Reviews (page 7 of 13)
If one could only hear on a dusty Western road with hours to go on a long drive. A classic of Americana, with professional playing, crisp production and pretty great storytelling, Hemingwaysesque at times. A lot of hearbreak, blood and death for such straightforward singing.
This is quite good. Robbins’ voice is smooth, with great range and clear delivery. The lyrics are simple, colorful and tell great stories that put you right there. The vocal harmonies are extremely dated but add a distinctive charm to the overall sound.
Of course El Paso is a classic tune, but I enjoyed the rest of this record. Robbin’s voice is as western smooth as it gets and the musicianship is perfect. Surprisingly good recording quality too.
This Definitely brings to mind film score music or a 1980s Dennis Potter series. I’m a sucker for a song with a story, and I loved these short, little vignettes. Might even have had a tear in my eye at times. This would be a solid 3.5 but because of Marty’s voice and cool delivery, I’ll be generous.
Great singing and guitar skills. Great storytelling
Big iron on his hip! The other songs are pretty good too.
Cool singing and story telling of times gone by
Maybe I could be a cowboy
Was this the peak “Cowboy Lore” era of U.S. culture? I’m sure a lot of ink has been spilled on the anthropological phenomenon. This is good old Country music anyway, and nearly flawlessly delivered. Though perhaps for the material it is a tad too polished and refined.
He has such a distinctive voice and style. El Paso will be stuck in my head for a while.
bangin
Liked this way more than I thought I would. Guy is a great storyteller
Shout out Fallout: New Vegas! 4 I think I really enjoyed a lot of this. Outlaw country done really well. If you told me this was an influence on Elvis’ music I’d absolutely believe it. There were a few songs where I felt like they were repeating the hook from Big Iron again and one song literally felt like an ad for just water. Outside of that, though, I think I found a direction to start a country journey if I want. Also this album has real Better Call Saul energy. I could imagine Jimmy doing his thing to any one of these songs. Favorites: Big Iron, A Hundred and Sixty Acres, Cool Water, Billy the Kid, Utah Carol, El Paso, The Hanging Tree
Tää oli kyllä jollain typerällä tavalla aivan loistava.
Sydämeni sykkii tämmöselle korniudelle. En tiedä onko tää objektiivisesti hyvää musaa mut pakko antaa 4/5. Master's Call, ah mikä melodramaattisuuden huipennus!
Hype hype hype, slaps. 4.5 stars
Alright, this is country-adjacent music I like: Really pleasant voice singing about old west & cowboy things
This is literally the most western country album ever made. Chock full of ballads of sadness and lonely. Of the western cowboy and his numerous problems. Still holds up better than a lot of country albums especially for that time. Probably thanks to the Fallout games.
Il a une très belle voix. Je me suis laissé bercer par les mélodies. Un petit côté nostalgique.
I was surprised by how many of these songs I already new. It's a great example of storytelling country & western.
A fun album
Well that was a pleasant surprise.
Hey, another great discovery. This is a perfect selection for this kind of list because I never would have listened to this otherwise. I don't think I've ever heard a Marty Robbins song, except maybe on a soundtrack somewhere. I loved it. The production is amazing. They really knew how to make records back then. And Robbins isn't just a great singer, but a commanding storyteller as well. I've come to really dig a lot of American music from '58-'62. The stuff you hear in David Lynch movies. It's very uncynical and uncool and kind of wide-eyed and haunting. I love it.
Delightful throwback to the era of identifiable good guys and bad guys. Will listen to again
Classic cowboy folk songs! Star of the show is Big Iron & El Paso.
Like a smirk on the face of an older relative telling you an entertaining story, there's a beautiful contrast between the warmth of the delivery and the subject matter being delivered. You know it's full of embellishments and they know you know, but it doesn't matter. The veracity of the facts aren't the point. The emotional connection to the storyteller is the point.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought
I suddenly got an urge to watch John Wayne movies and read Lucky Luke. This is peak wild west music only behind Ennio Morricone. Is it something I would listen to again? Maybe. It's a very fun album to listen to.
Kende hem niet maar werd er heel vrolijk van. Mooie snik ook.
Fun and as expected. Best song is El Paso.
