Guitar Town

It’s corny, but not entirely charmless. A little hard to rate - it’s not something I’ll listen to again, but relative to other country albums, it’s fine. Solidly middle of the road. 2.5⭐️

not bad

Went back and forth a lot in this one of liking a bit of it, and then not.

I probably would’ve been fine had I not heard this before I die. Not bad tho

I wanted to like this and thought it started ok, but after a few songs in I had enough. Finished the album since it’s a short one, but it reminded me that I’m not a fan of that style of music.

Motning special here

Bit slow for me

Good album. Good songwriting. Maybe songs are sinilar bit all good.

p558. 1986. 2 stars. Poor man's Springsteen, with additional pilfering from Buddy Holly and extra yeehaw. Nothing special here.

So this is country. To the commentators who think it is like Bruce Springsteen to me It bears as much resemblance to Bruce Springsteen as my chest does to Arnold Schwarzenegger's in his prime. That is to say not very much. Country not Americana when two songs in a row are: "Hillbilly Highway" followed by: "Good Ol' Boy". Especially when hillbilly is pronounced "hiiiiiiiiiiillbilly" with a pronounced drawl. Well my ears didn't bleed but thankful I didn't listen to it in one go. Thankfully only one album by Steve Earle so I never have to listen to him again. His most famous song "Copperhead Road" is not on this album and very like Springsteen but this album not so much.

Depuis un bon paquet de semaine, je me lance tous les jours dans cette putain d'odyssée imposée par l'ouvrage 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Dans son introduction, le rédacteur en chef Robert Dimery assume l'entière responsabilité de cette compilation et avoue lui-même que le choix global des albums présentés est hautement subjectif. Il a d'ailleurs l'honnêteté de préciser qu'il recherche ici des opinions individuelles, informées et articulées, plutôt qu'une fade cohérence. Eh bien, Robert, tu vas être servi avec mon opinion individuelle, car s'il y a bien une chose que cette nouvelle proposition m'inspire, c'est tout sauf de la fade complaisance. Michael Lydon, dans sa préface, a l'audace de comparer l'écoute d'un album à l'exploration d'un livre ou d'un film, affirmant que chaque morceau nous entraîne plus loin vers l'inconnu, au-delà des sommets terrifiants et des piscines de calme. Il souligne même que les albums finissent par rester en nous des mois, voire des années. Ouais je veux bien, mais pour Guitar Town, le seul territoire inconnu que j'ai exploré, c'est l'ennui profond d'une route poussiéreuse où le paysage ne change absolument jamais. Quant à l'idée que cet album reste en moi des années... disons que je l'aurai oublié avant même d'avoir fini mon café. Lydon écrit que nous sommes ce que nous écoutons. Alors... si je suis ce que j'écoute, aujourd'hui, je suis un routier fatigué en train de manger des œufs brouillés froids dans un diner désaffecté du Tennessee. Oh putain, non merci. Tout d'abord, je vais aller droit au but et vous annoncer la couleur immédiatement : je lui colle un 2 sur 5, et honnêtement, ça ne vaut pas un demi-point de plus. Ensuite, soyons clairs, précis et chirurgicaux : ce n'est pas une bouse infâme, mais... ce n'est vraiment pas mon truc. Je pense qu'il y a une différence fondamentale entre un album qui est une insulte à la musique et un album qui vous laisse dans un état d'apathie catatonique. Si Guitar Town était un naufrage total, si c'était techniquement à chier, inaudible, joué par des manchots alcooliques avec des guitares désaccordées, je pourrais au moins en rire. Je pourrais cracher mon venin avec la ferveur d'un inquisiteur. Mais non, car le pire avec ce disque, c'est sa compétence. C'est carré, c'est propre et les mecs qui accompagnent Steve Earle savent tenir un manche, la production fait exactement ce qu'on attend d'elle. Et c'est ce professionnalisme sans âme qui justifie ce 2 sur 5. Cet album ne mérite ni mon mépris total, ni mon admiration, il mérite juste mon indifférence polie. Replongeons-nous deux secondes dans le contexte. Nous sommes en 1986, la pop est dominée par les synthétiseurs fluos, le rock se perd dans la laque pour cheveux et les pantalons en spandex, et la country music de Nashville est en train de s'embourber dans une soupe sirupeuse et inoffensive pour radios FM de supermarché. C'est là que débarque Steve Earle avec son étiquette de "Nouveau Traditionnaliste" et son aura de soi-disant rebelle. Guitar Town est censé être l'album de la rupture, l'album qui ramène la country à ses racines prolétaires, au rockabilly poisseux et aux histoires de la vraie classe ouvrière américaine. Sur le papier, le concept se tient et Earle se pose comme le héraut des petits patelins étouffants, le porte-voix des cols bleus qui usent leurs bottes sur les pédales de leurs pick-up. Mais entre les intentions louables d'un artiste et le rendu plastique gravé sur le vinyle, il y a un gouffre dans lequel je viens de trébucher lamentablement. Car à l'écoute, qu'est-ce qu'on a ? Une country-rock dangereusement aseptisée par les standards de production des années 80 car le problème de cette époque (et ce disque en est le pathétique étendard), c'est cette obsession des années 80 à vouloir tout lisser. La caisse claire a ce petit son sec, mat et synthétique qui te rappelle sans cesse que tu écoutes un produit calibré pour l'industrie, et non pas une jam session sauvage au fond d'un bouge poisseux du Tennessee. Le fameux twang des guitares est là, bien sagement rangé derrière la voix. Tout est millimétré pour passer sur les radios FM grand public sans froisser les oreilles de la ménagère. C'est une rébellion de pacotille, un outlaw de carte postale. Le pire avec ce skeud et que je ne peux même pas le haïr viscéralement. Pour haïr une œuvre, il faut qu'elle provoque un sentiment, un rejet, un dégoût profond. Guitar Town ne provoque qu'un bâillement poli. Au bout du troisième morceau, une sorte de léthargie s'installe et les pistes se fondent les unes dans les autres pour créer un seul et unique continuum de guitares acoustiques grattées avec vigueur et d'accents du sud exagérés. Tu cherches désespérément une rupture de ton, un truc bizarre, bancal, qui te sortirait de ta torpeur. Et... que dalle. Je comprends tout à fait pourquoi cet album a sa place dans la grande histoire de la musique américaine. Il a probablement servi de pont pour amener des amateurs de rock un peu tièdes vers des sonorités roots et il a rassuré les programmateurs radio. Mais de là à dire qu'il faut l'avoir écouté avant de mourir ? Foutaises. Si ma dernière heure sonne demain, je vous garantis que je ne regretterai pas de ne pas avoir mis Guitar Town sur ma platine.

