Reviews (page 5 of 13)
All time classic.
OG HANGING TREE
Outlaw Country is my favorite form of country, and Marty Robbins is probably the earliest pioneer of this subgenre of music This sort of music I don't usually mind, it just bores me. But because of his glorious voice and the topics of storytelling, it kept me hooked Favorite songs: Big Iron Billy the Kid The Master's Call
Nice banger to start my jurney
Ugh
Feel-good old timey music. Love Marty Robbins 😊
Entertaining, and pulsing honky-tonk country. Merges into country swing a few times. The vocals are very smooth, almost proto-Beach Boys in a way. This is one of those weird periods in music where nominally country music straddled Roy Orbison-type Pop, less Nashville bar and more school dance.
It does what it does well. Solid proto outlaw country though my predilections is more towards cash, jennings and nelson.
Near-perfect country music, there's just something about this old school style that works for me every single time.
Yah most people will know this music from a few Fallout games (or maybe it’s only in one, I didn’t fact check) but its also the greatest exception to “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”. This album IS the cover. It’s literally a cowboy album! What’s not to love!?? Well actually here’s the small list of negatives. The first being it’s an album from 1959 so variety isn’t a word that existed yet. The whole album sounds like a western movie, and yah that is either gunna sell you on the album or completely turn you off. Like after the very first song you are gunna know how u feel about the rest of the album. The only other negative thing about this album is because there’s not a lot of variety in sound, the album could be grating to some. In fact, the songs that are not the massive hits can get totally buried by El Paso and Big Iron ( also while we are on the subject, why the fuck is there two versions of El Paso with no distinction between the two in title and only small differences in the song itself?!). For me personally, the only songs that I didn’t save on this album that didn’t really blow me away were the mildly religious songs and the slower songs just cause I always struggle with slower songs and religion. But regardless of those small issues, this is an album that 100% belongs on lists like this one. Now excuse me, I gotta go play through FNV again for the hundredth time.
You can't really go wrong with this one
This one is great. Old country but fun to listen to.
Nothing like wandering through the nuclear wasteland with a big iron on your hip. Yee haw pardner
Really like westerj music. very easy to listen to. also didnt hurt that i already knew two of the songs.
I listened to this album when I was on my trip this summer and it was a total vibe, especially because there terrain was fully relevant to most of the songs. I can’t say I don’t enjoy it, because I do enjoy it. (there’s another phrase for you all)
got it
OMG, Fallout New Vegas! Breaking Bad! Outside of those pop culture bangers, actually a nice western album, would watch tumbleweeds tumble to this. 4* Highlights: big iron, el paso
Beautiful voice, but some of the songs are very Lawrence Welk-esque. Probably best taken in small doses, but obviously a major inspiration for all kinds of people. (Yet another rightwinger, unfortunately.)
Yeehaw
Base - really nice depth
It's hard to think of a better album recommendation for anyone desiring a healthy dose of American West romanticism and cinematic idealization than this one right here, partner.
Liked it much more than I thought I would. Might need to buy a cowboy hat and a revolver 🔫
Loved this - definitely an inspiration for Sturgill's "Ballad of Dood and Juanita"
I feel like the lyrics for this album really saved this one. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this album for what it was. It’s a nice collection of outlaw songs and other tales of Western debauchery. Seriously, between this and At Folsom Prison, I’m starting to how sad old country is. How did country music transition from this to Cadillacs and beer and shit? My main problem is that the album’s very repetitive. Given the somber mood for most of the songs, most of this album sounds pretty much the same. Still, this wasn’t nearly as bad as a slog as I’d thought it be. Favorite track: Big Iron Other hits: El Paso, They’re Hanging Me Tonight, Billy the Kid, Utah Carol, The Master’s Call
Great classic country album. Very enjoyable.
Uhhhh....I expected to hate this, I mean look at the damn cover lmao...but I'm kinda fucking with this... All the songs are relatively short, so a 45 minute run time isn't too bad, but 40 minutes would've been perfect for me. Apparently there's a 35 minute version and that version didn't have "They're Hanging Me Tonight" so maybe the 45 minute version just is the best version.
big iron is great but they're hanging me tonight is perfect
Classic
Definitely judged this album by its cover and thought it wouldn’t be for me. However, I’ve always enjoyed country music and this is no exception, great album and reminds me a little of Elvis if he did country
3.5
It’s got some great old songs. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but those people can suck it.
I have like 2,000 hours on Fallout New Vegas and I listened to this album a month ago. 5 stars or the game was rigged from the start. I love when I mod the game and add all the songs from this album to the radio.
One of my favorite country albums.
3.5
Very cool and bleak stories. Very evocative stuff. 4 stars
I first heard Marty Robbins the same way most people under the age of 70 did -- playing Fallout: New Vegas. This is a pretty fun album, and I've always liked these story songs from the 50s. This album definitely walked so Nick Cave's Murder Ballads could run. Highlights for me were "Big Iron", "El Paso", and "They're Hanging Me Tonight". 4 stars.
Country music is a genre I’ve historically had a little apprehension about, of course there’s plenty of amazing country and the greats are seriously amazing but country (especially in its modern form) is a little too far into that MURICA vibes I’m not into. That said I really like most older country I’ve heard and that’s no different here. A broadly fun and interesting country album with cool lyrics and some great harmonies. The vocals are generally very good here, I enjoyed myself.
He does both kinds of music. I thought bug iron was my favourite. They were a bit like short stories set to music.
My great great grandfather was a horse thief who came to Alberta because he was no longer welcome in North Dakota. I think if I were alive back then I would have mostly been a coward. A real yellowbelly
Call me a cowgirl because I liked this way more than I thought I would.
This type of storytelling music is my bread and butter. The instrumentals are lowkey, but add to the story.
Fun and weirdly nostalgic sounding album. Guests at my house for dinner were digging it, too.
One of the few Dead songs I like is El Paso.
Surprisingly good album, uplifting tunes
A cool Country album.
I forgot about El Paso! We used to play that with our band! This sounds like a classic
An old time Western on a record! I had limited time to listen to this but it was worth a spin. Big Iron, El Paso, and Cool Water were my favorites. A tip of the hat to Marty for being a surprisingly good singer too.
Voz muito boa, e eu gosto das histórias que ele conta. Surpreendemente, é um disco bem relaxante de ouvir casualmente. Eu gosto de country assim. A instrumentalização também é muito boa, apesar de simples. Bom álbum.
Yeeee haaaww
Yeah it turns out that this simply cannot be rated in any meaningful way, because if you listen to this while smashing through the Lakes as the sun's going down on a train home from Glasgow then there is literally nothing finer to have on. Best song: Big Iron. But that was the opener during a particularly idyllic stretch. And A Hundred And Sixty Acres is a bit crap, so it benefits in retrospect from that.
