Reviews (page 3 of 14)
Knapp an fünf Sternen vorbei. Texasmusik, sehr chillig
0/10 i couldn't even make it past song three before i felt like i was in temu calamity jane
Im too young for this
Big iron jajaja
This is different than anything I've ever listened to. Enjoyed it so much more than I would have thought! Maybe because it's unique, but it was easy to listen and follow along and enjoy the stories. I wouldn't have thought I would enjoy country western stories, but this album made it very enjoyable.
The story telling really grabbed me. Could not do anything but just listen. Great change of pace! Had to crank El Paso!
Great storytelling. Unique. Plus I have a lot of nostalgic memories of this. 4 thumbs up.
Jesus Christ what a violent album. But thankfully there's no swearing, that would make it unlistenable. The stories are OK, but fairly slight and start to feel a little repetitive. And the music is fairly nondescript.
🤠
lifelong conservative, i see, who spent most of his time stationed in the Solomon Islands during WWII and taught himself how to play the guitar. not a bad album, but not my kind of music + definitely don’t agree with his political views.
Oddly enough I have this album in my collection as it belonged to my dad. He's still around but I ended up with this record somehow and since he has no way to play it anyway, I guess it's mine now. Dad loves old westerns and cowboy shows like Gunsmoke and The Big Valley. So he played this album a good bit when I was a kid. As an 80s kid who loved thrash metal and hardcore, Marty Robbins was pretty corny to me. But you know what? Now in my 50s I find that I really enjoy this record. And it reminds me I need to hang out with my dad.
🔫☢️ Big iron on his hiiiiiiiiiiiiip ☢️🔫
Fallout New Vegas
8/10 I'm a big fan of this specific type of music, it makes me feel like an outlaw. Objectively I think I enjoyed this at a 6ish out of 10 but they put Big Iron in Fallout: New Vegas so 8/10
Really cool cowboy ballads.
I like the constant noodling of the lead guitar player and the interesting storytelling found in many of the songs. Liked Songs Added: El Paso
I WANTED TO BE A COWBOY BABYYY
This album makes me yearn to drop my modern life, and go be a cowboy. Just go get the boys and start a cattle ranch out West...
The main thing separating Gunfighter Songs from the typical country album of its era is its lyrical focus. Instead of heartbroken love songs, this is filled with tails of murder and tragedy out on the frontier. Pretty much everything else - strong baritone vocals, solid but limited songs - is what you'd expect from a traditional country album. The vocals may be the strongest part, even if they don't always convey a ton of emotion. The songs have enough variety to keep things fresh; "Big Iron" is noticeably faster than many of the ballads, for example. There are no real surprises though, and it's hard to miss that "Master's Call" sounds an awful lot like "Big Iron." The tales are fun but rarely have a twist or unique element. Among the strongest country album's from its time, but still limited by what the genre was offering back then.
One of the greatest albums of all time. Also the fallout new Vegas song. I also generally don't like country so this one is outstanding
un solido 3 porque es caca el álbum pero tmp tanto jajaja. literalmente me ha transportado a Oklahoma en los 50’s en un banco en el porche de mi rancho jajajajaj.
It's not everyone's cup of tea but it's vintage. Perhaps the first concept album ever. Johnny Cash and Elvis vibes here. If you hate proto country music then you will hate this. Quality of music though, is high. Writing is higher.
I liked this album, good stuff
I know the song "Big Iron" right off because my husband and I used to listen to the Fallout soundtrack every time we walked our then-newborn daughter around the living room to try to calm her and get her to sleep. My husband introduced me to this type of country music (akin to Johnny Cash, who of course came later). The lyrics are unique, clever storytelling sung with a smooth voice. This is better than standard country fare.
actually slapped
I groaned before putting this on, but it blew me out of the water! So so good, shall be returning!
Despite the cover, which looks incredibly hilarious for our time, featuring singer and actor Marty Robbins, resembling a young Nicolas Cage, in a Pedobear pose, this turned out to be a very good album! Classic ballads of old American cowboydom, sung in a pleasant voice over an acoustic guitar. Among the plots are "I was looking for a better fate, but a bandit shot me," "They started a showdown over a woman," and "I forgive everything, but need to finish you" Rappers were telling similar stories for modern Americans fifteen years ago. And while listening to this record, since the music here isn't the most diverse, it turned out to be really important to listen to the lyrics and read them. More than once during those half-hours, I caught myself thinking that I have some other things to do, but I was so curious about how each story would end.
It was harmless enough. Absolute rubbish song writing, my parents loved this sort of stuff, I remembered some of the songs all this time later.
This was my grandma's favourite. She was deaf. Reminds me of irish folk crap, but with a horse. He literally sounds like Daniel O'Donnell but with fewer fiddles. Not offensive, but I'm 3 generations removed from the average enjoyer of this. Not for me.
Cool ass outlaw music, feels very dependent on whether or not you're in the mood for it
So many great songs…and then you get “El Paso”…SWOOOOOOOON
Ясное дело, все знают отсюда Big Iron, во многом благодаря F:NV конечно. Ну, в общем, говоря кратко: здесь пятнадцать биг айронов. Ну а что вы хотели, ну что поделать? Ну не было тогда альбомного мышления, до первых концептуальных альбомов ещё 7 лет примерно. Тогда ты заходил в record store будучи уставшим сороклетним мужчиной, увидел знакомое имя и понял что тебе будет что зарядить на твой старый проигрыватель, пока ты будешь тихо сидеть и пить пиво на веранде. Ну и прекрасно. хахах. Рука не поднимается поставить низкую оценку. Интересные песенки, какие-то истории, все приправлено должным американским колоритом. Неудивительно что спето всё столь достоверно, мужик жил той эпохой и общался с людьми оттуда.
Yeehaw baby
HELL YES!
fun old cowboy music, I wanna be a cowboy so bad fr
This album has a perfect title. There were some fun songs and storytelling here!
Incredible storytelling. I actually stumbled across the album a couple of years ago because I found that I really liked Colter Wall's cover of "Big Iron". I listened to to the album several times back then and a couple of other times since but apparently ultimately forgot all about it until it was recommended here. I have now listened to it a few more times. Any album that pulls me in like that easily deserves a 5/5 in my opinion. I'll add this into my old school country rotation. I'm glad some new artists are bringing this sound back because it's infinitely better than most of the garbage coming out of Nashville today.