I dislike that this is the first one cause New vegas
This was a great album actually and the sound is excellent, despite its age. Easy to understand lyrics and good tunes all around and super classic country. 7/10.
Nothing unique musically for that time, but a fun uplifting listen with deeper lyricism than what country was provided in that period’s mainstream.
Loved it! All quite samey but found myself singing along and enjoyed listening.
how delightful, makes me want to listen to Patsy Cline! some of the songs sound a little like early Elvis, leaning into blues territory.
It’s weird I’ve heard so many of these. Delightful little ditties about murder.
One has to be in the mood, but a wonderful little slice of American music history. Gunfighter ballads…Marty Robbins laid the groundwork for the greatness of T or NWA? Lol!
This album is incredible, made even more so by how much the Western genre is largely forgotten under the large umbrella of Country. Songs that tell a story, songs with strong melodies, even if repetitive at times, make this an easy listen. Yes, this is the Western in Country & Western, and not the Country. This distinct difference has fallen out of popularity but what is now considered old Country, particularly Outlaw, seems to be hanging on with artists like Sturgill Simpson. Either way, this is probably an educational listen for so many people and for that reason its inclusion on 1001 is very important. An added bonus is getting to listen to this in stereo, which makes for reconciling hearing something from 1959 sound so good an easy task for the mind.
Kinda cheezy and goofy, but at the same time, quite enjoyable. Never dared to listen to Marty Robbins before, but heard this album mentioned as being a classic record. More like a guilty pleasure for me. Thanks for the suggestion!
I’m not old enough for this album to be nostalgic for me but, nevertheless, listening to this has triggered memories of my childhood. Regardless this is a fun album of folksy, cowboy songs. I like it.
Culturally significant, get me to the nearest saloon.
Brilliant. Great voice and you can hear every word. I didn't even know I needed gunfighter ballads in my life. Would have been 5 stars except for bringing ole JC into to tell him that stealing cattle is wrong.
I enjoyed this album - it's 1950s nostalgia for the Wild West, and Robbins has a smooth voice.
This is an enjoyable album. Nice story telling.
Unlike the album cover which looks like an image of Marty Robbins printed, cut out and glued poorly to red paper, Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs was an authentic well rounded album with interesting lyrics and outlaw imagery. Gives old cowboy tv show vibes. I personally didn't like the kind of background vocals featured but Robbins' lead was decent. The music is nice though works better as a complementary piece to those lyrics. Liked Big Iron and They're Hanging Me Tonight the most.
Because of some video game Steven played. I have a lot of prior exposure to this guy. Only one song. But my love for it carried over.
as much as I always say I don't like country there's some really nice songs here. Especially the first few on the album plus Master's Call
Voz e vibe gostosas
Yeehaw!
This is great late 50s period music for me. Reminds me of my dad.
Marty's vocals ride a little close to Sinatra-in-a-bad-way at times, but the instrumentals are impressively clean and Gunfighter Ballads is iconic despite the memetics.
I've never quite appreciated how much propaganda goes into western songs untill paying attention to this. Honestly found myself unexpectedly enjoying the atmosphere and the tall tales told. The musical arrangement and the vocal performance are nothing to write home about, but the simplicity and a kind of earnestness that goes into this storyteling caused me to slip into a smiliar mindset as when listening to fables, and it caused the whole album to go by in a flash.
Beautiful and classic
God s med Marty
I love this stuff! Old country that's new to me is always approved for listening.
I know I've heard "El Paso" numerous times. It's a great song, and when I played this album it was the one my wife was waiting to hear. Definitely a change of pace album for me. It is such a different type of album from what I normally listen to, but that's not a bad thing. It's a simple recording but the songs are not simple. You would think that the songs being of the same type would be boring, but not really. Most of them are short enough to hold your interest, get in and get done fairly quickly. The Beatles' tracks were like that, too. 2 minutes or so and bam, you're done. That brevity is sometimes lacking in thing I listen to. Anyway, I dug the pieces, even though they harken back to a time before rock. It is a novelty but not a bad one. Something to come back to but not to listen to every day.
