Reviews (page 8 of 14)
With his silky smooth voice and shiny black boots, Marty Robbin’s takes on a journey through the old west with top-notch storytelling and classic country instrumentation. A surprisingly pretty record, it kinda lacks a little bit of grit, but the songs are great. This goes to prove that the white middleclass obsession with crime and outlaws started waaay before rap music. I could go on about this, but I choose to just state that it’s fun. 7/10
THIS THE ALBUM WITH THAT SONG BIG IRON I LOVE. So many fun TikTok vids to this song that I’ve seen were so silly and fun. Like think he ACTALLY had a big a clothing iron on his hip.
great voice and captivating atmosphere. can only think of New Vegas when i hear “Big Iron”
Liked the album, it reminds me somehow of Tyrolen music and sometimes Johnny Cash.
This was very fun and enjoyable. Will I ever listen to it again? Doubtful.
I liked it more than I thought I would. It was like a spaghetti western but in music.
What I have to say about this is that I definitely would not have listened to this but for doing this list. Actually recognized El Paso. That’s a famous one. Who knew? At first I thought this was a joke. But as I listened, I found myself entertained. It’s a little like a country western version of Elvis but actually much better. I’ll put this in the “not exactly great, but fun anyway” category.
El Paso is a banger
Prekvapivé pre mňa. Mojej mladšej dcére aj vnučke sa to hneď zapáčilo. Tým, že mi pripomína Johnnyho Casha, je to z toho lepšieho typu country.
p44. 1958. 3 stars. Single paced late 1950s C&W. Points deducted for filler and sentimentality, but the highlights are still fabulous :)
Big Iron 3.2 Cool Water 3 Billy the Kid 3.3 A Hundred and Sixty Acres 3.2 Ythey're Hanging Me Tonight 3.2 The Strawberry Roan 3.2 El Paso 3 In the Valley 3 The Master's Call 3.3 Runnin Gun 3 The Little Green Valley 3.1 Utah Carol 3.2 Score: 3.141666667
Big Iron on his hip
Hi, I'm Woody! Howdy howdy howdy!! His voice is just lovely, but can't foresee myself sticking this on again too often. Apart from Big Iron, obviously. I must say that I just find fascinating the whimsical 1950s desire to create media relating to the life and times of cowboys. I can't imagine any modern day artist randomly releasing a 15 song album detailing a fictional account of idk... a munitions worker or something?? Maybe more artists of today SHOULD do that? I rather like the storytelling style!
I love this albums inclusion because it’s so uncool. Finally, some sort of representation for the music that normies were listening to. Pretty sure my parents didn’t know who Coltrane was, but they probably heard the hits from this record. It’s easy to look down your nose at this impossibly-square crooner cosplaying as a gun-toting outlaw, but there’s a real outline here to the American imagination that, real or not, found a way to express itself as brave frontier badasses, even when the 50’s rendered that persona completely inert. Myth-making at its most commercial and comical.
I don't know how to describe this album other than immersive - the auditory equivalent of a John Ford film. Lovely voice and great storytelling, but I did get bored by halfway through.
I’m sure it’s not a lot of peoples’ cup of tea, but I thought these were quaint. Definitely a lot of nostalgia in hearing Marty’s rich voice and imagining the “romance” of the west, where the bad guy gets shot and the good guy saves the girl. It’s all a little samey, though, which is maybe to be expected.
Ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. Nice to have some musical variety as well.
ouin... ça pis Willie Nelson, c'est pas mon buzz...
I was really surprised when I got this album since it’s totally far away from what I usually listen to but that’s the beauty of this, to give new songs a try. I can’t hide I went into it scared because I don’t like country music, however I was pleasantly surprised that it was more diverse than I expected. The songs sound repetitive though. I can’t bring myself to delete it from my saved albums because I want to give it a try again. I feel like it’s a grower.