Huge New Vegas vibes!
You know exactly what you're getting from Marty Robbins and an album title like that. Classic country.
Really solid album and sets a tone, nothing wrong with it and never really steps out of its lane and doesn’t take a lot of risks, yet still holds up really well 8/10.
Dripping with atmosphere and great songwriting. Wonderful stories in all songs, very enjoyable .
Das hat irgendwie Spaß gemacht. Schräg, aber es macht das, was es soll. Unterhaltsam.
Fallout vibes
Giddy up
😂
01) Big Iron - 8,5 02) A Hundred and Sixty Acres - 8,0 03) They're Hanging Me Tonight - 7,5 04) Cool Water - 8,0 05) Billy the Kid - 7,0 06) Utah Carol - 7,0 07) The Strawberry Roan - 7,5 08) The Master's Call - 7,0 09) Running Gun - 7,0 10) El Paso - 8,5 11) In the Valley - 7,5 12) The Little Green Valley - 7,0 13) The Hanging Tree - 8,0 14) Saddle Tramp - 7,5 15) El Paso (full lenght version) - / TOTAL: 7,57 (76/100) Current ranking: 257/598
Classic country album
first country album ive ever appreciated this much. never been someone that hates genres as a whole but I have ignored some, country being a big one. this is really good though beautiful voice and guitar work best track: they're hanging me tonight worst track: in the valley
Great storytelling. Not too long of an album, so that gets a +.5 for me. Probably 3.5, rounding up.
yess
Hell of a voice. This one could keep rising for me. 4/5
hold up..! his writing is fire?
I’ve heard El Paso near 1000 times when Bob Weir sings it with The Dead. Cool to hear the original. I enjoyed these old western cowboy tunes. Great song writing about a time that’s long past us. Takes you there with his storytelling.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 60 🤠 Who knew ‘50s country ballads could be this entertaining?! Grandpa was onto something 🤠 The only familiarity I had to Marty Robbins and this album was with the track ‘El Paso’, which was perfectly placed in the Felina/Finale episode of TV’s masterpiece Breaking Bad. However a pleasant surprise here as the full song list is just as enjoyable! In the late 1950s, American popular music was in transition: rock ’n’ roll was gaining ground, Nashville country was smoothing its edges, and folk revivalists were stirring. Marty Robbins, already a successful country singer, decided to take a bold step: a concept album centered on the mythic American West. This album is a masterclass in narrative songwriting. Each song tells a vivid, self-contained story—often about cowboys, gunslingers, and the harsh frontier life. Robbins’ deep, expressive vocals lend gravity and emotion to tales of love, betrayal, and redemption. The production, arranged with classic western instrumentation—acoustic guitars, subtle harmonies, and occasional strings—is clean and timeless. The backing vocals by the Glaser Brothers add depth, and the arrangements never overshadow the stories. 🎧 Classic Track: El Paso 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: They’re Hanging Me Tonight 🎧 Personal Favorite: Cool Water 🎧 Memorable Standout: The Master’s Call Musically, Gunfighter Ballads is rooted in traditional Western stylings—acoustic guitar, light percussion, and echoing vocals that mimic the open plains. The Glaser Brothers provide subtle harmonies, while the production keeps the arrangements clean, never overshadowing Robbins’ storytelling. Each track feels like a self-contained scene, yet the album as a whole unfolds like a carefully constructed narrative. Even slower or more sentimental songs like “A Hundred and Sixty Acres” or “Little Green Valley” serve a purpose: they humanize the gunfighters and rangers, reminding listeners that beneath the bravado lies a longing for peace, love, and home. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Draw🔫 Themes of Morality plays: Good vs evil, justice vs vengeance, and spiritual reckoning appear in nearly every track. The cowboy mythos: Robbins is playing into and shaping the romantic idea of the lone gunfighter and rugged individualism. Death as inevitability: Nearly half the tracks end in death, violence, or existential resolution — tying into traditional balladry, where every tale has a moral. Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs isn’t just an album — it’s an American folktale in LP form. Marty Robbins’ warm baritone and precise storytelling elevate it far beyond genre convention. It’s simultaneously a nostalgic time capsule and a timeless work of art. Even today, it remains essential listening for fans of country, Americana, and lyrical songwriting.
This is so dope.
My goodness this makes me think of my grandfather. Such a good, classic album
Wow, very pleasantly surprised. Great harmonies, great lead voice, catchy melodies. I was worried it was going to be all old-timey.
7.5/10 Really good. My favourite country album so far? This was no pretension, honest, simple music. Stories told well with minimal fuss. Best: Cool Water
Not what I’d usually listen to but I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I like the harmonies (bass goes crazy) and resonant vocals. Seems like an album that a crowd would sing along to. Makes me want to sit around a campfire and sing lol. Great storytelling.
This album is perfect for what it is. Unfortunately given the current cultural cache of this music from fallout video games to tick tock trends I grow weary
This album has been memed to death, but it really is great. Proper storytelling cowboy songs, American songbook kind of shit. Leave your scepticism at the door and this album is nothing but a great time.
Heck yeah. Great, easy-listening country tunes. Wish I had bought this on vinyl to listen first, feels like it needs some crackling to feel truly authentic
Surprisingly good, listened to it walking home in the rain Masters Call was especially good
I have listened to this album so much due to Fallout New Vegas. It's not actually amazing, but very good.
I may not be a fan of this kind of music, but I liked it)
Hell yeah
Good old timey country ballads.
I just heard of this a couple weeks ago (I can’t remember why…) but I’m so glad it popped up bc I was excited to listen! It rocks!!
Came here to say this was goated and sauced but someone beat me to it
quite goated i suppose ... yes yes... with the sauce indeed
This is when songwriting actually meant something. Every instrument speaks to the subject matter of the song. Great stuff. Glad I finally listened to this.
Fun to hear these old cowboy songs. This album came out towards the end of Hollywood’s westerns obsession, ensuring a big audience. For all its quality it shows its age.
really well written / good storytelling. felt like i was in a clint eastwood movie lol
The storytelling in these songs is fantastic, backed up with a great voice. Surprised by how much I liked this.
Fantastic album. "Big Iron" is undeniable. Other gems on this are "They're Hanging Me Tonight", "The Master's Call", "El Paso" and "Saddle Tramp". Barely misses being 5 stars as it is a little monotonous in parts. Amazing voice though adn the songs are good. Really good stuff.
I had no idea such a thing could exist, and my world is now better for it. So great it makes me want to make a Quentin Tarantino homage film.
Talk about taking me back to a place and time. I used to listen to Texas radio in the late 60s staying up later than my bedtime under the blankets with a transistor radio.
classic shit.