In the generator's apparent quest to give me every country and/or western album in my first hundred, today we have this bright pink monstrosity. Robbins (i presume that's Robbins) looks like Nic Cage at his most bankrupt, but i appreciate the contrast of black on salmon. I also appreciate that this leans more to the Western side of things. The idea of an entire album full of songs about outlaws and gunfights feels incredibly tedious, but this is one of those albums at the forefront of this sort of storytelling song. Single minded fever fantasies about big tough gun men and horses. Nowadays the people who would have once just written their 14th song about how quick a draw some stranger was at a duel are writing similar fantasies online about how the big city is a cesspit of danger and filth. Bring back people just writing prairie fantasy porn with some buddies harmonizing very very straightly we swear. (Also, it is wild to talk about having 160 acres and having dudes be like yes, this is the everyman) But this is about the music too. Marty can get a good croon on, to his credit. It's absolutely full of twilight campfire melancholy… let's call it white Saudade. That's addictive in its own way, even if this isn't my style. So even though it is ridiculous to think this man has ever seen a stampede, let alone had a religious awakening during one… even though all of this is wildly unrelatable to real humans… it's still melodically compelling. That's how you get El Paso finding its way into Breaking Bad. But nothing here really resonates with me conceptually. I guess except for liking cool water when I am thirsty. Definitely more about the Trail Songs bit though. Murder count: 7 (unless you count the 20 dudes the other outlaw killed in Big Iron, the 21 on Billy's Pistol, and all the other deaths mentioned prior to the songs themselves). Other deaths: 2 (including the man getting hanged tonight, but not those who died when the Master called. Stars: 3* but light ones.
YEEEHAW! I've listened to this album a few times before, and I feel like I need to preface this with a few mandatory references. First, yes, Fallout New Vegas! But also, El Paso is used to great effect in Breaking Bad and there's some wildly interesting theories comparing the song and the show. So obviously those two songs are the highlights here and if you like El Paso you should give a listen to the entire trilogy! Marty Robbins voice here is great, the layered vocals at times add so much and it really all gives the feel of being sung to around a campfire. I get this type of very story-focused singing isn't for everyone, but it feels like a very nice change in song structure from other albums on this list.
Big iron is fire but thats it
Actually liked this more than expected. Sounds nostalgic, and the album is coherent, but not repetitive. Good four stars!
Saturday, 6 June, 2026 Great vibes. Great backing band.
2 + 1
People say entertainment is so violent these days, as if people haven’t always lusted for violence in their media. There’s so much to love about this record. Robbins’s gorgeous crooning, the 1950s backing vocals, the effective performances from the band. It strikes me how much I enjoy old school country compared to modern country. So glad I listened!
Not saying I didn't enjoy it, and it's something completely different so far, but I might as well be listening to medieval lute music for all it's relevance.
I really loved this a lot. Can’t wait to get it on vinyl.
This takes me back to my high school days... coming home and playing Fallout NV haha. Big iron aside(because it's a 6/5 obviously), the rest of the album is pretty chill and cozy for me. It really puts me in a nice mood
Well, time for a good old fashioned showdown with what to be the birth of outlaw country. And in this duel, I think this album won me over. I didn’t know what to expect coming into this album, I kind of thought it was gonna be really weird, but the whole western thing grew on me. Songs like Big Iron and The Master’s Song didn’t feel like a cheesy pastiche of westerns, but an honest attempt to recreate that vibe in song, which I think worked pretty well. I thought that the guitar playing in the album also matched that vibe and worked in its favor. There were also more chill songs in the album, such as Cool Water and The Little Green Valley, but that’s to be expected, that way the more energetic songs stand out. It wasn’t like a life changing listen, but I had fun with this quirky piece of music history, I’d definitely say it is a high three, low four, definitely an album worth your time. Now, onto the next one, High-Ho, Silver!
oye muy chulo eh, es muy agradable de escuchar. me gusta. me lo volvería a escuchar otra vez en un roadtrip por ejemplo
3.5 stars I first saw this album in a collection of records I bought to sell. Someone snatched it up and I had no idea what it was. Listening to it now for this, I can see the appeal. The influence of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson and such is clear. I enjoyed it overall, although I wouldn’t return to it before I’d listen to Red Headed Stranger or something a little less corny.
no
Reading the description of the album, I really thought I would not like this album. Luckily for me, I was swept away by it's charming storytelling and authenticity. Favorite tracks: Big Iron Cool Water Little Green Valley The Hanging Tree
They'll Bury Flo Tomorrow, But They're Hanging Me Tonight 1001 Albums Generator 304 (6/2/2026) If all country was this good, the genre wouldn't be unfairly maligned as the butt of every joke. Although Big Iron, The Master's Call, and El Paso are obvious standouts, I was shocked at the consistent quality of Gunfighter Ballads. Marty Robbins is a natural born storyteller who happens to have a wonderful baritone voice. The Master's Call in particular almost made me tear up. What an album. Even though I know it's not perfect, I feel that I have to give it a 4.5/5, rounded up to 5/5. Favs: Big Iron The Master's Call El Paso Least Fav: Cool Water
Хауди партнер! Большой железный на поясе? Стал ли ты бегающей пушкой? Марти Роббинс сделал самый ковбойский альбом из всех ковбойских альбомов и это полнейшая база. Обложка, кстати, невероятно потешная, я не могу воспринимать ее всерьез.
Surprisingly good, but then I did play NV and have always loved big iron.
Likewise Willy Nelson’s album - very soothing, it’s just pleasant to be brought to the horse saddle and the atmosphere of the west. Just nothing special and very repeatable.
Oh boy! Two second in and I’m like “This is that guy!” I feel like every American would recognize the sound, the voice, the songs, on this thing. He’s so embedded in popular culture. When you want cowboy vibes, this is what you need. I feel like even the most stalwart anti-country/western music person would enjoy this. Easy five stars. Must-listen #354.
This is some good old fashioned country music. Great storytelling, lovely melodies. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would!