Really enjoyed this album. A different era of country music - the golden years in my opinion. A lot of the songs have the same qualities - smooth lead vocals that fill your ears, sweet backing vocal harmony, straight ahead musical arrangements that they play and pluck the heck out of, and some nostalgic or heart-tugging lyrics. Robbins and his band don't disrespect the songs recorded by others and the originals fit right in. Wish there were a few more originals. Listening to the album was like watching an old Western. Real easy listening.
This album was a real treat to listen to. Although my favorite songs on the album were all written by Robbins the arrangements of traditional songs and covers were done really well. The musicianship on here is excellent and the lyrics really do take you back to the fairytale image of what the old west was. I listened to a few other albums of his after this and enjoyed them as well.
first listen wow this is a real treat, never listened to tejano
4.4 + A delightful country-western record with stories of cowboys and outlaws, set against a sunny desert backdrop. Robbins sings with a clear, bright tenor, supported with barbershop-style backing vocals and guitar. There are also subtle tinges of mariachi. Highlights include "Big Iron", "El Paso", and "Cool Water."
Big Iron is a fun song. There are some actually really nice musical progressions and modulations. All the songs have these tight narratives, and are just so enjoyable. The Master's Call is christian fan fic, though a god killing 100 cattle with a lighting bolt is pretty rad. El Paso is really violent for such an upbeat song. This was a great time.
timeless and legendary western nostalgia ballads. truly infectious storytelling in these lyrics! 4.5/5
Good album. No skips and felt sort of comforting and peaceful for some reason.
I really enjoyed the storytelling on this.
Amazing! Fallout 3 memories :)
na prvu nisan toliko bila oduševljena, ali neke pisme su mi baš dobre i sigurno ću ih opet poslušat (npr. Billy The Kid, obožavan te mutacije dur-mol). Iako, za tako "pozitivan" ugođaj, dosta tekstova je o ubojstvima haha
Wow hahah dođe mi da se postanem cowboy(girl?) “ I've got a hundred and sixty acres full of sunshine \\ Got a hundred and sixty million stars above” Otkrila san posebno misto u srcu za country 50-ih ili Martyija whatever
Did not expect this to show up on this list but I should have. Stevie had a vinyl with some of these greats on it and we used to sing them all the time. Classics like Big Iron, El Paso, The Hanging Tree are great country songs. I think what I liked most was the way Marty was able to tell a story in his songs that was unique but also so very country.
Big Iron was my grandads favourite song because of the story telling. I think that the narratives are miles better than the tunes but I still really enjoy x
This is THE ALBUM to show people who say they don't like country music. I'm not even a big country fan but this is a fantastic album. It reminds me of what my Grandpa would call "attitude adjustment" music. You just can't be mad while listening to it. El Paso invokes memories I forgot I had of childhood. The fact that this album was recorded in a single 8 hour session makes it all the more impressive just how good the album really is.
Perfect album to listen to while reading Steel Ball Run
cannot believe I loved this
Me transportou pra outra época. Gostei.
Kinda fun! It includes El Paso, Marty's biggest hit.
Excellent.
Big fan
From the golden age of country. This is an absolute classic from a time when the wild west dominated entertainment.
Good old country. Propably the most country album I have listened to. Loved it 4 stars.
This is a more solid eight hours' work than I've ever done in my life.
Just a collection of very solid and enjoyable country ballads. I don’t think Marty really killed and got killed all those times, though
Ääälskar
That was really enjoyable, for a certain country/western vibe but really solid
Definitely worth looking into.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Hanging tree, Saddle trump
Well, I love this. Like, really. Makes me think of the westerns my grandpas and dad watch. And also, Quentin Tarrantino. There is a lot of kitsche here. Every song is the same. But it's great. 3.5 but rounding up because I read that he was a pioneer of outlaw country. And, that's a subgenre I truly love.
Really enjoyed this!