This ruled
quite literally a bunch of wild west ballads that are mournful and sad and often involve suffering and sort of the Appalachian ballad type of songs of death and lost love
8/10 super fun, but a little too repetitive, every song sounds the same but the western genre is amazing, and this is arguably the most iconic example
Surprisingly enjoyed this
oh wow big iron isch jo suuuuper sini stiiimm und d bgvs AAAH wooow. a hundred and sixty acres isch country wini vor paar johr schlimm gfunde hett und jetz findis no cool und stimmig. theyre hanging me tonight isch heeeavy hobla als text. musig mega cute afoch höhö. billy the kid isch npt bsunders er isch afoch am gschichte verzelle jetz bi utah carrol au. running gun au wieder sehr cool. aber s goht etz biiitz a mir verbii. in the valley isch fantastisch, country harmonies ouuuuyeeeah. the hanging tree harmonisch jo huuuere geil whatt. er singt immerno fantastiiisch.
What is David Schwimmer doing with a big iron on his hip? (big iron on his hiiiiip)
Full of foundational texts, but it all starts to blend together into a single Ur-song after you've listened for a while.
This album gave me nostalgia for my grandparents. And then I heard “El Paso” and realized I’ve certainly heard this before.
🤠
The previous album to this one for me was Gram Parsons, which I didn't mind, however now listening to this album it blows Gram out of the water. Really great storytelling, I could see myself revisiting this one.
Pretty good album. Enjoyed the lyrics and very catchy. 4/5
Favorites: Big Iron, Cool Water, They're Hanging Me Tonight, El Paso Before listening to this album as a whole, I was only familiar with Big Iron, as it was one of the first 7" records I added to my collection. This album is chock full of fantastic western and early outlaw country standards, with each one having its own personality and flavor, which I really appreciated. Robbins's career is storied and long, but I imagine that this record, which left a lasting impression on country music as a whole, stands out as his absolute best.
red dead redemption type music
Let's take a formula and refine it and polish it to perfection. Marty Robbins is a master and telling the 'old western' tale.
Varmt og godt
I'm surprised by how much I liked this, being I'm not a Country person at all. But I guess this isn't exactly like other Country music. The arrangements are fuller and the songwriting is just so smooth. More true cowboy vibes than we usually get from this kind of record. Key tracks: Big Iron Cool Water Billy The Kid El Paso
OG Outlaw. Marty Robbins my beloved, murder ballads my beloved, songs about cattle my beloved, this album brings me so much joy, Marty's voice and lyrics are always so precise and paint such a clear picture to follow around. For fun bit of info Chappell Roan gets her name partially from the Strawberry Roan song (her grandpa's favorite song). Personal favorites : Big iron, They're Hanging me Tonight, The Master's Call, Running Gun, El Paso, Saddle Tramp. Basically any song where someone dies. To add to the list the Colter Wall version of Big Iron is one of my favorites - the whole Western Swing & Waltzes is a masterpiece and falls into the tradition of this kind of album.
I love this album. The overly schmaltzy vocals are a bit much, but this simple, earnest album is pleasant and works with it. Big Iron is a riot. Only major complaint is that it’s too long. But it also doesn’t quite rise above the masses, so it’s a solid 4 stars from me.
i liked this album a lot. reminded me of an older era of musicianship
It's like being in Fallout !
Great listen. Always valuable when you find songs you didn’t know were originals. Prime example is Big Iron. I never took the time to check the song credits. I thought Colter Wall was the original. Good choice to be in this list.
Great voice
Suddenly I was hit with the urge to hunt down that local outlaw and make him yee his last haw. A rootin', tootin', gunshootin' piece of western romanticism. Does exactly what it says on the can. A perfect soundtrack for when you wanna dust of that ol' cowboy hat and spurs while ridin' down the lonesome prairie into the setting sun. Big Iron Behind every song that eventually became a meme is a good song, that's at least the case with this one. A really catchy and captivating piece of storytelling with an easy to follow narrative which paces itself elegantly. Great voice, great backing vocals and bouncy and fun composition with a cute little bassline and picky guitar. Fantastic. 5/5 A Hundred And Sixty Acres Paints a romantic and idealized version of rural living. A positive and appreciative depiction of a man who's spending his time caring for his homestead. A cute fantasy. Good. 4/5 They're Hanging Me Tonight A very charismatic and believable vocal performance. Full with drama with a hint of theatrics that really sells the depressed/doomed cowboy trope. Very cliche, but charming. Decent. 3.5/5 Cool Water Don't be thirsty, stay hydrated! Dramatic storytelling. Builds a lot on a simple concept, hits a lot of the desert tropes while sounding fairly unique. Decent. 3.5/5 Billy The Kid Cowboys, famous outlaws, sheriffs, exactly what you expect to hear from a an album called Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. He has a mournfulness in his voice that really sells the story, and while its content is quite predictable, there's a lot of charm to something so simple. Decent. 3.5/5 Utah Carol Typical story song, even has that token vocal melody style which has later been parodied many times. The story itself is pretty easy to follow and remains interesting througout. Musically it lacks anything remarkable outside the fact that his voice is pretty pleasant. Would definitely be monotous if it went on for any longer. Fine. 3/5 The Strawberry Roan Seems really easy to find a job in those times. Kinda funny that a random guy just approached him, judging him by his look and then just giving him a job. What is this eldritcht being he's describing? Sounds sketchy to me. It's a bit weaker than other tracks on the album, the narrative jumps around a bit and the pacing is odd. Feels a bit difficult to follow along with. Average. 2.5/5 The Master's Call I like the progression a lot. Each sentence ends in a very memorable way. God is a scary vengeful being in this song, very striking imagery. Feels like a campfire story. It's a fun and engaging story though the moral lesson isn't believeable enough to have much value. Still powerful and passionate. Pretty spectacular and grandiose at times. Fantastic. 5/5 Running Gun Fun tempo with a plucky and crisp guitar in the background. Simple but effective. Cliche and tropey song, but works for what it is. Decent. 3.5/5 El Paso Evocative and vivid, really love how descriptive each line is. Written charismatically showing an extreme appreciation of the genre. Has a very infectious vocal melody which is fun to song along to. A classic fantasy when you endulge in the narrator's delusion. Tropey, a bit cheesy and very charming. The great delivery and the smooth archetypical cowboy country voice really seals the deal. Fantastic. 5/5 In The Valley A brief but sweet mournful love song, which while never doing anything too special delivers well on its premise. Great vocals once again. Decent. 3.5/5 The Little Green Valley A standard piece on this album, probably straying towards being one of the more forgetable songs on here. Pleasant enough, just doesn't really do anything exciting. Average. 2.5/5 The Hanging Tree Spaghetti trumpet. Feels like the hanging tree in question has a double meaning, which really becomes apparent throughout the song. Decent storytelling with a unique concept for a country western love song. Decent. 3.5/5 Saddle Tramp Again, a very solid piece of romanticism. Pays homage to the idealized image of the lonesome drifter without a care in the world. A cute little piece of music. Good 4/5 El Paso (Repeat) Mono version with a few minor tweaks from the previous one. NA/5 A very fun album which satisfies the craving for some tropey cowboy action and simple to follow along with stories on a western backdrop. Stays in its lane, delivering exactly what is promised on the packaging. Never strays off theme even when taking on different topics, and while some might be repeats the presentation usually makes up for it. Marty Robbins has the perfect voice for this, believable as a traveling narrator figure who goes from one dusty town to another performing his stories. Love, death, drama and even some god fearing horror, all performed with charisma and grace in a classic country style. Really feels easy to listen to, and while it has some songs that feel a bit average they never really derail the pacing enough to ruin the experience. The stellar highlights more than make up for the fairly significant lows. Definitely something I'll throw on occasionally when I'm feeling like drifting into a western fantasy land. Great recommendation. 4/5 Fave track. The Master's Call Least fave track. The Strawberry Roan
I liked this more than I thought I would. An album full of cowboy country songs. But this really is the rap music of the 50s, but I bet they held their pistols correctly before they filled them full of lead.