Lots of fun! I enjoy this every time I hear it, but I would never claim it to be one of my favorites. Big Iron slaps!
I'm not a country person, but this was much better than I expected.
I mean.... it's basically Western gangsta rap. Shoot guys, riding Ho-rses.
Initially I loved this but my stamina for cowboy ballards waned quickly.
Felt like I was in the old west
i was really excited to see this album on the list - some of these songs i genuinely really love (like i love a good western vibe). however as a full-album experience i felt like it dragged a little at points...all the songs are pretty similar (hence the title).
I wasn’t my cup of tea but I honestly loved ot
While not my taste for the most part, I did enjoy that every song in this album actually told a story that was fun to follow. I've always enjoyed Sea Shanties for a similar reason. Many of the songs in here reminded me of the early Tremors movies, and of course Westerns in general. Enjoyable even though I probably won't be coming back.
My dad used to listen to this and similar artist when I was a kid and I actively hated it. I was very surprised how much I enjoyed this. I guess I kind of like this kind of music now?
i get it, its folky southern ballads about daring honorable western men
What a lovely album. Beautiful vocals and BGVs. Interesting orchestration. Great and fun stories and lyrics. Just a fun and delightful album.
As an album experience I find this a little lacking because the songs fall into like one of four archetypes but the good stuff is good.
Low-key un vibe haha
i wanted to give this everything from a 2 to a 4, so i’m going to settle on a confused 3.
I really like the first song (big iron) but the rest is not really the music I listen to too much so I found it a bit hard to finish the album
Marty Robbins recorded the entire album in a single eight hour session on April 7th 1959. One day. Thirty five minutes of cowboy mythology, gunfighters, doomed love affairs, and trail songs that sound like the American West smells. Columbia Records producer Don Law had no idea there would be a market for it. The album peaked at number six on the pop charts and went Platinum. Don Law was wrong about a lot of things that day. Robbins got the idea for El Paso in 1955 while driving his family home to Phoenix for Christmas. He saw the city limits sign, thought it sounded romantic, and wanted to write a song about it. By the time he reached the other side of the city he had forgotten the idea completely. Four years later it became the first song to win a Grammy for Best Country and Western Performance and sat at number one on both the country and pop charts simultaneously on Christmas Day 1959. Some ideas are worth forgetting and then remembering. Big Iron and El Paso are genuinely great story songs. The same quality that makes Johnny Cash a 4 in my collection lives here too. A great narrative does the work that a drum kit does elsewhere. It builds tension, moves you forward, and pays off. Robbins understood this instinctively in a way that most songwriters spend entire careers chasing. The rest of the album is pleasant, competent, and exactly what it promises, which is cowboy music performed by a man who grew up in the Arizona desert and clearly meant every word of it. 3 out of 5. One star for El Paso, written on a Christmas drive and forgotten before he crossed the city limits. One for Big Iron, which is a perfect song by any measure. One for recording a Platinum album in a single afternoon, which is either genius or a very efficient use of a Tuesday.
A phenomenal album with amazing harmonies. El Paso is incel music though
This one is strange because you can see the inspiration for so many country artists and yet Marty Robbins' voice just acts like white noise. It feels like a crooner singing western ballads, not a real songwriter, which is (a) a shame cause Marty's incredibly talented and (b) not really his fault. I dunno this one is a head scratcher, and it just didn't land with me even though I intellectually get it.
Marty Robbins learnt it all from Len Houmous. 3.0 10/15 El Paso
Giro e com histórias, mas repetitivo
Enjoyable
I thought it a bit wishy washy at first, but listening closer to the storytelling it's an enjoyable enough caper
The first 50s album I've had that's somewhat tolerable, Big Iron is doing some heavy lifting though
О це вже цікаво) Була пісня яку співають Greteful Dead )
Not an album I would normally gravitate towards but it was lovely, his voice is beautiful. Obviously El Paso is the main hit but I really liked the album opener.