Jeden z najbardziej memicznych pickow jakie pojawily sie na liscie, bo ranger z wielkim ironem przy pasie, to nie tylko kultowa pozycja na ost falloutowym, ale bardziej ostatnio kojarzy sie z zoltym psem, no ale wspolczesnie sam koncept westernowych ballad jest zartem, bo opowiadaja one historie tak abstrakcyjne wspolczesnie, ze slucha sie ich jako zartu, a gunfighter ballads and trail songs, to wlasnie zbior takich przyspiewek, orginalne wydanie z 59 zamyka sie w 35 minutach, ale spotifaj ma wersje deluxowa z 99 dodajaca 3 kawalki, co daje 44 minuty opowiesci, o samym panie Robbinsie nie wiedzialem nic wiecej, ze byl autorem big irona, ale jak widze to jest on jednym z najwiekszych outlawowoych grajkow hameryki, 40 lat kariery muzycznej, filmowanie na boku, a dodatkowo jeszcze sciganka w nascarze, brzmi jak wspolczesny kowboj, jesli chodzi o ten album, to polowa materialu to orginalne utwory Martiego, natomiast reszta to klasyczne opowiscie outlawowe, wiec piekna milosc, jeszcze piekniejsze smierci, prawo i bezprawie, mala ojczyzna i jej uwielbienie polaczone z zamilowaniem wolnosci, pewnie sie powtazam, ale nawet komercyjnie sprzedawane country w takim wydaniu ma w sobie cos wyjatkowego, czego nie mozna uslyszec juz na dzisiejszych nagraniach, jesli chodzi o czesc instrumentalna plyty, to jest ona minimalistyczna i nadaje uczucie, ze slucha sie prawdziwej opowiesci w barze czy ognisku na szlaku, w nagraniu bralo udzial tylko pieciu artystow, jesli liczyc takze gitarke Robbinsa, no i jeszcze tompall & the glaser brothers robili za chorki, ktore w tym gatunku nie ograniczaja sie jedynie do refrenow, minimalne instrumentale, urzekajacy wokal pana Martiego i opowiesci z bezdrozy, przepis na wyjatkowo sluchalny krazek, na plejke leca glownie orginalne kompozycje, wiec otwierajacy big iron, el paso i they are hanging me tonight, po takim seansie czlek czuje sie jak bumer i znowu chce sie odpalac fallouta, aby przemierzac nieuzytki wyjete spod prawa
great
I listen to a few of these songs regularly. Fantastic western sound.
Makes me want to get into some real, Old West shit!
Track 01 - 4/5 Track 02 - 3/5 Track 03 - 4/5 Track 04 - 3.5/5 Track 05 - 2.75/5 Track 06 - 2.5/5 Track 07 - 2/5 Track 08 - 3/5 Track 09 - 3/5 Track 10 - 4.25/5 Track 11 - 2.75/5 Track 12 - 3/5 Track 13 - 2/5 Track 14 - 1.75/5 Track 15 - 4.25/5 Overall: 3.5/5 Album Art: 5/5
good but there was an issue with the audio that spoilt it
-Hey, "Big Iron" is the meme song -Cool and nice little stories within the songs, even if they are basically all "I'm a cowboy, I ride a horse, oh no I got shot, and now I'm dead"
You Must Buy Your Wife At Least As Much Jewelry As You Buy Your Horse and Other Poems and Observations Humorous and Otherwise from the Life on the Range
Me if I was a cowboy
This one was fun in a bizarre way. The opener is amazing and there are some real gems along the way. It felt like a perfect example of what it was. There were several points where I felt like I’d heard something like it before. Not something I’d listen to every day but it was out of left field and enjoyable for the day
Shame the guy was such a prawn
Take that outlaw! Not what I would listen to by choice but I enjoyed this. Glad it included El Paso which I recognise after its excellent use in Breaking Bad.
i always loved this album - i have a few favorites on it. El Paso, Big Iron, The Hanging Tree
Really enjoyed listening to this riding on a train through the west.
I love the really classic western songs like Big Iron and The Master's Call, and the fact that Robbins wrote these is a bonus. Even the more pedestrian, country style tunes are carried by good storytelling, strong lead vocals and nice harmonies. My favourite 50s album so far!
Some of these tunes I’ve heard before. Really good
Trolling country
Very fun. I have to be in a certain mood to vibe so well with this, but today was the day.
Very good country album. Really enjoyed this, some tracks I had heard covers of before but not the originals. Real score around 3.75
For an album that is this old, it sure sounds terrific. Short, and at times funny stories are told by Marty Robbins here accompanied by twangy chords. Great fun.