Modern country music from the mid 80s.

fine. ok.

It's not awful, it's just obvious.

He’s a blues man who likes his whiskey and the blues - I suppose I ought to like this but something about it feels too hackneyed to embrace.

This is likely a competent country record, but it did very little for me. I find the twang simple and repetitive. Ready for the next record.

182.

My entire image of Steve Earle comes from a song by the Magnetic Fields: "Acoustic guitar, you think I play hard? Well, you could have belonged to Steve Earle." Given that Merritt offers two further examples of abusive guitar owners, intense flamenco guitarist, Charo, and space demons, GWAR, I would be forgiven for thinking that when he says "play hard," he means "play hard." So I expected a choppier, acoustic forward sound from Steve, more Americana than the cornball, Nashville Springsteen than I got. Indeed, if Nashville is the Guitar Town of the albums title, it is the lead and lap steel players that do the work here: the work of dragging the record from heartland to deep South, from standard American songwriting to country songwriting. It's not much of a move, the differences between American cultures and the various centres of American music being superficial. But perhaps that is the sense in which Earle is an abusive guitar owner - on this record at least - he allows the tool of his trade to be cucked by the gloopy trappings of genre. As I said to you yesterday, Earle is on the cover, oogling wall-mounted guitars, with a perfectly good guitar slung over his shoulder. He is walking around Guitar Town, gagging for guitars, when he has a devoted and dutiful guitar at home. There is something unfaithful here, untruthful - is Earle a country man or not? That question doesn't come up with Charo or GWAR - whatever they're doing, they're sincere about it. They play hard. 1.5 “Out of shot, Steve Earle’s father: ‘That one you’ve got will do you for all the fucking good you are.’” Just use this for my review. Can’t do any better. Or fairer. 1.5/5

Favorite track(s): Goodbye's All We Got Left, Hillbilly Highway

What can I say except it's miii-iiid? It's not very goood. What can I say except it's boriiing, aah-aaahh-ahhh!