82% Best: Big Iron; They're Hanging Me Tonight; El Paso Must-Hear? Sure
A very strong start with Big Iron, which I've heard covers of, and generally my current vibe. I enjoyed the whole album, it was very pleasant, I'd would listen again.
Classic, slower, old-timey country, road-trip songs. -Big Iron -A Hundred and Sixty Acres -They're Hanging Me Tonight -Cool Water -Billy the Kid -Utah Carol -The Strawberry Roan -The Master's Call -Running Gun -El Paso -In the Valley -The Little Green Valley -The Hanging Tree -Saddle Tramp -El Paso
I caught wind of this guy and album by chance. Listening to a gothic country playlist on Spotify . They’re Hanging Me Tonight was the song and I was hooked to the feeling of it. I was let down to know that it was the best song on the album. There is one theme to this album: Sorrow It’s one tone. You won’t be hitting the dance floor to any song but you may wish that you were a cowboy back in the day. Choice cut: They’re Hanging Me Tonight
pretty dope
Much more fun than expected. Hanging me tonight was a standout
Not bad. I kinda of like this old country western music.
I, unexpectantly, liked this album!
Delightful
I really enjoyed this! Such a story.
I’m kind of shocked to admit that I liked this as much as I did. The songs are simple and easy rhythms. Lyrics are great and voice is good. All in all nothing too stellar but I’ll listen to this over and over going forward!!
This album feels like stepping into a Technicolor Western—dusty saloons, lonely deserts, and gunslingers with tragic pasts. Marty Robbins has a rich, warm voice that brings these cowboy tales to life, especially on the iconic El Paso, which is still a masterclass in narrative songwriting. The arrangements are simple but perfectly suited to the storytelling—acoustic guitars, gentle harmonies, and that classic Western shuffle that makes the whole thing feel like it’s playing over the end credits of a movie. While a few of the songs blend into each other and lean a bit too far into sentimentality, there's a charm and sincerity that carries it through. It's not trying to be cool or clever—it’s just really well-crafted cowboy music, full of heart and wide-open landscapes. Not quite perfect, but a high-quality slice of Americana that still sounds lovely today.
The storytelling in this is amazing, not really the type of music I'd go out of my way to listen to but I enjoyed this a lot more than expected.
Awesome experience
Balala
This was so good! I loved it!
This was fun lol, liked it a lot. 3.8/5 Fav song: El Paso
This ruled. I love the rockabilly folk genre and I've been waiting for something before 1968. He has a great voice and I love the simplicity of the arrangements. 4.3/5
Good storytelling, kind of texas swing, Country music. 3,5 Stars. Will relisten. Wasn't Sure entirely if I dislike its softness.
Not sure what to rate. The stories were nice to listen to, but I certainly wouldn't listen to it again. Big Iron is a banger though. If you only listen to it once it's a 4, otherwise I would probably give it a 2.
Loved this
I have loved 'Big Iron' by M. Robbins for a while. I think after Fallout: New Vegas release. I have a soft spot for classical voice singers of 30-60, so it wasn't a new performer for me. In general album is great, I won't listen it much but 2 songs will be in my playlist for sure. The second is the original 'Cool Water' that has an absolutely beautiful cover in Cohen's almanac: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
I enjoyed this; it was a pleasant surprise, and I felt a bit disappointed when the album ended. However, I just found out that he released a second album of Gunfighter Ballads, so I know what I'll be listening to later!
Um álbum country fantástico, sendo eu um grande apreciador de westerns, para além das fantásticas soundtracks de Ennio Morricone, este álbum provou ser um ótimo transporte para aquelas cidades desertas repletas de duelos e saloons cheios. Diversas histórias muito divertidas e interessantes de ouvir, fantástico!!
Get your cowboy boots on and holster your big iron because we be cowboys today. Excellent country
Somehow this album manages to create some genuinely amazing stories that really keep me captivated. There's even a lot of emotion in the vocals in some moments which was really unexpected. Overall definitely enjoyed this one a lot more than I anticipated.
I mean, if you like Big Iron, this is a whole album of that. Can't complain, personally. Gotta be in the mood, but it definitely scratches and itch.
Highlights: El Paso, Big Iron, The Master's Call. In a nutshell: rolling rolling rolling...raw-hide! You can't help be drawn to Marty singing tales of the Old West. It's kinda romantic and it doesn't shy away from telling us how rough that era was. The composition is repeated throughout (I guess that was the style at the time) but focus on the lyrics. They are magnificent. Overall: 7/10
This shit rules. Songs to listen to with my grandmother.
I was very excited to get an old western/country album. It's a breath of fresh air from the garbage country music that Nashville has been pumping into my ears (Gavin Adcock). I can't relate to anything that Marty is singing about, but it feels like I can. Storytelling is great, music is great given the time period. Healthy 4/5
For an album old enough to be pulling social security checks, it holds up pretty well. Marty Robbins lyrics center around 3 themes: God, guns, and dying. The songwriting is straightforward, guitar fills in the space that Marty isn't using. Album cover screams clearance record bin. Nothing spectacular, but this is a good record if you're looking to do some driving or relax by a camp-fire somewhere. ------------------------------ Highlights: Big Iron, Cool Water, The Master's Call, The Hanging Tree, El Paso Stinkers: None of them are that bad, maybe Billy the Kidd. -------------------------------- My Rating Scale: 1 - Trash. Why is it on this list? 2 - Mostly disliked, some good/great tracks 3 - Mostly liked, some exceptions 4 - It's great, with one or two misses allowed 5 - Masterpiece
Genuinely entranced by gunfighter ballads like an 8 year old in 1955 watching Davy Crockett, my god some things never change.