теплый атмосферный кантри, вывозит за счёт гармоний и мелодий, драмки и баса почти нет, что логично. четкие вокальные линии и бэки
An album that goes well beyond the meme. Some amazing narrative lyricism + expertly minimal instrumentation makes for a rapturing listen even if country isn't your genre. The explicit religious themes of 'The Master's Call' dates/detracts the narrative and loses this LP a few points, but doesn't hamper the album enough to make it any less of a lyrical joyride
Made me feel like Billy the Kid
Liked it...different
The quality is a lot higher than I imagined it would be. My only tiny negative is that it largely sounds the same all the way through, but that’s just music from that era.
A country albums that isn’t awful
This is Western game music. It’s sort of nice to give something totally new a chance. Not sure how I’ll feel by the end of the journey but I’m excited to start
Good album
Ну йиииииха, че. Вполне себе приемлемая вестерн-музыка. Ощущение, что каждую песню уже слышал раньше, что, конечно, намекает на некоторую неоригинальность мелодий, они как будто существуют и циркулируют внутри непосредственно жанра, и любой желающий может ими воспользоваться. Но бля, доёбываться к альбому 59-го года? Да бог с ним, слушается прикольно, качество записи — моё почтение, думаю Тарантино мог бы спиздить пару песен в свои проекты отсюда (а может даже и спиздил, я хуй его). Обложка смешная. Вообще с чистой душой мог бы и оценку в районе 5 поставить, потому что ну не подъебаться особо, но это банально нечестно. Альбом тогда будет выше многих гораздо более пиздатых вещей, которые я собираюсь переслушивать. Поэтому ну 8/10, для своего времени и жанра думаю топ.
Не, ну для своего формата каеф вполне. Даже саунд приятный, хотя вроде вокал и акустическую гитару записать, шоб красиво - не особо мудрено. Треки сами атмосферу дают приятную вполне. И что важно, отдельно друг от друга что-то представляют по большей части, а не сливаются в единую кантри-вестерн массу. Правда, думаю, всяко быро заебёт, если репитом гонять. Но репитить же не обязательно, верно? То, шо спустя 62 года слушается адекватно - достойно увожения. Ну и настроем заряжает, взять Винчестер и отгонять коммунистов с данной белому человеку Богом земли.
This album does a great job of doing varriations on a theme. What some might consider a bit boring, frequently changes up with each song, there is a new variation. Playing to its ol' west music vibe, very much in the spirit of a more traditional country music, it also has nice blend of Spanish style guitar keeping it feeling just bit more fresh than expected.
Very good, need to listen again
loved it. sounds like elvis, even though the influence was probably the other way around.
Did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but it transported me to another place
This is some kind of shit my great grandma probably loved. I would definitely not just put this on, but would give anything to cruise around with her in her Thunderbird with this going on the radio.
Classic, listened as a kid with my grandpa
Ekan kappaleen aikana olin, että nyt on timanttista tavaraa. Kivaa länkkärimeininkiä. Vähän tunnelma latistui välillä, mutta hyvää menoa silti. Tykkään!
I wish I could hate this album because Marty Robbins is a racist little piss baby. Sadly, this album is great. All of these songs are these odd americana tragedies. “Big Iron” manages to relay the story of an arrogant gunslinger killed by a lawman; “Cool Water” is a prickly, off-kilter, upbeat song about a man dying of thirst; “They’re Hanging me Tonight” is a song about a jilted lover murdering his former lover and her current lover; “El Paso” is about a man who basically condemns himself to death by trying to win his love. It is amazing that Robbins can make songs so easy to sing along to that are all so comedically depressing. But, there is also something really poetic about how little this music is sanitized. There are exceptions, of course (and the exceptions are often the very worst parts of the album). But, it is a western album that can’t even manage to romanticize the western front. Talking about sanitization, “A Hundred and Sixty Acres” is so boring, a man just enjoying farming. It sounded like white bread tastes. “The Master’s Call” was also a really uneven song. It’s not that I hate the message, just that it feels tonally out of sync with the rest of the album. Plus, the narrator is pretty hard to identify with, he sounds like a real jackass so I’m none to partial to him getting a miracle and the cattle dying. I love the closer, it really seems to encapsulate the really comedic tragedy that marks so much of this album. All in all, I would say a 7/10.
