesn't sound nearly as interesting today because now all country music sounds like Ely's--so I'm missing how he was at the vanguard for "country rock"
Quality honky tonk country
it’s fine
Nice sound but a bit twangy for me #musicsky #albumsky #rocksky 3/5
3.5
I do like this album, but I've heard some Joe Ely that's closer to my style, like his 1992 Love and Danger Lp, which me and my songwriting friends would play the hell out of around the time I moved to Memphis. But that was more of a rocker folk album, this is more of his Texicana country, which is a fun listen, but not an all timer to me. Though I put a star by "Boxcars". I really liked that one. (7.7) ★★★½
3.5
Interesting stories, sad stories, easy listening. Buy also some jams and sick solos
This was fun!
well, you can't accuse joe of false advertising with the album title
Solid country album
If you look closely at the album cover, you can see Joe Ely’s toes. It’s a pretty good classic country album. Cornbread Moon was great.
First song starts really nice with rock and country elements. Very easy to listen to. Second song is softer and more mellow. Sounds like a ballad from old times. Sounds quite nostalgic in a way. Third song is nice and easy to listen to. Fourth song starts a bit pop-like, sounds slightly like a lullaby. Nice ending. Fifth sounds really pleasant and nostalgic. Sixth song sounds more diverse than the previous songs, not bad. Seventh song sounds a bit like the rest of the songs. Eighth song sounds different and better. Ninth has waltz and country elements, a bit annoying. Tenth song starts off really nice and stays consistent, nostalgic. 6 out of 10 rating. 3 out of 5 stars.
Still don’t know what a honky is. Nor a tonk.
Didn't expect this to go so hard and kind of funky at times
Nice country album, though there’s a low ceiling to my enjoyment for this style of music. Lively backing band though. A couple tracks add an extra bit of distortion on the electric guitar, and I would have loved more of that. 2.5
Pretty nice folky old poppy cowboy tunes. I think that the songs are actually quite good and this is a bit of a hidden gem after looking at some of the play counts. I was surprised at some of the production ideas too, it felt a little bit exploratory and a little bit of messy execution? High 2 for me, enough to round up to a 3.
was fun, different to listen to, didn't love it, didn't dislike it. Jericho was the only one I remembered after.
Starts strong, finishes strong, keeps it interesting throughout. There are some surprisingly modern touches in a sound that can too easily disintegrate into pure tropes. For instance, the guitar/synth solo on "Boxcars" or the lyrics on "Fingernails (which I swear Marty Stuart covers) or "West Texas Waltz." Stays true to the Honky Tonk sound, as far as I know it. Accordions, steel guitar, fiddle... it's the Western in "Country and Western." Feels sincere and unapologetic, not trying to be popular, just trying to be what it is.
Wow! A C&W I actually like!
Country
The most interesting thing about this was that I didn’t hear anything here that Garth Brooks didn’t do in the 90s. That realization alone makes me like Ely more than Brooks (who I like not at all). But the music and storytelling here wasn’t half bad!
Not bad. I'm not a huge country fan, but this guy's pretty good. 3.5*
Ok
No masquerade. This is just straight up, middle of the road, good old honky tonk music.
Ganz in Ordnung.
I’m stuck about halfway between 2 and 3 stars. I think there are some well written songs in here, but overall it’s a little too honky tonk for my tastes. I did not know or expect that he toured with the Clash, I guess I’ll declare that enough to push this to a 2.5, rounded up to 3 stars. I wouldn’t be mad is someone put this on, but I don’t think I’ll be coming back to it either. Maybe I’ll look into some of his later works, according to the bio he moved more towards a mainstream rock style, those albums might be more my speed.
Pretty decent country album (that's high praise from me, frankly). The band sounds good and it's not a pop country album nor is it completely maudlin slow ballads. A weird production choice - I don't know if it was the guitar or the pedal steel on "Boxcars" but there was an absolutely horrible pedal effect used on that song that sounded horrible. It pops up again on the solo in Honky Tonkin'. Woof, it sounds so freaking bad. It's a decent country album, well executed. And Joe sang on the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go" so that's something. No issues with this one. Better than expected frankly.
Thus began the lame-ification of country music.
Did anyone else expect his voice to sound a lot different based on the album cover? I'll just listen to Johnny Cash if I want country. This wasn't bad to listen to but wasn't special,. Except Fingernails, I'm all for a carefree song but wtf are we doing here. A 3/5 if I ever heard one.
I really like Cornbread Moon and Fingernails.
Country
Fun country rock
For what it was - I thought this was pretty good. But I’m not totally down with what it was.
West Texas honky tonk dancers.
Pretty good!
I liked this. Country gets a bad name. This is such a party record!
Okay country album. It wasn't terrible, which already tells a lot. Nothing I would like to listen to again, but much more entertaining than other country records on this list.
That sure was some honky tonk. 2.5
Ganz gut