There's no way to honestly review this without admitting that, yes, I've played Fallout: New Vegas. Multiple times. With mods. With a lot of mods, including radio mods, that add more songs to the in-universe playlist. And despite playing most of the Fallout games (again, with radio mods), Big Iron in New Vegas is the best use of music in the franchise. The only other one that comes close is "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" by the Ink Spots. In fact, it might be the best use of existing, diagetic music in gaming. The rest of the album is more of the same. Solid ballads, good storytelling, over some 50's country music. It's got a lot of good ballads on it, but the ones I liked best were El Paso and Billy the Kid.
Big Iron and El Paso are classics. Some of the songs are sleepy but I appreciate the simplicity and stellar vocals.
Actually ok.
What a romp thru the prairie
There's just something about songs about Guys committing crimes of passion then getting captured and hanged that I can't get enough of. This was really good. 4 Stars
3.5
Super tacky, but I love it
1. iron - 3.5 2. acrez - 1.5 3. tonight - 2 4. uuater - 1.5 5. kid - 3 6. utah - 1.5 7. roan - 1.5 8. call - 4 9. gun - 1.5 10. el pazo - 5 11. valley - 1.5 12. green - 1.5 13. tree - 1.5 14. tramp - 2 15. el pazo too - 5
Not really sure what to say other than I enjoyed it. Reminded me of Johnny Cash
Not something I'd have picked up to listen to ever. I quite enjoyed the tone of the recording and the storytelling in the lyrics
He’s pretty cool marty robins/ musician and race car driver. Also pretty fit ngl Big iron is pretty great/ so is they’re hanging me tonight. I honestly worried it was going to sound like the last chance saloon song on dr who. (You’ll get why I dreaded that of you’ve watched the gunfighters). 4/5
Really don't know Country well at all. Glad this list is showing me the way. Marty Robbins, a man who released 52 studio albums in his 57 years on this earth, provides an interesting listen. Big Iron and El Paso are deservedly classics. El Paso is very Spanish sounding, can really hear the influences of a range of music backgrounds. Hadn't made the connection between Country and Mexican, Hawaiin, even Irish music before. Country may be more musically interesting than I had previously thought. Cool Water, Strawberry Roan, Little Green Valley were also memorable. Definitely still have to be in the right mood for an album like this, but after ignoring it yesterday, I'm glad I gave it a try today. Going on a country exploration now - my favourite part of this list, inspiring musical rabbit holes.
This one's cut from a different cloth. It's not actually the oldest album to come up for our group but it definitely *feels* the oldest. Maybe a little bit one-note, but it's a pretty good note.
Classy El Paso
surprisingly enjoyable. wouldn't mind having a copy of this one on my shelf.
Hell yeah.
A truly entertaining listen. Storytelling at its peak! “Old western” style country music where horrific tales of violent death are set to a jaunty tune.
Takes me back to the wasteland.
Saddle up pardner
First listen. Impressive, most impressive!
Oldies country pop. Some songs sound like an old TV theme song, and that's just fime by me
I'm a sucker for songs that tell a story and that's this whole album. Great.
first “i have no idea what this is” album of the project but it was fun! Robbins doesn’t have quite the same cultural foothold as, say, Johnny Cash, but it definitely speaks to something timeless about this album that so many of its songs have been used in modern media. Shoutout Breaking Bad
I’ve always enjoyed this sort of stuff. Classic, simple, super singalongable even if you’ve never heard it before. Reminds me of Burl Ives who I listen to a lot with my sister as well as others of that era and ilk. Makes me want to pick up the guitar again. (3.5 stars)
I liked the palate and story telling
I liked this way more than I expected. Reminded me of a Quentin Tarantino movie. Looking at the cover it was exactly what I expected. Great storytelling, pleasant melodies - I really liked the vibe surprisingly. I’m giving this 4 stars sorry not sorry.
Gunslinging perfection…
maybe the most classic of all classic western albums. this album puts the western in country and western music. the songs are short, sweet, and catchy. marty robbins' voice is so great and pleasant to listen to. to be honest, i think marty robbins was the vocalist early elvis was most trying to be when he sang ballads. just a really solid album.
Totally good, but very repetitive to the point of songs blending together
Big iron on his hip
I own this vinyl, bought used in the 80’s. Transferred it to cassette, and loved cranking Big Iron as I roared across the desert Southwest in my old Fiat ragtop. The Spider is long gone to the scrapper, but the outlaw ballads still gets regular PT in my space. God Bless Marty Robbins!
yeehaw cowboy outlaw sheriff !!! good lyrics on this one
oh helll yeaah
I am now trans.
Great!
Fun
Hell yeah brother What else can I even say here
Solid and consistent El Paso is on the album twice for some reason.
This is a pretty typical cowboy album - or perhaps prototypical. It's fun, often melancholy, and a great listen. Favorite track: "Big Iron"
4/5. Bardzo przyjemne i kilka piosenek zapisałem.
I almost would have liked to hear the band play without Marty’s vocals on several of these songs.
This was a really, cool old school country album! It was interesting to listen to this and hear what a country album was like from the tail end of the 50s overall it was an interesting addition to this!
Classic country.
Great album if you’re not a Mexican broad or a horse
I actually really like music like this, though I hardly ever listen to it. The story telling always makes it feel like an action movie. As an album, it's not coherent but thats to be expected for 1959. I will certainly explore this sound more
Great singer - kind of an Elvis vibe. Even though it's old and not really my style, I definitely appreciate the musicality.
Classic american western feeling album!
Really enjoyable. Vocals were amazing, melodies were great, some of the songs were brilliant. But generally some songs felt too slow or like filler so I have to mark it down a point
Classic
The album overall is great, old country. I've only recently discovered any country music that I like. The stuff that I do like that's contemporary, has an older feel to it, harkening back to music like this but more rich (given that it's written more recently). I'd give this album a 4/5.
Det här tycker jag var en kul överraskning som var lätt att tycka om. Så här ska cowboy-country låta!
Easy listening.