There's a few decent songs. Not my style but not offensively bad. 4/10

Low rent John Mellencamp. Is it rock? Is it country? We don't know, and neither does Earle. It just feels like someone who wrote some boring lyrics and put it to a simple guitar melody. Just kinda boring.

Якесь веселе навколо кантрі, не моя чашка чаю.

This album answers the question, what if jimmy Buffett did country guitar rock, but didn’t do it well. Mediocre at best. 2 stars. Not sure why this is here.

I totally vibe with the message here, and Steve seems like a good guy, but I am wondering if that’s really enough to put this album on this list.

i mean i can appreciate but can't resonate (((''''':

Have you ever wanted John Mellencamp but with a generic voice and lack of songwriting talent? 2/5

Solid unashamed country rock. Mainstream Larry Normanesque. Not my favourite genre by a long shot. But not in a hurry either to find the off or mute button.

Slick guitar work and you can tell the singer put passion into this. Unfortunately it peaked on the first song and mostly just went down afterwards.

Really generic country album. Didn’t hate it, but it didn’t have any standout qualities. Pandering to an American audience here with this inclusion

absolutely not

2 stars None of it stuck out to me and it just wasn’t for me. It wasn’t for me, but wasn’t offensive or too long.

I don't know, it sounds like outlaw country but it's full of 80's cheese. Hillbilly Highway is a fun song and Someday is a decent alt country tune, but the rest of it is giving off Footloose vibes. I don't consider this to be a must hear album, it seems like the beginning of the end of pop country.

It’s just not my style yk, struggled to finish listening to it

Very american

(2.75)

Pitié stop la country

Its Country and Western. No idea why its on the list...makes a change from British indie perhaps?

Guess what. It’s Meh. Nothing really to write home about :/

The older I get, the less tolerant I seem to be of this overplayed heartland country rock sound; it often feels like a cliché of a cliché. But much to my surprise, this one actually strikes a chord or two with me (I especially enjoyed “Goodbye’s All We’ve Got Left,” “Hillbilly Highway,” “Good Ol’ Boy,” and the standout track for me, “Someday”). Guitar Town (ugh, stupid title, but then my previous wordplay is not much better) actually features some tasteful lead guitar melodies, and the songwriting is pretty catchy. Now, I’m not a big connoisseur of country, so I might be off here - but I do find myself questioning whether this was really that impactful or truly an outstanding record. But I’ll happily leave that to others to judge. From what I’ve read, though, Steve Earle seems like someone with decent political views and that might already be something. Addendum: Back in the day, I used to listen to Ryan Adams a lot (rightfully cancelled, by the way), and it only now strikes me how much his sound and songwriting feel like a near one-to-one copy of Steve Earle.

hm, eintöniges Countryalbum

geht so, maximal durchschnitt, eher bissl weniger

I'm learning quite quickly from this list that I am just not a fan of country music. This definitely has merit, but it just ain't for me. Favourites: Guitar town?

This is when country music began to die. "Guitar Town" happened to be recorded digitally at a time when only a handful of country albums were recorded with the then-new tech. However, the equipment didn't capture the unique feeling the old country songs had. I'm glad "Guitar Town" sounds nice, which isn't much, but it's a start. "Little Rock 'N' Roller" shows what the album should've been like. 2 stars for "Guitar Town".

I'm really not a country music guy although I did listen to John Denver a lot when I was young. I ended up listening to all of it, but it took a couple of sittings. One thing I did notice is that there were some places where he sounded like The Bodeans' early stuff which I really like.

I like some country music. I really do. Lyle Lovett and Willie Nelson are among my favorite songwriters/performers. What I don't like is the nasally, whiny twang of some country music vocals. Guitar Town is all about the nasally, whiny twang. I think there some decent music hiding behind these vocals. Also, I try to reserve 1/5 for music so annoying that I can't even finish it. I was able to make it all the way through Guitar Town.

Tja, veldig country, men stabilt. 2.5

Ok 2/5

5/10 Got a beer in my beer and a Chevy in my truck

I hate country

My Old Friend the Blues sounds like a Bob Dylan cover. I'm surprised it isn't I don't remember him in Bridge to Terabithia. Probably because my brain suppressed sad memories to not traumatise me

It was easy to listen to, I can see how this would be a nice comfort album for someone. Rating: 2.4

At first I thought "mediocre", but this actually passes well as a parody of country music. Feels very uninspired and boring and I was waiting for it to be over.