Fun and different. V. Sad at parts
70
If breaking bad opening scenes had a soundtrack
Some songs so strong they’ve persevered through decades. Still a bit dated for me. Bangers bang though.
Ok
6/10… vintage western / country / *1959
Pretty campy, don't think it aged that well. Could be remade to fit modern tastes.
Wanted to like this one a lot more. Some heaters, but didn't love them all
- 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?
Would not buy
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 like the constant noodling of the lead guitar player and the interesting storytelling found in many of the songs. Liked Songs Added: El Paso
I WANTED TO BE A COWBOY BABYYY
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.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Old-timey, yes. Catchy, yes. Makes you want to spin around and dance like a 10 year old.
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.
Saddle Tramp
Fun songs with great stories of old western life. A great snapshot of the time period and good example of the evolution of the traditional songs into a modern music production setting.
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
I'll admit that this became an unexpectedly pleasant experience, listening to the tales of outlaws, unrequited love and buffalo stampede among other things. This is so engaging and such easy listening. Robbins has a voice like velvet, the harmonies are gorgeous and after a few listens you could understand why he was revered by the likes of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. It's not my go to genre, or era, but there are far worse albums on the list and I'm glad ive been introduced to this artist. Favourite songs are Big Iron and El Paso, and it's a solid 3*.
Not my thing but for the Genre it's very good.
Rätt mysigt men inget man blir hänförd av
Chill ballad beats to gunfight and trail to.
This was fine, but not really my thing.
Cool to learn this was recorded in a single 8 hour session. Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs paired well to sitting waiting on a couch for the routesetters to wrap up their day at Para Climbing Nationals. Prior to heading back to the Airbnb to watch the Bad Bunny concert in the football game. The sun was shining in the gym and the event was over. So I managed to just chill and listen to the music. While reflecting on a busy weekend.
Album #1,038 Cowboy songs sung well. The song El Paso which most people probably have heard of is here, twice. One listen was fine. No need to revisit later.
I, like many people, was familiar with the song 'Big Iron' from Fallout New Vegas, and it's a damn great song even after all these years; just super tense, slick, catchy, and one of the coolest songs out there - it really does fit the atmosphere of that game perfectly. I'd say it remains the musical and lyrical highlight of the album, seeing as many of the other songs here follow suit. This is your typical outlaw country and blues album, with Marty's tender vocals and light guitar work guiding you through these dramatic stories as if they're just another day in his twisted life. Most songs sort of have this ironic twist thing going for them, ending with the protagonist dying at something of their own making, like with the shattered love of the epic 'El Paso', or on 'Utah Carol', where the thing that was meant to comfort his lover (A red blanket) led to the titular hero's ultimate demise. It was an enjoyable listen, sure, but it left me wanting a bit more out of the lyrics - maybe there's some deeper meaning here that I wasn't grasping. I did like 'The Master's Call' quite a bit because, despite it sounding a lot like 'Big Iron', it was maybe the most surreal thing here, with a lot of divine and spiritual imagery laced throughout the story. Otherwise, though, this is what I've come to expect from the outlaw country genre: pretty good at what it does, but not much that blew me away.
3,5
I really like this old time country western stuff even if it isn’t in regular rotation for me.
For all us fans of engaging yet didactic outlaw stories and indistinguishable 3/4 country ballads, fret not; Marty Robbins has got us covered.
This was like the soundtrack to a cowboy movie. I enjoyed it, I like story songs and all of these were stories.
I appreciate that the date is included in the description. Not my jam, but appreciate what it influenced.
Good fun
Very unorthodox but I liked it. Was surprised that my friend knew the lyrics to like half of the songs. Like a more earthy Johnny Cash.
🤠🐎🐎 6/10 Wieder entertaining
The problem I have with Marty Robbins is that he always sounds like he's smiling when he sings. And it's kind of a smarmy smile that doesn't fit with the tone of the lyrics. So, when I listen, I just see this sort of oily 50s era guy farting out these songs. On the other hand, there's some really good songs on here that I like quite a bit. Sooo... 3 stars for me.