Opinion: I am personally not the biggest country fan but I really enjoyed the story-telling in this album :)) Favorite songs: (1) The hanging tree (2) The little green valley (3) El Paso Overall Album Rating (Pitchfork rating system): 7.2/10
me faltó escucharlo a caballo
mid mid mid
This is wonderful - makes me wanna play Fallout… and Red Dead Redemption
Country as it should be. Story telling about hard lives, not some gunslinging yeehaw driving my pickup to Costco-shit. That is to say that this is pretty good even for someone like me who's not really into the genre in the first place. A solid 3-3,5 for me - would surely have been more if I was more into the genre.
Very nicely done, just not my thing; the tales didn't capture my attention.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Old-timey, yes. Catchy, yes. Makes you want to spin around and dance like a 10 year old.
Unexpectedly, this is pretty fire. Stand-outs - Big Iron - Billy The Kid
Listening to 1001 albums almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter
Big Iron is a completely iconic song, the rest are similarily very oldschool but have a certain charm to them. But I would never put it on on my own volition.
You know what this want too bad at all!!
I hear this album's influence from Johnny Cash to Mumford and Sons and King Dude. Excellent production for 1959, this is a nostalgic and romanticized male-centric slice of Americana. The album was so successful that Robbins made 2 more gunfighter albums afterwards...
This is the western side of country and western music. Nostalgic for sure, but a good listen.
🤠
Own it. Love it.
This is one of my favorite country albums. Marty Robbins is one of those artists who doesn't follow a straight musical path. He didn't make 20 albums about the Wild West. And that's what makes him one of the best country artists in history. 5 stars
#366/1001. (Omg a leap year already!). You know the best part of this project is not discovering new music but discovering new memes!
He’s got a fab voice and I like the story telling in the songs, but it is a little same-y
The songs follow some of the clichés of commercial music of its time, but each one has a special vibe, an interesting storytelling about life in America of a distant past, even for this work. The western-type sound is what characterizes this album, enjoyable from beginning to end.
Ok, a solid album from an earlier time. Great songs especially since I love all things western!!!
Very much does what it says on the tin, American folk tales of the Wild West, delivered in the classic singing cowboy style, a little twee, but nevertheless very enjoyable.
A fun cowboy album. The storytelling is great. I always thought how fun it would to be a cowboy. On the other hand they always ended up dead. Change lanes. I don't want to be a cowboy.
Great cowboy tales of adventures, love, and loss that give you that nostalgic feeling.
Another pleasant surprise! Cool cowboy-country with short stories and a clear nice voice. Favourites: Big Iron, El Paso
yee haw
Day 4 Before: This looks interesting. Maybe some rock 'n' roll, country, blues, something like that? I feel like I'm a cowboy listening to this. Although that's kinda a vibe, it gets repetitive pretty quickly. It is nice, and there are some great guitar works and solos and the harmonies scratch my brain. But this album does lack a bit of depth and I think I understand now what people mean when they say some really old albums are just a collection of singles. And the same song twice on the album? Favorite(s): They're Hanging Me Tonight, The Hanging Tree, Saddle Tramp
Best Track - "Big Iron"
Big Iron and El Paso are classics. This album is such a throwback, but still really good.
This was a fun listen.
great tunes. great singer, powerful. big issue is that this album can be a little samey (he uses nearly the same vocal melody on like 75% of this) but it helps that most songs on here are great
El Paso is a classic. I enjoyed The Hanging Tree as well.
I have a soft spot for these narrative songs, and these are classics.
Already heard this it’s really good good classic western country.
This was surprisingly wholesome for an album about outlaws and gun violence.
Saddle Tramp
Fun songs with great stories of old western life. A great snapshot of the time period and good example of the evolution of the traditional songs into a modern music production setting.
Not my thing but an interesting diversion
Hard to judge this, I like songs with a story and some of them on here are pleasant enough if the mood takes you but I would never feel like listening to the whole album. Like a lot of the very old albums on here they are just too far removed from my era / taste. I like later stuff that was probably influenced by this (see Dave Alvin) but that’s because the music is way more developed and interesting. 2.2
I quite enjoyed this. Transports the listener to a different time and place. The songs got very samy after a while but it was pleasant enough.
How had I not heard this album before? Big Iron and El Paso are classics for a reason but the rest is just as strong. Never has gunslinger violence sounded so mellow. Marty Robbins has a beautiful voice that I could listen to all day.
Not my thing. Tuned almost all of it out.
big iron - classic 5/5 a hundred sixty acres 3/5 they're hanging me tonight 4/5 cool water 2/5 billy the kid 3/5 utah carol 2/5 Strawberry roan 3/5 The masters call 4/5 running gun 2/5 El paso 5/5 In the valley 2/5 The little green valley 2/5 The hanging tree 5/5 (ny instrumentation) Saddle tramp - 4/5 delicious guitar intro Many high highs
If you like songs with a narrative oo boy howdy do I got a record for you. This is nothing but story songs. And yes ive played new Vegas. Thats where I first heard it cause im a disgusting little gamer. And its a good song. Though I do think I prefer el paso. Im not that huge into lyrics but they kinda are undeniable throughout. Cant really miss them. Alot of it has to do with how theatrical this music is. It feels like Marty Robbins is standing on a stage in aan old west saloon like a bard projecting to the whole room. Thats not my favorite aspect personally but I respect the vision for sure. I wouldn't say I really noticed the music too much at all either. It does the job but doesn't really stand out in any way. Just works and nothing more. I enjoyed this somewhat. Not exactly my thing but I get it. It does alot of what it sets out to do very well. Im just not 100% down with its mission statement
this was fucking awesome
I'm not as averse to country as some and although this was a bit pedestrian, even despite some of the subject matter, I could hear a little Johnny Cash in some of the tracks. But this is not really going to win me over to anything beyond this single listen. I bet my dad would be all over this though!
Is Marty Robbins the greatest? I love this album. The instrumentation is amazing, the vocals are amazing. It is a bit predictable, and everything sounds a bit the same. However, the context and time period that this dropped in more than make up for it.
Came across this album a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. Sometimes you just need simple, old-west stories to capture your imagination.
Good fun country - found it pretty enjoyable
Cool, kinda a spaghetti western ambient
Not my kind of music, but lovely singing voice
Good signing
Better than expected guh
Adoro musicas que literalmente contam histórias, então esse álbum foi um prato, sobre as musicas em si, achei que parece musicas de viagem de carro mesmo uma vibe de passar o tempo, mas ritmo de todas as musicas são quase idênticos então pode ficar cansativo ouvir o álbum inteiro de uma vez. Dito isso IIIHAAAAAW
Álbum muito gostoso, o cantor canta muito suavemente e as letras são muito belas. Talvez seja o único album de contry (até agora) que eu ouviria regularmente em algum momento da minha vida.