When you say that you like country, you are talking about modern pop country. When I say that I like country, I am talking about this kind of country. We are not the same. The storytelling of the songs is just incredible. I'm nearly in tears listening to El Paso. The vocal work of the entire album is really good. The harmonies are phenomenal, and it's a joy to listen to Marty sing. Everything about the album is simple (as it is music from '59), but I think that just adds to the charm of it. I'm not overwhelmed or absolutely in awe of the album, but it is very good from beginning to end. Favorite Song(s): Big Iron, The Master's Call, El Paso
This album is another example of the universe sending a wink. I recently watched an interview with my current pop obsession, Chappell Roan, who is truly freaking awesome btw, saying she chose her name by combining her grandfather’s last name and his favorite song: The Strawberry Roan by Marty Robbins. Lo and behold, here we are. This is the version of country music that I’m 100% in love with. Melodies! Talent! Simplicity! As a kid I would’ve balked hard at this, but age sometimes brings maturity through experience and keeping a mostly open mind. That open mind comes from chilling to grandma’s country records after she passed away 10 years ago, and connecting to her soul through the music she loved. This album wasn’t in her collection, but some of these songs, recorded by similar artists, were. There's not a skip to be had on this.
Real talk, the best thing the Fallout games did was introduce old-ass bangers like this to a new generation. I wouldn't have given the album much thought without them. This kind of slaps? It's an album full of skits, sung with rich harmonies and twinkly Spanish guitar. What's not to love?
Great old tunes from a master song stylist! Instantly recognizable voice, and catchy classic country songs.
I’m surprised how good this sounds for being receded in 1959. I really enjoyed this one, added it to a couple playlists and I’m gonna go further into his catalog.
Ha! I listened to this one a few months ago when I was in El Paso. Great Western music with nice harmonies and storytelling. Definitely a classic. El Paso stands out as a favorite. 4 on this one.
Wow. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. My dad was a Marty Robbins fan, but as a kid I just never really got into any of Robbins's songs and was only familiar with El Paso. The first song on here was killer. Good story telling, cool background vocals and despite the simplicity it was a really interesting song. I ended up listening to Big Iron probably 3 or 4 times. Marty has a rich crooner type voice and his singing sounds effortless. He reminded me a bit of the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly. Halfway through the album I found myself thinking 'how in the hell did country go from this to what contemporary country music is now'? This album is almost cinematic in a way and has good fundamentals.
Fallout: New Vegas OST
Yeehaw
El Paso is one of the greatest songs ever. The rest were some very good country and western songs too.
While the first track on the album is legendary thanks to a certain Nevada-based game which I will try to not name as a challenge, the other songs on today's record do certainly hold up on their own regard, with The Master's Call being a highlight for me. Pretty solid 4 in my book.
I'm not a fan of country music and thought I was going into this blind. Turns out that I already knew a couple of the songs. El Paso was in Breaking Bad and I've heard a cover of Big Iron, although I didn't know it was a cover until now. The storytelling in this album is top notch. I love the vivid imagery that each song paints. Most songs on this album are brilliant, although I feel there a couple that fall a little short.
Grateful Dead has covered El Paso, so when I heard it, it was the Leonardo DiCaprio meme. Good listen, not in my normal wheelhouse, but that’s why I’m doing this challenge. Would listen to some of the songs again.
This was great! My Grandpa is a huge Marty Robbins fan but I've never really bothered to listen to him. A great album. Great songs, great musicians, what a voice! And these songs really tell some great and even dark stories. I got chills when I heard "They're Hanging Me Tonight". This is the best new album I've discovered on this list so far.
Great voice (if a bit formal and over-trained), crisp and professional delivery. Not the most darkly-delivered murder ballads, but the rich smoothness of the voice and polished playing contrast intriguingly with the grim content. However, there is a paradox in hearing a condemned man and one dying of thirst voice their plights in such balanced, even polished, fashion. Personally one likes the close mixture of thanos and eros especially when there's a backing chorus that seems to sing for uplift (e.g., "The Hanging Tree). A true piece of Americana, this, and quite worth hearing, even if it's not exactly outlaw country.
Va duro.
There’s an unhurried grace to these songs, a kind of quiet confidence. It calls to mind the storytelling style of Willie Nelson, but more grounded and direct. The melodies are timeless, and the lyrics are vivid, like stepping into a sepia-toned memory.
I loved this so much more than I was expecting to. His voice is truly lovely, and the backing vocals complement him so nicely. And not only is the storytelling great, the lyrics flow like water, the meter a perfect match for the melody. And the melodies! One of my favorite moments is that climb and fall on the word wind in El Paso. Delightful. This is what I'd been hoping for when I had my Waylon Jennings album, which, while still good, just didn't leave the same impression that this did. When I listen to country music, this belongs in the rotation.
Really great. Enthusiastic and candy like while cartoonishly dark and morbid. What a fun piece of history.
My initial reaction was “uuuugghh no thank you” but honestly, embarrassingly liked it. Catchy and sweet
This album might more properly be called "Songs About My Own Violent Death" but you gotta give credit to Marty Robbins, he writes a hell of a tune. It's crazy that this album was recorded in 8 hours. His voice sounds great, and his ballads are all fun stories (that generally end in his violent death) 4/5
Unique and perfect for this list. The voice is impeccable and the story telling is top notch
Favorite Track: El Paso
I can get behind county like this
4.5 Outlaw country. A couple epic songs: Big Iron, El Paso
This is what I would be if I was a cowboy. Just four part harmonies with my boys, posing, and singing lil story songs.
favourite song - the little green valley favourite lyric - but the weight upon the saddle had not been felt before / his backcinch snapped like thunder and he fell by lenore / picking up the blanket he swung it over his head / and started cross the prairie, "lay still lenore" he said cover - 5/10 album overall - 4/5
Not a single skip I fear……
A selection of soft country western songs with each song telling a story.
Breaking Bad reference!
Yup
A little samesie, but I won't knock Marty for a-knowing what he knows.
I have listened to this record for over 40 years. It somehow makes the violent, tragic, and hopeful world of the old west in the US come alive beautifully. I am a fan of Marty, and even enjoy his Hawaiian music. Check it out!
Made me want to be a gunfighter. Tons of fun.
Actually suffers a little from being listened to as an album - every song is solid but they lose impact sat right next to each other.
I enjoyed this, it sounded like every country song ever to appear on a Tarantino soundtrack.
Não sabia que tinhamos um country progressivo. Muito boa as letras e a voz do Marty Robbins. Big Iron é um faroeste caboclo melhorado..
This starts off with a -1 star rating purely because of the goofy ass album cover. I joke of course but wow it's awful. Anyway, this is half an hour of songs about the wild west and gunslingers. It evokes imagery of being in a saloon with duelling pistols at dawn going on outside. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but Marty Robbins' voice is like smooth liquid gold and the tracks are just catchy and fun. 'El Paso' swings along nicely. The vocal line actually sounds like a gallop. 'Big Iron' is the most famous apparently and I can see why. This and 'The Masters Call' are the best offerings. They sound very similar, you could probably sing one over the other and it would fit. They both have this rhyming couplet thing going on where the first line ends with a higher tone and the second line ends with a lower tone. It gets stuck in your head. Overall it does start to get a bit samey towards the end, but I can't believe I enjoyed this as much as I did. I'm glad it's on this list and I was able to discover it!
Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. The music totally and game pairing was super weird, but also worked with all the battles. I enjoyed this a whole lot more than I was expecting to.
Fun ballads. 45 minutes is enough. ;-)
Great story teller, some classic songs. The guitar gets a bit repetitive
I've listened to this before! I love outlaw country and I like a good story song, even though these are gruesome. I remember playing this at home and my mum asking me to play anything else after listening to how violent these are. You do get a bit tired of the same sound, but I generally find this a pretty pleasant listen. I love the strong Mexican influence. 4/4.5
A great listen. This is why I like the Albums Generator, as I'd have never come across this otherwise!
Westerns distilled with an awesome voice. I cannot imagine a better execution of the concept, not my thing but glad it exists
Times have changed. Cowboys song about killing, loving, or the country. Nothing else.
Day 47 - October 7th, 2024 ROOTIN TOOTIN COWBOY SHOOTIN. 4/5
For this review, I will not be factoring in the bonus tracks included in the CD reissue. I’ve heard of Marty Robbins before as a country singer-songwriter, often cited as a pioneer in the subgenre of outlaw country. The one song I knew from him prior was “Big Iron”, which not only serves as a strong opener to this album but it has since gained a wide resurgence in popularity from its inclusion in the Fallout: New Vegas video game soundtrack. I’d say the rest of my enjoyment with Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs is about on par with that opening track. Marty had such a knack for effortlessly crooning and singing baritone whilst strumming away on his guitar, as him and his backing band run the gamut through tales of the Wild West with a fair amount of cover songs played decently. Probably the only complaint to be had is that the album is rather one-note. Most of these songs are standard tempo and sticking to the Wild West aesthetic. It’s certainly pleasant to listen to, though outside of “Big Iron”, “El Paso” and his cover of Curley Fletcher’s “The Strawberry Roan”, there’s not much else here that uniquely stands out. Still at the end of day, I had a good time with Gunfighter Ballads. If you like your country western, or need a good soundtrack for traversing a retrofuturistic nuclear wasteland, then this album comes with a strong recommendation.
One of the most American sounding things I've ever heard. New quite a few tracks but never knew who recorded them. I doubt this will be something I listen to often, but I enjoyed listening through it once.
Such a cinematic country album. Definitely sounds like a classic cowboy album. And El Paso has the Felina breaking bad reference! I'd say don't judge a book by it's cover but in this case you really get the image on the front for this.
Интересный альбом, в духе своего времени, каждая песня как мини вестерн
YES DUDE!!!!!! YEEHAW!!!!! highlights: a hundred and sixty acres, they’re hanging me tonight, billy the kid, el paso (dec 19 2024)
cowboy
Thoroughly enjoyed that album. The Masters Call was my favorite song.
western elvis
Este es el álbum de canciones del Oeste por excelencia. Incluye canciones de amor y clásicos anónimos de la tradición americana. Sus historias son las repetidas una y otra vez en la gran pantalla, pero cantadas con una emoción, como en "Big Iron" o "El Paso", que las hace especiales. Me gusta, quizás por su evocación fílmica, "The Hanging Tree", escrita precisamente para la película de 1959. También "Saddle Tramp" y "The Master's Call.
Corny but upbeat. Fun listening especially while doing chores. Helped me to move faster. 😆
This is just brilliant country music. Can't beat it.
a little classic country & western rarely comes amiss
Oh cunt this shit got me feeling wiggly and jiggly
Really enjoyed all of the references that go back to this album which was very cool and weirdly coded for Grant and me. A really pleasant listen though. I actively said while listening that I never would consider myself a fan of the genre but I enjoyed listening to it a lot
NGL, kind of a vibe. Old-school gangster, "shoot someone who's talkin' to your girl at the saloon" shit. Years of accumulated useless knowledge from Wikipedia rabbit holes also yield the following easter eggs/ fun facts. Big Iron: famous as a meme from the radio on Fallout: New Vegas The Strawberry Roan: Namesake for Chappell Roan (her grandfather, Chappell's favorite song) El Paso: Featured in Breaking Bad finale "Felina," as the story echoes Walter's arc in the final season.
Such a fun album, makes you feel like you're listening to an old-timey radio. Also why are there two versions of el paso lol, did the extra 19 seconds really warrant a "full-length version"? (not complaining tho, i don't mind hearing that song twice)
FALLOUT NEW VEGAS AMKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Supercoozy themed album with beautigul vocals. The chords and song melodies does repeat on some tracks though
Memes aside, this is great fun. It does its thing and it does it well. I kinda thought the track about him getting shot would have made a better ending track. Weird how you can sing along to bits of it without having heard them before.
Good songs, well-recorded. Like a musical version of diner food. Nothing unexpected or brilliant but a solid, comforting meal if slightly boring.
Big iron 😂
Oh, man these bring back memories, I remember hearing these on the radio and hearing the stories in the songs on the long drives when growing up on the classic country station.
Pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this one. This list has showed me that I enjoy older country music.
Delightful.
This is the sound of my father's childhood. He would sing these songs often.
Charming. Will I return to it? I don’t know, maybe not, but listening to this truly felt like getting a little treat
You get exactly what the label says. That's always a plus in my eyes. In this case, even in almost the right dose. Album's a little too long for my taste, but it doesn't get annoying. What the label doesn't tell you is that shit slaps, yo. Bonus point for the unexpected Breaking Bad reminder.
I didn't have high hopes, but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Every track was fantastic
Very fun listen.
I like the 3/4 rythyms with the guitar, It is not my style but IS interesting.
It's hokey, it's sexist, it's dated....but it's awesome. Such tightly written songs with vivid lyrical imagery. The music is performed flawlessly too. I am a sucker for old timey music and this was no exception. A really fun listen.
Thank you Fallout Favourite songs: Big Iron, El Paso, Utah Carol, The Little Green Valley, The Strawberry Roan Least favourite songs: In the Valley 4/5
Really enjoyed the short, catchy songs and good story telling
It’s just really cool
I had so many albums that I needed to do catchup on that I nearly forgot there was 1 or 2 that I missed before I joined the group. Fun listen nonetheless. Obviously best known in my generation for le funny Fallout NV song but there are bangers throughout.
Ok, so maybe I like country music after all. I really like the stories being told and the visuals they are able to elicit with enjoyable music. Each song is engaging and some are just fun. Poor Felina :(
El Paso, Big Iron, A Hundred and Sixty Acres = all classics.