It takes a lot for a country record to entice me and this doesn't have it

it sounds too Nashvilley, dead and cold for a country album. I have no doubt Steve earle has some absolute banger albums -- but this ain't one of them. Production killed it for me as well.

read on the wikipedia this is one of the first country albums to be recorded digitally. sure explains a lot about the flat, cold production. there are decent songs on here but as a whole it fails to stand out. managing to feel bloated at a relatively short 34 minutes and 10 tracks, it lacks the depth of emotion and warmth that i need from country music. i would never go as far as to say i don't respect this album, but i do think a line could be traced from something like this right into that red solo cup, beer, ford f150 shit i despise.

Dumb

With help you country albums enter this list I expect the ones that are actually accepted to be total bangers. This was not.

This is not an album I needed to hear before I die. It’s not bad but not great either. So far I’m disappointed with this whole 1001 albums thing.

I have a sudden urge to commit a domestic assault. But like... For America.

boring. I'm not a fan of country and because this is a classic country album I didn't like it.

Boring

wiwi wawa ass guitar album, not awful but also not like super impressed or anythin...

yeehaw

My god this was dull.

Not into country but enjoyed Someday

Not the worst country ever, but don’t plan on listening to this again

Каноничное, даже карикатурное кантри, словно из учебника. Очень понравилось в самом конце, когда альбом закончился.

This is the style of country music that gives country music a bad name.

Is this supposed to country? It is supposed to sound so stupid? Geez. There’s no reason I needed to hear this.

I had such high hopes for this one, but they were quickly dashed.

It felt like a country version of John Cougar Mellencamp. I don't know why I needed this in my life.

When I first started listening I thought that Spotify had got this album confused with the album by The Woolpackers, novelty celebrity band that was spun off from UK farmers soap opera, Emmerdale. Unfortunately I was wrong. There’s a couple of ok songs, but the rest is just so ‘Country turned up to 11’ that it feels like parody.

It's alright

I did not like this because I’m not a guitar strumming hillybilly.

Well at least you get exactly what you bargained for, considering the title, cover and everything. Actually, that’s not quite right: he should also be wearing a cowboy hat.

Perfect for parties in the barn.

You already know this is going to be mid based on the title. Typical old country rock. The ballads are okay, the rest of the tracks sound kinda corny.

I know Steve Earle is popular and widely respected. But c'mon with this album. Every time I think I am being too harsh on country music, I have to listen to something like this and I am reminded I am in no way being harsh on it. This is cookie cutter music to the extreme. Nothing new or interesting musically, and vapid lyrics that push every country music cliche. Over and over again.

Born in the USA with a country twang. Made it 4 songs in, which was 3 further than I expected. OK, but not my thing.

Not bad but just ok for me - I like country and this is pleasant.

Bland country rock. VERY samey. An annoyance.

The cover looks like it was made on PowerPoint

This generator has already proven I don't like country much. I still gave this a few open-minded listens. I'm feeling the guitar wielding free spirit vibe, and frankly his pen isn't terrible either, I've heard songs written much worse on the genre. A little too commercial for my tastes, without going full pop though. There's appreciation for the talent but not for what's been produced with it. Album art looks like SNL. Hard to take seriously from the get go. 1.8/5

not for me. maybe for you? not for me.

Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? I am completely unfamiliar with this album How do I feel about this artist? I do not know anything by Steve Earle Favorite song(s)? Down the Road Overall Thoughts: I thought it was kind of cheesy, I like country more when it’s actually saying something of substance. Not a bad listen, but not my thing.

Think I made solid effort at being open minded but found all of these songs super boring

2+ Stars (6/15)

not my thing

its in times like these that i find the excess of cheesy synthpop and landfill indie extremely bearable. im visibly pissed by this. 2/5

If I wanted to listen to some hackish country rock fusion ballads from the 80’s, I’d just got listen tonJohn Mellencamp’s “Ain’t Even Done With The Night”. Steve Earl just cycles through all the tropes that sadly validate the blind hate for anything remotely country that users of this list seem to ascribe to, especially on the song “Good Ol Boy”. My favorite track was “Someday”, one of the few that did just enough to keep this from a 1/5 stars