Dá até vontade de jogar uma bomba atômica em Nevada
YEE HAW
There is only one option for an album like this
AND IT WAS ALSO THE NIGHT THAT THE SKELETONS CAME TO LIIIIIFE THE BONES ARE THEIR MONEY SO ARE THE WORMS
Country, pero con algunos detalles y arreglos diferentes. Álbum regular, con canciones buenas y otras no tanto. Big Iron me gustó mucho.
An absolute delight of an album. Thoroughly enjoyable, beginning to end.
I'm very glad I finally got around to listening to this album. I've known "El Paso" for nearly 45 years, and have never listened to any of his other music. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that most of the songs had a similar feeling to them. I did enjoy the storytelling and the basic instrumentation. Not really the kind of album I'd ever come back to... I may add a few songs to me "kitchen sink" playlist.
Interesting artifact. Not something I would ever listen to again but I will probably never forget it. Marty Robbins is such an prolific country artist it sort of begs the question why this album?
Cowboymaxxing.
Fav song: Big Iron
Really love this stuff. Great story telling, super spacey, almost spooky vocals. Lots of beauty and desperation, some bits really give me the chills. Feeling fivey.
Beautiful
This is actually kind of a nice album.
Country and Western music might not be my cup of tea. It is an album released on 1 January 1959.
Marty Robbins had a beautiful voice. I almost feel that he wasted it on cowboy music. Nevertheless, this is a great body of work, filled with classic country music’s legendary songs. El Paso alone is one of the most famous country songs, and that was before Breaking Bad. You get both versions here, the single and the album version with an extra passage. Big Iron leads the album off and showcases Robbins’ unique vocals. He had a way with expressing the emotions in the songs that may have justified a career in pop or even (dare I say it?) classical music. Anyone else singing these songs would barely have been noticed, Robbins made them essential listening and earned a spot on this list. 5 stars
This was pretty fun! I've been on a bit of a western kick lately, because I'm in the process of publishing a western-themed TTRPG. (It's really cool - it's called Quickdraw, and you play blackjack instead of rolling dice, It'll be coming soon, I'm going to stop now because I could talk about it for hours and this is supposed to be an album review, not an ad for my unpublished roleplaying game) But the point is, I've been pretty heavily immersed in the cowboy "thing" for a bit, and Ennio Morricone movie soundtracks have been a big part of my rotation. This is the other kind of western music - the kind they're referring to in The Blues Brothers when they say "We got both kinds, country AND western!". A younger, more naive me didn't realise those were two distinct genres, and thought the joke was just that it's one genre that the country folks are treating as if it were two. This is not the case. Western music is absolutely distinct from country, even if they share a lot of qualities. All of this is to say that vibing to music that straddles the line between a Clint Eastwood film and Johnny Cash was pretty great. I'm going to have to put this on whenever I'm working on Quickdraw, and enjoy briefly being transported into the world I'm writing for.
You can totally imagine one of these songs playing through the extended opening credits of a later Tarantino film. These are more stories than songs. Proper yarns from the old West. He may not have had direct influence, but I feel like Marty Robbins set the scene for the likes of Scott Walker and Nick Cave to build on in the future. These are more straightforward old Western tales rather than philosophical, art cinema stories or dark, disturbing murder ballads, but the core makeup is the same. A commanding voice telling a compelling narrative through song. While these songs may not be as twisted as some of Nick Cave’s stuff (yes Stagger Lee, I'm talking about you), some of the topics Robbins covers are still pretty dark like “They're Hanging Me Tonight”. It's not really my style of music, but I found the storytelling aspect was enough to win me over.
Country and westerner meets a crooners voice. I should really like this album. Maybe it is the day. I enjoyed listening again and have gone to Robert’s Western world to have a recession special while listening to this type of music. Today it doesn’t hold up for full album. 0 songs added to playlist. Not even El Paso.
I’m no country fan at all, but this was fun and cute. It’s certainly not timeless, but it has its rightful time and place in music.
Great songs, great voice. 4/5.
The king of the Western ballad. 4 stars or B.
Awesome
I've never really been a huge fan of "El Paso", and half this album sounds like variations on "El Paso", so it doesn't really work for me. It's not that I don't like country music of the era, it's that I prefer the more urbanified Nashville sound type of song to the open spaces of the Western. On the other hand, I do really like "Big Iron", and particularly its backing vocals (which I've only just now learned aren't actually the Jordanaires).
Pretty decent!
Surprisingly good! I doubt I would ever choose it, but surely happy to have heard it.
This is the music my Papa would listen to. I can picture him eating a slice of buttered whole wheat bread or putting corn syrup on vanilla ice cream. His lips would smack while he ate. He used to tie my hands up and I'd try to untie them as fast as I could. My mom tells me that he lost all of their money gambling while she was growing up and that he was a nasty drunk. He had stopped drinking by the time I arrived. He used to take me to Tim Hortons back when it had a coffee bar and he'd drink coffee out of a branded mug and get me a chocolate dip donut. he suffered from dementia at the end of his life and ended up assaulting nurses and spouting racist stuff all the time. When he died they showed a bunch of the medals he got from WWII and my mother told me a story about how het told Nana once that he was stationed somewhere in Europe and went with a jeep-load of men to a small town and stepped away to buy a pack of smokes. While he was away the jeep was bombed and he was the only one who survived. He talked about that once and then never again. I hope he's found peace. I don't think he had the capacity to love. rating a 4 because it let me think about Papa again.
I knew one song (Thin White Rope did a cover of They're Hanging Me Tonight) but otherwise totally unfamiliar with this. Enjoyable story-telling and some good tunes but the rhythms are a bit monotonous
come on who don't wanna feel like a cowboy for 45 mins
Fun and pleasing to listen to, good story telling. The kinda country I like. 8.5/10
I really liked this! It's kind of like listening to a western movie in album form. I would not have expected to enjoy it as much as I did, but it was really moving!