Rocknroll classic, county
Best when it's rough and ready to fight
Está muy bien, pero es un poco repetitivo.
Big Iron has been stuck in my head all day
I gotta admit when this came up I was alittle but bummed, but holy shit was this great. Reminds me a lot of Elvis’ ballads or Roy Orbison. Stand out tracks: Big Iron, A Hundred and Sixty Acres, They’re Hanging Me Tonight, Cool Water, El Paso and Saddle Tramp.
Classic
Exactly what it says on the tin. Great Western tunes.
I'm into it.
Insanely iconic tunes from the Wild West, truly some storybook like sounds on this one, very very cowboy themed, red dead vibes in the best way, sometimes repetitive tho 4.4
Love it
Great to listen to this whole album after knowing El Paso as played by the Grateful Dead. This is a great collection of Cowboy Ballads, very fun to listen. Songs get somewhat repetitive, but I guess it kinda goes with the genre. Highlights: -Big Iron -They're Hangin Me Tonight -El Paso -The Master's Call
Gangster
I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would. Cowboy music is actually pretty fun. Though most of the songs and in tragic death.
Wild an album like this used to be pop music.
Amazing, meme culture references and actually pretty good tunes
4* bit samey after a while but cool songs
Classic storytelling songs done right. Listening to some of these songs brought me back to the crappy barbecue restaurant we used to go to that had this album on the jukebox. Best track: El Paso
Ok
6/10… vintage western / country / *1959
- right off the bat i can see where other artists i listen to got influenced OH THIS SONG - some clever lyrics, but kind of samey?
I liked this a lot more than i expected. It IS a bit much of the Same for a whole Album but the Songs have great storytelling and really Paint a picture.
I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I knew "Big Iron" from Fallout and always thought it sounded nice. The album was a little one note, but Robbins is a good singer and the songs have a surprisingly dark tone given their sound. Overall- good album
Big iron > остального, или я просто утенок фаллаута ньювегас?
Goddamn it now I just want to play Red Dead Redemption again.
made me wanna be a cowboy
I went with the original vinyl track list. But both versions start with the killer opener Big Iron. This track makes me want to play Fallout. Cool Water is more low key but still solid. The next track made me realize how accurate this album title is going to be. Not too exciting musically but excellent storytelling. A Hundred was catchy but went by way too quick. The Hanging track must’ve inspired or was inspired by Cash because it feels like one of his songs. Strawberry Roan is cute but I could’ve did without that Roman comment. El Paso is another standout with solid singing and Latin inspired instrumentation. In the Valley is a little too slow for me but it’s pretty while it’s on which isn’t for that long. This next track feels like a rehash of Big Iron. Running Gun picks up the mood and is a fun little ditty. Green Valley is nice sounding but the style feels like Marty is painting himself into a corner. But since it’s the second to last last track it’s not a huge loss. And the finisher just ends things anticlimactic.
Yee-haw motherfuckers. In a world where rap music is too violent here is an album from 1959 that has various mentions of notches on a gun representing the number it had killed, a cowboy being trampled to death in a stampede, a jealous boyfriend shooting you in the chest and a song about being hung that evening for killing your ex girlfriend and her new man. I am currently reading The Dark Tower series which is based around a gunslinger in a different world and I think my gunsliner is tougher than Marty Robbins. If you have played Fallout New Vegas then you will know the song Big Iron.
Cowboys deserve songs about them to listen to, too.
I was surprised I actually know multiple songs on this album. It's pleasant to listen to, but a lot of the songs feel the same/repetitive.
What a man what a man what a man what a marty good man
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Big Iron Date listened: 21/06/26 Listen when: Horse ride (I can't ride a horse) I did not know country could be like this, I forgive the genre which I was convinced was solely surrounding Luke Combs and lyrics about whiskey.
He can sing but it's not really my thing.
Jo ikke lige min stil normalt, men chokerende høj densitet af catchy numre på den her
Good thing I watched Yellowstone before listening to this. I could almost relate.
K!
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.
I WANTED TO BE A COWBOY BABYYY
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.
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.
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.