It made me nostalgic for a time I didn't live, in a place I wasn't born. Didn't pick out no singular song tho. Next time I'm on the road gonna play this album
Good but not something I would listen to very often
"He's about the worst bucker I've seen on the range." Do you happen to have any bad ones to tame? Said he's got one, a bad one to buck, -next line ends with luck, of course. Shootin' and a killin' and a ridin' and gettin' by, has never been so polite. He's got a nice voice and some catchy little ditties. Some Irish folk song derivatives in there.
It's the Fallout soundtrack! I love the theme and I love Marty's voice even if things get a bit repetitive. Favorite track: Big Iron
Muziek waar je vrolijk van wordt, ondanks de teksten
Tof
It really paints a picture, but it also makes me wonder why cowboys liked such dandy sounding music.
Super classic. Definitely lyrically driven, so not much of a background listen. Better to listen again while reading the lyrics. The sound of his voice with the harmonies is haunting, kind of creepy actually. I can see it playing in a horror movie. I can see the creepy cowboys from the Primus "Big Brown Beaver" video in my head and it makes the music even more unsettling.
I liked it, it was Def out of my usual taste but it reminds me of my grandpa and I love the song El Paso. I liked 4 or 5 of them and I’d rate the album 4/5.
Fun!
He plays both types of music. Country and Western.
Very one note. But the guy's s backstory was fun to read.
I was surprised but I actually liked it, western cowboy staple ig interesting
Overall relatively fun and catchy. Makes me feel like I need a horse!
Can see maybe the influence to Johnny Cash on this traditional cowboy album. Good storytelling in the lyrics.
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Very Good - Really, really good western music. The thing holding this back for me is the fact that I know what a song like El Paso can become in the hands of the Grateful Dead.
Really cool relic of its time. Not something. I’ll go back and revisit much but worth hearing once , if I’m ever in the mood for something like this in the future
It's fine but learning this guy was a right wing douche his whole life kinda sours the whole thing.
I genuinely don't know how to rate this, but it does inspire me to be brave so I'll give it 3 stars. I love a lot of country/western/folk/American music. I grew up in the American south listening to a lot of country. This album is like the foundational sound of the "western" in country and western music (which is it's formal name). But, as with so many albums on this list, as much as I can recognize something influential or foundational or stylized in this album, I just don't want to listen to it. Maybe one-off songs here and there, but listening to the entire album in a sitting was a bit painful.
It's an ok, dated cowboy country album. Nicely sung and played. A pleasant listen. 3/5
Vocals and tune super good throughout, but a lot of repeats of melodies with different lyrics
такий дуже хороший старий вайб я прям когбудтоби попала в америкоський бар 50х хожу собі в платтячках в горошек і мейджор чубчик і п'ю піво цей бро не оч оригінальний в назвах пісень хороший альбом щоб слухати на фоні, але він абсолютно не цікавий своєю композицією
This is a good album its definitely got that late 50’s early 60’s vibes and the songs are pretty catchy. It also just a very chill album and I could see myself listening to these songs when I just want to chill. I think my top three songs are the masters call, they’re hanging me tonight, and Utah Carrol. I think that the worst song is a hundred and sixty acres.
Country isn't really my thing, but this is okay.
Classic cowboy!
This album is fun, it’s easy, and it’s nostalgic for a time that never existed. It’s fan fiction for boomers that can’t ride a horse. Occasionally fun, but overall meaningless
Just some good Ole cowboy tunes that'll make you think twice before drawing your steel on ole Billy the Kid
Those “Mexican maidens” are certainly doing…something to ol’ Marty Robbins and I’m starting to think the “big iron” he’s singing about is the one in his pants. It’s fun listening to crooning stories of a vague New Mexico or whatever he’s imagining of actual Mexico (old Mexico, if you will) but this does nothing for me. Pleasant, if boring, background music.