Great Western CD
Big iron, big iron
Good storytelling, progressive nuance. Some really cool harmonies, with very solid production ahead of its time. Strong identity within the album maintaining good focus
Really enjoyed the songs that Marty Robbins wrote like Big Iron and The Master's Calling of which the writing was amazing. The harmonies were also enjoyable but repetitive songs let it down.
I wish more county music was this good. He's got a great Roy Orbison quality to his voice but instead of forlorn love ballads, he's singing about outlaws and shootouts. Great stuff. Love the album cover, too.
Fine but not really my genre.
No thank you.
Unless I'm a Coen Bro in need of soundtrack material I can't imagine why I'd have any interest in this. What tone are they going for here? Why goes the vengeful gunslinger have a smooth backing choral?
It is a hard one to judge due to the time it was made and the limitations of the genre. So rather than think about it, I will just give it a 3, forget about it and move on.
Started out promising as this seemed to have the hallmarks of Americana, reminding me a little of Calexico and the like, it got tired quite quickly however. The Elvis sounding vocals don’t do a lot for me and the songs sounded very similar with little to differentiate one from the other.
Big Iron is a fun song, but other than that there isn't much here. Every other song just feels like the same thing over and over again. It's not bad, but it isn't something I would really seek out. Mid 3.
Leppoisia lauluja villistä lännestä ja revolverimiehistä.
Pretty good
Pretty enjoyable. Nice to finally know where some of the Fallout: New Vegas songs came from. Didn't realize gunslinger ballads were their own genre.
Good, will come back next time I’m on the trail
The first country album I’ve sat all the way through, and unsuprisingly also the first I’ve ever enjoyed. Every song here employs a similar structure, and it can get a little repetitive, but Robbins’ soulful crooning is ABSOLUTELY what makes this album. What a joy it is to hear him belt out these tragic tales of life in the Southwest, closing your eyes and letting the stories envelop you. I might not return to this for some time, but I cannot deny that the storytelling on display here is some of the best I’ve ever heard in an album. also big iron is overrated asf; master’s call, el paso, running gun, and hanging tree highkey sweep the floor with it
Solid old school country vibe. Started strong but ended up feeling more like a nice background music. 3 stars.
Music and melody was very simplistic, so I found it pretty boring. Definitely more western than what I’m used to as country.
In a way, it's the "Whipped Cream & Other Delights" of country/western music; found in bargain bins across the country, recognized as more of a meme these days, and occasionally referenced due to needle drops in Breaking Bad and Fallout and yet still entirely praised in these same contexts. Those bestowing praise are right. Frankly, I didn't expect this to be deeply enjoyable. It always looked like a novelty record to me. What I got was Nebraska for cowboys.
Simple cowboy songs. Was nervous when listening to The Hanging Tree due to the connotations. Liked In the Valley. Not quite mariachi music with repetitive story telling.
best country album i think
Badass gunslinger country songs from the 50s. Favorite track: Utah Carol other picks: big iron, they are hanging me tonight, El Paso
enjoyed this
It's ok
Хороший базовый кантри
4 - Old Timey western songs. Odd how upbeat and genteel the music is with the gritty subject material.
On se villi länsi ollut melkoinen paikka. Tarinoita tämä levy on täynnä. Ei omaan makuun mutta kivaa tarinankerrontaa
Great voice, a little dated, but it reminded me of grandpa's western movies and it brought me back and I liked it.
calming, country, got its own groove, i like it
You've heard about the girl in El Paso? Well she's Marty's girl and he's on his way.
Never would have listened to this. And while I'm glad I did, it wasn't necessary listening to me. 4/10
2.3/5 Some good songs on this album. I'm not much of a western era type of guy so some of these songs didn't interest me much but I enjoyed listening to it mostly
Somebody tell Kid Rock that this is what being a cowboy is all about. Not any of that American flag waving shit. It's that pull-up on the block, in the saloon, fucking your local Mexicana shit. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM. GANG. (8/10, 5/5 on this scale)
I was familiar with the big songs off this album. It's a little too samey for one sitting but is also such a good vibe that I want to put it on and drive through back roads.
If I wanted some good ol *wild west music then Marty Robbins is a good choice. I'm not much for this music (choosing to sit down and listen on a normal day) but it is a great listen. Big Iron is doing the heavy lifting here.
Great fun, very Tarantino esque
it's 3.5
Favourite tracks: Big Iron, The Master's Call I'm not a big fan of country music. Or at least, modern country music becuase this album was alright. I loved the storytelling in each track the most. That's probably why I hate modern country so much: it all talks about the same boring things. I recently have been getting recommended different country artists on my Instagram but one that caught my eye the most was Joseph Terrell. The way he talks about political issues without bluntly stating his opinions is exactly what I think makes this album interesting, even if the genre doesn't interest me at all. Each story is packed with life and meaning and I think every artist should write songs this way instead of resorting to being a bland caricature of a genre like Taylor Swift. 3/5
Fun album but a bit samey
medio country folk muy muuy tranquilo. no me encantó bastante depre
3/5 - meget nice album Kan godt lide historiefortællingen, hvilket er meget anderledes end meget moderne musik. Hvis jeg gerne vil føle mig som en cowboy, ved jeg, hvor jeg skal gå hen. Albummet bliver måske lidt ensartet i længden for mig. Dette kan være fordi jeg ikke har fået lyttet nok til det. Det er nok ikke et album jeg kommer til at spille i køkkenet på kollegiet, men kommer nok til at genbesøge det. Standouts: Big Iron (selvfølgelig), They're Hanging Me Tonight (minder mig om en serenade af Paul Anka) og El Paso
Can’t believe that went as hard as it did. Yeehaw baby.
Loved it
This is a breezy, enjoyable listen that I will almost certainly never return to.
Album 171. Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs — Marty Robbins (1959) Classic golden country album with magnificent story-telling. Excellent, almost perfection. I have some associations with this kind and era of country with post-apocalypse hah. Basically, Big Iron from this album was in Fallout 4/5 Liked: — Big Iron — They're Hanging Me Tonight — The Master's Call — El Paso
"Well, I dig your style, too, man. Got the whole cowboy thing goin'."