Cool ass outlaw music, feels very dependent on whether or not you're in the mood for it
Yeehaw baby
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!
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.
2 + 1
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.
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.
This is some good old fashioned country music. Great storytelling, lovely melodies. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would!
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.
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!!
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!!!
Great cowboy tales of adventures, love, and loss that give you that nostalgic feeling.
yee haw
Big Iron and El Paso are classics. This album is such a throwback, but still really good.
El Paso is a classic. I enjoyed The Hanging Tree as well.
Already heard this it’s really good good classic western country.
This was surprisingly wholesome for an album about outlaws and gun violence.
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.
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.
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
Good fun country - found it pretty enjoyable
Good signing
AND IT WAS ALSO THE NIGHT THAT THE SKELETONS CAME TO LIIIIIFE THE BONES ARE THEIR MONEY SO ARE THE WORMS
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?
This is actually kind of a nice album.
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'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).
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
Big iron, big iron
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.
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.
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
Solid old school country vibe. Started strong but ended up feeling more like a nice background music. 3 stars.
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.
It's ok
On se villi länsi ollut melkoinen paikka. Tarinoita tämä levy on täynnä. Ei omaan makuun mutta kivaa tarinankerrontaa
calming, country, got its own groove, i like it
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.
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
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
This is a breezy, enjoyable listen that I will almost certainly never return to.
"Well, I dig your style, too, man. Got the whole cowboy thing goin'."
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.
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
La neta, me impresionó que no me cansó la voz de Marty Robbins y bien producido para un disco con estos años
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.
countr bears
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.
Amazing storytelling and songwriting. I enjoyed listening to it, but it’s just not really my thing.
I don’t know how I knew these songs. I suppose this album is full of nostalgia and musical memorabilia.
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.
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.
7/10
Its fiiine white music
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
5/10
Nice old school cowboy near yodeling album. Not my thing but a good representation.
interesting
nothing stands out too much, obvious iconic songs but marty robbins is a dick apparently?
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.
Variety, and fun variety, at last.
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
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
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.
Bueno
Great songs and instrumentation, but is voice is too golden for me to believe this. Needs a little Cash snarl or Willie rasp or whatever the hell came out of Merle haggard. Still a solid album, but a bit more kitsch than authenticity.
Do you like songs about love, horses, and gun violence? Then this is the album for you! Very cinematic and entertaining. Robinns has a style and sticks to it, so it gets a bit repetitive. Otherwise pretty solid music. "The Strawberry Roan" and "The Master's Call" were my favorite tracks.
Wasn't to sure at first about a country album from 1959, but I did enjoy it some fun songs I really loved. Some different country styles. Good. 1. The Master's Call 2. They're Hanging Me Tonight 3. Utah Carol
cinco o seis canciones del estilo vale, quince ya no
Definitely not an album that ought to be in a list of essential lessons. It’s fun and he’s got a lovely voice, but it’s no masterpiece.
Cowboy music. Outdated but fun listen. Some interesting guitar. Woulda been great short stories back in the day.
I need to be on a 13-mile hike and mourning the loss of my wife and child in that damned cruel fire while taking swigs from my whiskey flask to truly appreciate this album I think. I am Positive I've heard Big Iron before--Johnny Cash, perhaps?
The hits are great but I don’t gravitate towards the rest
Yippe Kai Ye Mother Fucker
It’s wild something recorded in 1959 can still resonate. If that isn’t a testament of music I don’t know what is. 3.4.
This isn’t an album I’ll probably ever listen to again. That said, I found myself enjoying it more than I expected, based on the year and genre. A bit slow, but held my interest better than expected. 6/10 Pretty Good
Big Iron. So fucking good.
Cowboy music.
Brings back every Western film I watched as a child. Country guitar picking and perfectly pitched harmonies. Delivers exactly what it is meant to.
This was fun and I’m glad it’s on the list. I can’t think of another circumstance in which I would have listened to it.
Absolute monstrosities sung in the most cheery and soothing voice. I love the storytelling and every song is so catchy. This is so cinematic and atmospheric, makes me want to ride a horse and wear a hat.