Been playing a lot of Red Dead Redemption so feeling particularly partial to cowboy music. At the end of the day it's quite fun, though it also feels impossible to divorce from the last 65 years of its recontextualisation and memeification, and gets pretty samey pretty quickly
I couldn’t make it through the first listen, I thought this was so boring. On the second try, I appreciate his steady voice and the predictability of the tunes. There’s a main melody repeated in at least three separate songs, but given the right mood, I suppose I don’t mind. Very western ballads.
50s gangsta rap.
Reminded me of the Gene Pitney albums I used to listen to with my mom when I was a kid. Sort of nostalgic and fun. I didn't listen to the whole thing.
Man hör absolut att musiken är äldre men det gör de inte dåligt, trevlig känsla skulle jag ändå säga och bra röst!
Honestly wasn’t as bad as I thought. I may go back to some of these. However, I did think I was going crazy when El Paso played a second time. Odd choice.
loved it reminded me of hanging out with my nana and papa
Fun listen, but will say most of the songs start blurring together and sound very similar lol. Big Iron tho
The good, the bad, and the ugly ahh album. Cool
Enjoyable, but repetitive. It is cohesive but maybe too cohesive. I could see putting this on as background music while cooking or doing something fun.
Classic songs, wonderful vocals
A big fan of this type of music but the songs are a bit too similar to sit through the whole album.
Enjoyed it as a one time listen, good storytelling that kept me interested but repetitive.
Good album for what it was…Gunfighter & Trail songs. His life might make a good bio pic.
I had only heard big iron before listening to this album and the fact that the rest of the album is done in the same manner makes me really happy. Old school country-western music is a genre that doesn't really exist any more (and perhaps doesn't need to either) but listening through this with a smile on my face made me happy there was a time when this music was peak.
An interesting yeehaw listen on xmas eve!
Favorite songs: Big Iron, Cool Water, The Master's Call, El Paso Sounds like Elvis
Sikke en stemme <3 Swooooony. Peak cowboy vibes. Big Iron !! The Master’s Call !!
Вы можете удивиться, но его я тоже слышал. Я даже не могу вспомнить, когда, но эту странную обложку я помню. Я хорошо отношусь к кантри-музыке, я даже могу отличить некоторые песни Джонни Кэша друга от друга. Был даже странный период времени, когда я слушал блюграсс. Видимо, этот альбом я слушал, когда увлекался вестернами, иначе зачем бы я вообще слушал кантри шестидесятых. Хороший ли это альбом? Ну... да. Это кантри. Ковбой поёт о ковбоях. О мексиканских девушках, что играют на гитаре. О рейнджере с Большой Железякой. О несчастном Билли Киде. В общем, это что-то такое, что бесконечно далеко от русской души, но, как и любое искусство, в определённом смысле универсально. Просто нам привычнее свист пуль по степи, или меланхолия о городе, который мы видим во сне. Это не хорошо и не плохо. Просто рядом с появлением массовой звукозаписи у нас были совсем другие события, и пели потому о другом. А кантри иногда послушать стоит, знаете, сидя и глядя вдаль, где медленно бродят тёмно-серые тучи. И этот альбом -- совсем неплохой выбор, пусть и не отличается от многих. Итого: 3 из 5. Приятная музыка, как приятное пиво: легко пьётся, быстро забывается.
Fun!
Howdy partner, how would you like some fun 50s storytelling.
Album No. 0094 on my list. “Yeee-haw”, I thought to myself when seeing the cover, and I dreaded listening to “Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs” a little bit. It just looked like a country music cliche album to me. And it is indeed, but I still enjoyed listening to it. There are some pretty good songs on this. Concerning the lyrics, you indeed get what you see: songs about the Wild West. Lots of cliches, but that doesn’t make the songs themselves bad. Besides, Marty Robbins’ singing serves the songs pretty well, he’s got a fine voice. I’m putting “Big Iron”, “Billy The Kid”, and “El Paso” onto my playlist. Solid album, 3/5 stars.