Literal ballads
Okay yeah this album knows what it is. Maybe it wears thin at a certain point but 5/5 at what it is trying to do. Maybe not a 5 stars for me but good enough. Highlight: Big Iron (well duh but this time I couldn't help but think it is a banger)
I rather liked this album as someone who is not a fan of westerns I thought some of the songs were good and the album overall was quite entertaining
soy super biased para western ballads. pero aqui reconoci algunas/me dio nostalgia q no existe por ser de esas que se cantaban de chiquitos en películas. yeas i get it
I really didn't have very high expectations for this album, but I did find it surprisingly an easy listen.
like watching western love movies
One of the all-time classic Western albums. Marty Robbins delivers a fantastic collection of songs about love, blood, and death.
My wife loves this shit so I’m gonna attempt to not be too derogatory. It was hard to listen to as someone who sucks at hearing lyrics because it was like “ok… he’s telling a story” but there was not a single second of interesting music behind it. I really struggled to get through most of this. Like halfway through every song I was like “ok I get it.” I however think the song El Paso has been forced upon me enough where it’s catchy now.
In contrast to yesterday's Blur, this album is Overwhermingly American. Yeehaw! 🤠 It's a type of music that's too niche to really listen on my own, but if Big Iron and El Paso are anything to go by, Marty Robbins can still truly shine in the right cinematic context. Standouts: Big Iron • Cool Water • El Paso
Really hard to rate this because I feel it may have limited replay value for me since I feel like I know the stories now, but damn if it doesn't sound absolutely immaculate and Saddle Tramp has me ready to strike out for the frontier.
I liked this a lot more than i thought I would. Every song is well written, even the songs that were too slow for me, Marty's voice and songwriting pulls me in 8/10 Fav Tracks: The Hanging Tree, El Paso Saved a Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? ------ ✅ Will Listen Again? --- ❌
“the swiftness of the ranger is still talked about today” So glad this weird old album is on the list and that people are getting to know it. I say “weird,” but in its way it was perfectly mainstream. It is a perfect representation of a time when the Western genre completely dominated American life. And when country music was trying to seem more polished and genteel. No one would be dismissed as a hayseed for playing one of these smooth tunes. AND YET! As many have noticed, there is a hint of menace in Marty’s voice, and the songs clearly describe a Gothic world of death and tragedy. Like the best Western films (High Noon, The Searchers) the emphasis isn’t on historical accuracy but on using the elements of the genre to tell stories about universal themes. That’s why people still like it, even tho Westerns now seem out of date. I also like that it really doesn’t sound like any other record (except ones that imitate it). It’s that combination of crooner vocal, understated guitar, and 50s background vocals that doesn’t overwhelm. It’s not a 5 for me because I honestly wouldn’t want to hear it every day, but I’m so glad it’s a part of the list.
La neta, me impresionó que no me cansó la voz de Marty Robbins y bien producido para un disco con estos años
2 out of 5. As much as I don't like country music, I believe Big Iron is hands down the best country song ever.
Jag har nån samlingsplatta med Martys tidiga grejer, stora delar av denna plattan är med på den. Martys röst är oantastlig, en riktig tillgång. Men det här blir bara en western-kliché, en gimmick, ett avsnitt "Bonanaza" i Lp-format. En låt kanske är kul, sen räcker det för ett tag. Han kan få en knapp tvåa för man drar på smilbanden emellanåt
Det här är jag svag för. Outlaw country, på sitt sätt, innan begreppet fanns. Marty Robbins sjunger de här präriesångerna otroligt bra. Countrycrooner, utan att bli slätstruken. Brett register i både toner och känslor som bidrar till illusionen av självupplevt. Dessutom låter skivan väldigt bra inspelad för att vara från 50-talet. Big iron har jag bara hört i Colter Walls version tidigare. Originalet här sitter som en smäck. I övrigt är nog El Paso det enda jag tidigare hört. Fastnar väldigt mycket också för They’re hanging me tonight.
Framförallt ett tidsdokument. När tuffa killar med knallpulverpickadoller regerade på matinébiograferna. Arrangemangen liksom Robbins sammetslena röst är kanske inget som går till världshistorien. Men här finns en samling fina sånger som hade gjort sig bra t ex Cash eller Jennings sällskap. Klarar trean tack vara en tuff pose på omslaget.
Ebarmligt tråkigt. Marty sjunger med samma välpolerade muntra stämma oavsett om han sjunger om hur många han skjutit ihjäl, om han ska hängas imorgon eller om han ska få komma hem till sin kärlek. Det är som om orden han sjunger är meningslösa. Och den här plattan är verkligen meningslös.
countr bears
Was surprised how much I vibed with it. Kind of want to play RDR2 now
This is pretty great!
Kind of cool it’s almost all narrative songs
Big Iron er låt ass. Negativt overrasket over hvor mange honolulu-ballader det er imellom slaga. Men når han treffer blink, da er det absolutt en vibe. Filmidé: Nicolas Cage spiller en Marty Robbins som glir mellom drøm og virkelighet der han lever ut historiene fra låtene sine.
Kunne egentlig bare spilt "Big Iron" 10 ganger på rad. Faen så fet låt. Ellers syns jeg cowboymusikk ofte blir litt parodisk, men dette låter akkurat slik jeg tenker cowboymusikk burde låte. Stemmen til Robbins er nesten litt Elvis til tider. Låtene glir litt i hverandre til tider, men ellers knall (pun intended).
Jeg liker dette ganske godt, men det er for langt. Samme dette til en fokusert og rask liten pakke på 25-30 minutter med cowboyviser så begynner vi å snakke!
A little dated, hasn't held up amazingly well. Musically repetitive, but falling closer to the side of thematic rather than tedious. Relatively light once you get past Big Iron.
I've heard "Big Iron" and "El Paso" before. Never listened to the album in full. "El Paso" is a banger. This is a nice listen. Robbins had a good voice. There's a little bit too much reverb/echo on it, but that's just a nitpick. "Cool Water", "The Strawberry Roan", and "The Hanging Tree" are also high points. Solid old school country-western music. Cowboy shit, yee-haw/5.
This was good ole listen.
Yeehaw! Shit yeah!
Makes me want to form a posse. Familiar with El Paso but loved all of this
Man, maybe they shouldn’t had those explicit warnings in the 50s! Marty was the original gangster out there talking about doubly homicide on They’re Hanging Me Tonight. Overall this was most enjoyable. Marty can sure tell a story and turn a phrase. I found the music to be quite pleasant as well and love the more Spanish style western sound. Not sure if it was a guitar but someone was just noodling the whole time and it was super impressive.