This was fun, but very samey. Got a bit fatigued by the end as the songs all blended into each other. Didn't hate it, could have done with more variety as an album to break up the relentless gunfighter ballads and trail songs, but when all the songs are supposed to be gunfighter ballads and trail songs then I guess that's on me. If you're in the mood to listen to nothing but well performed gunfighter ballads and trail songs then this is the best you could ask for.
Light 3,5
Excellent old schools westerns
I enjoyed it!
A little too one note for my overall liking, but a good listen. Made me want to go watch a western (I did) and I enjoyed the song structure for a lot of the tracks.
Not bad. Definitely sounds like songs from the era. 3/5
Cute
Classic Country album with monotonous beat.
It's difficult to rate an album I can’t connect with musically, I really don't like country at all. Also I don’t like these "cowboy‑gun" lyrics. "Big Iron" has become more of a meme after beeing heard in the Fallout games and tv show, that's nice but the rest of this album sounds more or less the same to me.
Was shocked about the good quality for such an old album. I was also surprised i had no problem, finishing it :)
This was a really fun listen. I have to admit I groaned when I saw the album cover but this is beyond the country music I thought it would be. These are true cowboy songs which I’m already a bit of a fan of….the Dead have a great catalogue of them. And funnily enough they do a cover of one of the songs on here, El Paso. Marty has a great voice. It’s smooth and clear and has a warm tone to it. He’s got the perfect story telling voice. I probably wouldn’t listen to this again but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a super strong 3. Considered giving it a 4.
Extremely dated but a good collection of songs. This is exactly what I would expect my grandfather to be listening to while working in the yard. No complaints from me. Just some good ole trail songs from the 1950’s.
The original gangster rap album. Western side!
Perfect music for sitting around a fire eating beans.
Not for me, but Big Iron really is quite good
How fun, I recognized the first song right away. What a pleasant and fun old country western sound. Listened though a couple times, then spent the day listening to similarly styled music courtesy of Spotify auto play. I enjoyed the lyrics/storytelling, style and sound. Definitely culturally significant… Why am I not rating this a 4*? Not quite sure it had what I need to get it over that threshold, but I definitely appreciated the listen.
Didn't mind listening to this at all. An interesting historical capsule of the western craze of the '50s.
why was it actually nice and enjoyable
A fucked with it, so iconic
Charming and entertaining. Not something I’ll probably listen to again. But i wouldn’t turn it off if it was on. A 3.
Good fun and love music that tell stories, even though the stories were a bit too simple but that's kinda the nature of this genre sometimes.
Elvis if his voice was actually nice
I've never heard of Marty Robbins was surprised to see that a couple of the tracks on this album had over a hundred million streams on Spotify. I enjoyed this more than expected; lots of good story telling.
3,25
yip dang hee haw gidde up
Americana cowboy ballads
just some root-tootin cowboy music. maybe it lacks some of the cinema that i'm used to in the genre, but there's something pleasantly elvis about all the crooning. Big Iron is evergreen, i also quite liked The Master's Call
Rating: 6/10 Marty Robbins cosplaying as a cowboy and crooning over a guitar, telling outlaw stories of the old west. This storytelling aspect is probably the best part of the album. It's not a bad listen at all but it gets a bit samey through the whole of the album as I felt some of the tracks were like lesser versions of the best ones. Big Iron is easily the best one in my opinion, there's a reason it's a country classic and still actually holds pop cultural relevance in ways.
Although not usually a fan of country-western music, Marty Robbins iconic songs "El Paso" and "Cool Water" were popular when I was a child. This album was released when I was five years old, and although we weren't a musical family, the radio station my mom had on during the day would occasionally feature some of these songs.
Every song sounded the same but it was pretty good fun nonetheless. Foot-tapping, cowboy country can't score lower than a 3 in my eyes.
Review - if I were a little American boy obsessed with Westerns in the late '50s this would be the best thing I'd ever heard. But I'm not, so it's not. Rating: 5.5/10 Need to listen? YES
very silly and inoffensive. Don't have much to say other than that
Big iron is a bop
Love this style of narrative song (see Harry Chapin too), but a whole album of the same tone is tough to manage. First track is a classic.
Favourite Songs: The Master's Call
Ok, we get it Marty, you’re a cowboy and you’re forlorn.
3.5 - great western songs but got a bit stale by the end