Harmless enough album of what I would call television cowboy songs. I’m not sure why it’s considered high-priority to hear this, but.. ok now I have.
Genre tick, it fits, plenty of material for cowboy films, fine enough once in a while ⭐⭐⭐
I can appreciate this. The storytelling is amazing. The vocals are incredibly soothing and smooth. It’s not the type of music I regularly listen to, but I can see why he had a long, successful career. Kind of makes me think of my grandfather, and I believe I’d enjoy this on vinyl. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This gave me such nostalgic old diner vibes. I really liked it
3.5* lowkey good
Surprised how good this was. Great lyricism and storytelling
Simon loved it. He had a nice voice
This was a very different listen for me - of course "El Paso" is a classic." Not my preferred genre, but I really appreciate the lyricism.
I guess it's the style but this sounds like one song with 15 different versions of the lyrics. 3/5
Just some western stuff
Such a smooth delivery, some really dark lyrics
Here we have another classic country/western album that I liked way more than I would've expected going into it. It's not spectacular, but Robbins does a really good job of telling stories with the songs. He only wrote a portion of them, which knocks some points off for me. Even so, he puts on a fun show with the songs regardless of whether he did or didn't write them. And, dare I say, he makes the style seem pretty cool. It blows most modern country out of the water. Interestingly, I think this album is one that I'd rather listen to in full than just hear a song or two from. It just kind of works together, while on their own the tracks would feel a bit out of place. Really only El Paso seems like I would enjoy hearing it alone as much as here (El Paso because I've heard it alone before). That adds a little something to the "album" analysis for me. From my recs so far, it's probably about even with Buck Owens' I've Got a Tiger by the Tail for me by genre, though they are fairly different in content. This one felt more lyrically performative and descriptive, while Owens' had more of a musical focus and a bit more whimsy. While each works in its own sense, I do find Robbins' blander musical arrangements to be one of the bigger negatives for me here. So, I again find a classic western album that I like, though I again can't call great. Probably more of a preference thing, but the music falls short of what the lyricism and performance bring to the table. Also, the number of songs written by others is a detractor for me. Still, this is a great example of storytelling in music and is a very enjoyable listen. Overall: 3.4/5
I hate country and this was actually pretty good. Every song sounded the same but it wasn’t boring. Just calming and this guy has a great voice. My favourite song was El Paso but I didn’t have any actual stand out songs. Well overall this was listenable and I enjoyed it so I’ll give it like a 6.4/10 3.2/5
This is where Bob Dylan gets his cheesy ahh folk rock from. An early example of a concept album
This is a pretty fun listen, although track 3 is a little wtf. Big Iron and The Master's Call are bangers.
I’m a sucker for these country western tales of badassery. Also, didn’t realize the Jerry Garcia (and the Dead) setlist staple El Paso came from Marty Robbins. I do feel like you need to be in a certain mood to listen to a whole album of these tunes but it was fun either way.
It shows that when things are kept simple they can still feel fresh for a long time. Nicely woven stories telegraphed in the title of the album.
Not to my taste, but encountering albums like this is exactly why im taking on this project. The album is a real time capsule - it captures (and played its own key role in) the popularity of the Wild West in the 50s and 60s. Great storytelling and well executed music. For my own taste though, Im really not a fan of cowboy cosplaying and the mythologization that this represents. And Marty Robbins also recorded a lot of music branding folks who were politically different from him as dirty communists - yay McCarthyism! But I still do appreciate the cultural importance of this album - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of it.
El Paso so good he put it on twice
Enjoyed this album, songs about outlaws, cowboys and gunslingers. Not a massive fan of country and western stuff but this was pretty good.