Big Iron and El Paso are worth the price of admission. The whole album is pretty camp, but I like it and feel compelled to round up. 3.5/5
2/3
You can tell when the Western well starts running dry, but it’s still an excellent country record.
Favorite Track: They’re Hanging Me Tonight Least Favorite Track: Running Gun
there has to be better things then this
So funny that this is really the first album so far I am familiar with already lol. Reminds me of my childhood (my dad).
182/1001 First listen. So this list has just any old album on it huh? Most of it sounded like the same mediocre song to me but that’s just one listen. 4/10
This started off as a pretty simple cowboy country album but the longer I listened the more my appreciation grew. There are elements of this that sound a bit like Roy Orbison or Elvis and the lyrics on a couple tracks felt surprisingly deep. I enjoyed this more than I expected too.
Amazing storytelling and songwriting. I enjoyed listening to it, but it’s just not really my thing.
A classic country-western album I had not heard before, but was very pleasantly surprised by. You can definitely hear the forming tones that will give birth to Johnny Cash and maybe even a hint of Elvis style crooning in this record, which doubles as a kind of set of short stories about life and love and danger in the Old Wild West. Beautiful as well as to notice the chaotic blending of styles going into American country music, a much maligned genre today. In this record, one hears the strains of Spanish guitar, gospel music, delta blues, and of course the steel string cowboy wails of the West, meshed together in a beautiful set of vignettes that include themes like finding water in the desert, breaking a wild horse, and sacrificing yourself to a stampede - not common themes of music today, and wonderful to explore. Despite the beautiful tones and voice, there is darkness and longing here as well - I leave content with an excellent album.
I don’t know how I knew these songs. I suppose this album is full of nostalgia and musical memorabilia.
El Paso is a good tune. They all sorta sound the same and try to be nostalgic for a time that is far enough in the past that no one today really connects with them. Fine enough to listen to in the same way that you might watch a John Wayne movie and enjoy it.
Fully acknowledge I didn't make it through the whole thing - a few decent songs but on balance, just not for me.
it wasn’t my cup of tea either, but i enjoyed it pretty much. it was like listening to a fairytale in an audiobook. precious. 23.04.26
My father in law loves this kind of classic country. It doesn't really do much for me. I will offer this though: his voice is really smooth, and the recording quality is surprisingly really great for something from the late '50's. The topics of some of the songs are surprisingly dark considering the carefree tunes.
Musica vaquera
8!
I expected this to be cheesy (and it was), but it so well done! I love it!
The stories are engaging and the voice is pure, which already puts this ahead of a lot of country music for me. I was surprised I knew El Paso. It fits right alongside early rock and roll… no wonder he had so many hits. Also, Utah Carol is one of the strangest stories I’ve heard put to song.
i'm a walking stereotype, so ofc i know every note and inflection of big iron like the back of my hand. but while that song sets the template for many of the album's overall takeaways of blood-stained swagger, its rly not a one-note record either!!! theres equally room for tracks about stubborn horses and near-death spiritual awakenings, all with appropriate tones. even the songs that end in a death can take on all kinds of different emotions about it. and at the heart of it is robbins, who just sounds so warm and sturdy and good-natured even when singing from the first person view of a murderer. its this consistent layer of removal that always reminds u that ur being passed down a Story, something that someone said that someone said that someone said that someone saw someone do. attention-grabbing broad strokes inviting u into all these little nuances...unbelievably likable record!!!!
Interesante. No creí que me iba a gustar pero me gustó. Fue como una peli.
This is the best country album I have ever heard.
7/10
Tykkäsin kuunnella tätä ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jollain oudolla tavalla todella viskinmyötäinen albumi! Oli kiva.
La verdad verdadera... me gustó mucho. Al principio pensé que como era música bastante no de mi época no iba a tener feeling en lo absoluto pero desde el primer tema literalmente mi humor mejoró un 50% jsajsjasj(encima reee country la onda y un género que no disfruto nunca). En fin, amé como Marty usó constantemente las rimas como herramienta para narrar su historias de vaqueros, forajidos, duelos y paisajes del oeste(ella informada). Mi top de temas fueron Big Iron, El Paso, Billy The Kid y A Hundred and Sixty Acres. Sólidos todos.
Its fiiine white music
Very fun classic country, but I dont think I could name a single song besides the famous ones.
All time great
classic album, fun listen.
This isn't a new album to me at all, i have been listening to Marty Robbins and more specifically this album for years 79/100 1. Big Iron - 85/100 2. Cool Water - 77/100 3. Billy The Kid - 81/100 4. A Hundred and Sixty Acres - 80/100 5. They're Hanging Me Tonight - 82/100 6. Strawberry Roan - 75/100 7. El Paso - 89/100 8. In The Valley - 70/100 9. The Master's Call - 74/100 10. Running Gun - 81/100 11. Down in the Little Green Valley - 78/100 12. Utah Carol - 84/100
OLD school country
War never changes.
5/10
Nice old school cowboy near yodeling album. Not my thing but a good representation.
At first glance this looks to be a goofy period piece, but it ended up being way better than I thought it would.
I love cowboys. I didn't love this
Love this album. Is there a smoother voice in all of music? Especially one signing about shooting people?
I have been wanting to listen to the album since I alway see people buying the record. It is okay. Big Iron and El Paso are stand outs, but besides that, the album just doesn’t hit for me.
Tough listen out of context from old westerns. El Paso is good, but the GD version is better.
thank god music evolved i could not live having to listen to ts
Ha, first song I recognize from Fallout: New Vegas. Makes me feel like I should be watching an old timey Western. And El Paso transports me immediately back to Breaking Bad...
It was a nice listen nothing too special in my opinion but very good when on the go
interesting
Did not think I would like this at all, but it was kind of fun.
nothing stands out too much, obvious iconic songs but marty robbins is a dick apparently?
Really dig this one. Just a classic nostalgic western recording. Fantastic storytelling and iconic sound.
It's definitely dated but I really enjoyed the album and can see why it was rated so high
A solid album of Country and Western music. Marty's voice is solid as he handles these classic tunes. The mixing is well done and I have listened to this one several times before. I have been looking for it on vinyl but I have not been able to come across it yet.