Love this album—great storytelling and Marty Robbins is able to get emotional without being sentimental. Particular favorites include Big Iron, They’re Hanging Me Tonight, The Master’s Call, and I generally don’t skip any tracks whenever I’m in the mood for it.
Turns out I really enjoy old cinematic country albums. Best Song: They're Hanging Me Tonight
Not a country guy. Nor am I a 50s music guy. When those two things come together, it’s either a recipe for success or a disaster. And thank god it was the former. Man what a good time this is. Big Iron is a certified classic, without a doubt, and immediately took me back to my time playing Fallout New Vegas. Really this whole album reminds me of that experience. This might not be as country as other music I’ve heard. I guess it’s more categorized as western. But I still think it fits under the umbrella of country. And this is country music for people who really care about the genre. Unlike that commercialized slop artists make nowadays. It paints a picture of the western period of the United States. Which is one of the most interesting periods in our history. And to see a piece of that history still hold so well is great. I give music from this time a lot of crap for being too simple. This is one of the only albums I’ve found where the general simplicity of the era actually works to the music’s effect. Again, it transports me to a different world. And this is most definitely aided by Marty’s fantastic lyricism. And really, storytelling. I have heard few artists who are able to tell a story through their songs as well as he does here. Whether it’s about a woman leaving him, and then him being hung for killing her and the man he left him for. Or about being a hit man in your past life, and leaving your lady to becoming a running gun, only to meet your end at the hands of another gunslinging bounty hunter. Funnily enough, a lot of them end in death. Particular Marty himself dying. Tall tales from a time that once was. But each one of them is unique and a joy to listen to. It’s what makes this stand out, so many decades later. And also what makes this an essential country album. Rating: 7/10
Never thought I would like this but I love it and have played it on repeat 3 times since first hearing it, it's so good. Big Iron and El Paso are major highlights but the whole album is worth A listen
Patrolling the Mojave really makes you wish for a nuclear winter… Big Iron is an absolute masterclass of western musical storytelling. Beautiful harmonies. Really wish this song hadn’t been memed to death. Songs that are completely unrelatable to the post GFC listener. Wish I had 160 acres in any valley. Just a comfy little tune about livin a simple life. Truly love this track. Old timey country musicians really sang about their impending execution a lot. This album really has some beautiful vocal harmonies. Huge fan of Strawberry Roan. Worlds most retarded horse easily defeats alleged master horse breaker. Paints a really good picture in this song of this janky as fuck old bastard horse. Just lovely storytelling. Masters Call is another fantastic ballad massive fan of this biblical fuck you for being an evil bandit. On the flip side it’s really funny to think of Jesus Christ just exploding cattle with lightning. Running gun is a real jaunty break from the slower paced songs that make up most of this album. Jumpy little guitar tune. Saddle tramp another classic banger. El Paso is a fantastic track. First heard it on cassette or something on this big fuck off stereo my uncle had at my grandparents house when I was like 8. This is one of my favourite country albums for sure. Most of the songs are short and sharp and don’t hang around too long. Nice little stories, there are a few tracks that are a bit forgettable but for the most part it’s a classic.
Phenomenal album. The Master is a Masterpiece, so good it made Running Gun seem way shitter than it was (even though after a couple listens it's still the worst track on the album imo) El Paso II is also a major highlight, type song to give a mf butterflies. Type of album to have so many great tracks one passes by and you gotta relisten cause you think it's an off cut but it ain't it's just as goated as the rest. 9/10 Fav tracks - Big Iron, They're Hanging Me Tonight, Cool Water, Billy the Kid, Utah Carol, The Strawberry Roan, The Masters Call, El Paso I, In the Valley, Little Green Valley, The Hanging Tree, Saddle Tramp, El Paso II Least Fav - Running Gun
An absolute joy to listen to this whole album finally. I have heard Big Iron and El Paso more times than I've had hot dinners and they still never get old. Highlights from this album besides those two are definitely Cool Water, Master's Call, They're Hanging Me Tonight and Saddle Tramp. Back to back songs both about valleys (at least on spotify which seems to be the CD version of the listing). My favourite song on this album is still El Paso.
why.. am I kind of enjoying this? I'm confused. Ok I legit enjoyed it. Don't like cowboys, don't understand why it was great, but 4. No notes. Nice catchy songs, great voice. Dated material but... I couldn't hate on it.
Enjoyed this western country album. El Paso is such a classic. I did not realize there were so many songs about being killed by a stampede of cattle.
Pretty solid. I thought this album was gonna be a total drag but I quite enjoyed it. “Big Iron” was probably my favorite song so it’s kinda unfortunate that the album starts with that but that’s okay. Reminds me of Johnny Cash at least in his style of writing and story telling ability.
while this is not an album I would normally choose to listen to, I enjoyed it. he's a great storyteller with song choices & arrangements were nice
A bit repetitive but has fun and engaging lyrics and stories.
I love this era of country and western music and most of these songs are familiar favorites for me. So much so that when I happened to stop in El Paso on a work trip, I couldn’t help but make my way to Rosa’s Cantina to watch Felina whirl. I’ve always enjoyed the story telling that was a staple of this era. And the themes are as old as time itself: love, death, rebellion, redemption, regret. I know this type of music isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve always felt like everyone’s got a little cowboy in them, and if you let them, these songs just might speak to that part of you. 4/5
I knew a couple of these songs already (El Paso was the big one) - this was a great listen, he had a marvelous voice and the songs are all vignettes about love and violence in the wild west.
Señoritas
Fun!
I did not have barbershop quartet country ballads on my bingo card. But somehow, this album really worked for me. Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for Flamenco/classical guitar. Maybe it’s because this guy’s voice is beautiful. Maybe it’s because the melodies are simple and catchy. I’m not sure, but as someone who generally hates country-western music (though I might have to revise that opinion given the albums on this list so far) I enjoyed this a lot. These songs are very much in the vein of Johnny Cash in terms of storytelling and Elvis Presley in terms of the buttery smooth vocal performance (and white guy doing the blues). I don’t love cowboy/Western mythology. And the stories told in these songs are very heavy on those tropes. If you close your eyes while listening, you might imagine Ronald Reagan singing these songs, which is an unsettling thought. And yet, I still really like it. It gets a little repetitive because there are so many songs on the album and the melodies and stories all follow the same familiar structures. But it’s really smooth and pleasant to listen to. I wouldn’t listen to it all the time, but I’m glad I heard this at least once. 4/5
This reminds me of home. I can see him riding across the plains and fighting his way south to the border to find his love. It has a gentle, nostalgic tone while delivering a gun-slinging message. It takes you back to when your word and what you did meant something.