Some very enjoyable ballads of the old west. Marty has a very likable voice tone. With a good backup band and singers. Brings back memories of my late brother who passed on the 5th of this month.
My favorite country album so far. Great storytelling, charming vocals and a variety of songs that range from classic cowboy stuff to traditional-pop adjacent tunes.
This was much better than I anticipated. Although I got bored a little over halfway through. So I was torn between 2 and 3 starts, but feeling generous. Marty has a great voice and Big Iron is such a rad song! And how can you not like a song titled "Utah Carol"? Lol.
maybe im just in a better mood but i dont mind this as much even though i dont really like the songs its chill still the albums too long for how repetitive every single song is. gave me a headache
Variety, and fun variety, at last.
Oh my childhood.
My dad. My husband. Fallout New Vegas. Turner Movie Classics. Nostalgia.
I am not a cowboy nor am I American. However, I can still appreciate this record. What a great artifact of a time and place.
I don't think this singer would bust a grape in a food fight.
2/5
Robbins is at his best telling old Western tales, and love the bleak atmosphere with all the death endings
“No one dared to ask his business No one dared to make a slip The stranger there among them Had a big iron on his hip” Marty Robbins does what he does very effectively here. This album is so “does what it says on the tin” that it’s almost impossible to be surprised by a single note of it. The difficulty I have is that the stories don’t compel me and the music is predictable. It cultivates the vibe it’s trying to achieve without flexing a muscle. It feels almost effortless. However, I feel that this effortlessness rather than seeming impressive just comes across as lacking any edge or grit. I feel here that I am getting a Saturday afternoon television Western when I could have had “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. I may be being humourless and something of a fun sponge because there were tracks on here that I enjoyed. I just felt that even at its best it never quite broke free of its tackiness or lack of real depth. It’s cowboy music for people who want to see a bad guy dressed in black gunned down by a good guy dressed in white who then rides off into the sunset. There’s nothing wrong with that, it just doesn’t do it for me.
BIG IRON!
Very nice americak folk county
NOT MY THING. FIRST ALBUM I HAVE BEEN TRULY BORED OF AND WAITING TO BE RID OF IT!!!
Classic western/country album. El Paso and Big Iron were highlights of the album for me. Enjoyable and a great entry into early country/pop country for the time
BIG IRON ON HIS HIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs by Marty Robbins is a classic Western-themed album built on strong storytelling and simple, atmospheric sound. Songs like El Paso and Big Iron stand out for their vivid narratives and memorable melodies. It may feel slow by modern standards, but its cinematic style and timeless songwriting make it highly influential.
Rather be listening to Johnny Casg
He has a great voice, and the storytelling was really good. His voice is quite clear. The only song I knew for the album before starting it was Big Iron. This album has this Wild West cowboy energy if you couldn’t tell by the albums photo. It just needs some rasp to make it sound more appealing. Favorite song: El Paso
Un des meilleurs album country de l'histoire du genre 5/5
Wow, what a cool find. I’m not someone that normally gravitates to country/western music, but this album was so full and compelling with just a sparse arrangement. There’s no special effects or gimmicks to be found (apparently the entire album was recorded in a single session), and the success of these songs relies solely on its emotive songwriting and powerful performances. Also, somehow records from the 50s manage to sound more hi-fi than what most engineers are able to create today. For me, this music evokes fireside folktales, gritty mandolin rags, Irish reveries, Norteño ballads, and the blossoming of a new outlaw country sound. Highlights include “Big Iron” and “They’re Hanging Me Tonight.”
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs is an example of an album one would put on and just sit and experience. Tales of duels, heartbreak, and the urge to roam. Catchy tunes from a Cowboy Crooner is definitely one you have to be predisposed to enjoying otherwise I'm sure the album comes off as cheesy and annoying. It's almost 70 years old, after all. Robbins delivers beautiful imagery and Grady Martin delivers excellent lead guitar that inspired me to expand upon my own playing years ago. For the first 17 years of my life, I thought "El Paso" was a Grateful Dead song.
Here it is, the album I was waiting for after hearing such good reviews from this group, not only that but surprised good reviews. It definitely exceeded expectations if that is possible, by the first song I was humming, by the time I got to El Paso (not literally) I was singing so loudly people came to look. It is like the soundtrack of a Western and so evocative is this album I’m imagining myself in Monument Valley, a Roan by my side. I so need this rose-tinted record in my collection.
This was a fun listen - more enjoyable than I expected. Marty Robbin’s had a great voice. Still not something I’d probably ever listen to again, especially not all the way through, but glad I experienced it.
record
Me gustó bastante, como para hacer una misión
AYYYYY!!! I’ve wanted to listen to this for a second but not enough to, y’know, actually listen to it. It’s great though. Not entirely sure why the Spotify track listing was wacked to fuck, but nothing a bit of queueing up won’t fix. Anyway this album is awesome! Just a bunch of really nice tracks, with some really good standouts, most notably the beautiful “El Paso,” and a few other great ones. Robbins’ voice, though easily likened to better artists such as Cash or Campbell, is still a sturdy and well-used voice, and across the album the performances are great. 9.0/10
A bunch of cowboy tales. Pleasant enough, probably good in the context of a film soundtrack, but not something I would listen to in isolation.
The first track is very good. The whole thing definitely creates an atmosphere and tells a story. A few too many that sound similar to break into 3 territory though.
I've always loved "Big Iron" ever since I heard it in Fallout New Vegas aged 19, Robbins' voice carrying a swagger that is now synonymous with Cowboys, Sheriffs and Outlaws in my heard. I never knew this song belonged to a concept album and, as far as Concept Albums go, I was delightfully surprised by this one. Robbins really tells a story with every track, his vocals really strong throughout and the backing guitars selling that vision of the Wild West. Where this album fell down for me was that, musically, the tone of some tracks were very similar, such as "Big Iron" and "The Master's Call", though the latter did deviate more as the track went on with it's cooing backing singers. Where the album shone for me was when tracks stretched the emotional tone of the old west in different directions, tracks such as "Cool Water", "They're Hanging me Tonight", "A Hundred and Sixty Acres" and "El Paso"; Acres had a summer sing-a-long vibe that was so much fun.
Bueno