There are some albums that aim high and crash. Guitar Town seems to acceptably hit the mark it aimed for. A much more listenable album than most 2s, but just one I can’t quite justify a 3. ——— Steve Earle occupies a weird place in my musical cosmos. I love many of his peers’ and inspirations’ music dearly and I would pick up his memoir in a heartbeat. His portrayal of Waylon in The Wire sincerely evokes people I have met in the rooms, and I know that’s because it’s pulled from his own experience. Importantly, this marks the second (after Elvis Costello) artist I’ve now encountered featured in arguably the musical zenith of the millennium, 30 Rock’s Kidney Now! I feel like Hansel in Zoolander—I’ve never clicked with Earle’s music, but the fact that he’s out there, making it? I really respect that. I find many albums of Earle’s late outlaw country ilk suffer from overproduction. On many (but not all!) tracks, Guitar Town isn’t an exception. I could do without the organ and synth plugging cheerily in the background, even the lap steel seems a bit superfluous. I think I’d like this more with a different, stripped down arrangement. Even the kind of somewhat expansive, but less polished arrangement of Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night would suit these songs much better than the twangy, middle of the road production predominant here. Way too much reverb on the vocals, too. The songs are good, not great, some classic country tearjerkers in goodbyes all we got and my old friend the blues. But the production really drags this down and a lot of the album seems like filler even if there is a cohesiveness that brings it together. Ultimately I don’t dislike it. But were I in the mood to listen to an album like this, I’d pick plenty before Guitar Town. The album hovers between a 2 and a 3, and I don’t know precisely where to come down. There are a few songs I genuinely like—goodbye, the blues, someday—but they aren’t great songs, and the rest of the album feels a bit…there. I still love Steve Earle, but I’m still waiting to love his music.

Man, that second to last song got repetitive. I didn't like this album very much.

This sounds like a parody of a country album. Steve Earle covers all the cliches: curntray twang in the voice, singing about Tennessee and generic love story. It's not the worst album I have listened to from this list, but I won't revisiting.

Not really anything on it that stood out to me

Fairly ordinary C&W vibe, one or two pleasant tunes.

Country music starts of with a disadvantage when I listen to it, it has to be really special to break through my dislike. This didn't do it

Raznovrsno, u smislu da ima hardcore country i predosadni country, a ja ne znam koji više mrzim pa eto.

A bunch of pretty harmless country rock tunes. I vibe with it, but it’s definitely not something I find particularly exceptional or impressive.

It's not offensive, but it's not interesting either

Not my kind of country

A little country cringe 😬 Not necessarily awful and in some parts enjoyable, but if you’ve heard one song, then you’ve heard the rest.

If you’re into Honky Tonk, which I am not, this is probably a great album.

Meh

nah sorry too american for me

Dolorosamente genérico e desinteressante, exatamente o que eu esperava de um disco de country da década de 1980. Os elementos mais voltados pro Rock me parecem forçados e sem graça, e falta nesse disco autenticidade. Tudo é derivativo ao máximo, e nada se destaca. Steve Earle tenta desesperadamente ser Bruce Springsteen nesse álbum, isso é palpável. A voz dele consegue passar às vezes, e há nesse álbum algumas melodias agradáveis, então não é um caso totalmente perdido. É possível tirar um leve proveito destas canções. Mas não muda o fato que eu preferiria estar ouvindo quase qualquer outra coisa, e que já ouvi muito country vastamente superior à este. 2/5

Album was ok

I enjoyed this a lot less than I thought I would.

A little to yee yee for me in the winter. Might hit on a boat with some drinks

5.5 / 10

Nope! Country + folk = Not for me! I won't lie there were a couple pf tracks that were tolerable (Maybe "Good Ol' Boy"). I won't listen again.

Quite OK country rock, but i probably won't feel the urge to listen to this again.

I like the playing but the music could be better

Oh, God. What I see before me is a 1980s country album from somebody I've literally never heard of. It's not completely insufferable, but it's also not great. It's very pop-tinged country, almost foreshadowing modern-day "bro country" but nowhere near as awful. It's okay musically, with decent hooks despite poor lyrics(though not quite as poor as most of what came after it) and an overreliance on pedal steel. It's not quite overproduced enough to descend into bro country terribleness, but it's not exactly a great album.

Meh.

This album makes me want to buy a cowboy hat, move to Nashville and go horse-riding. It's almost a parody of country music, to the point I struggled to take it too seriously. Overall a 2.5/5.

Not my kind of country. Not my kind of jam.

A master class album filled with every country music cliche.

His voice isn’t particularly impressive. Add that to some generic country music and this is an easy “never again”

You know what, I don’t hate it…?

Country trash Fave track: Guitar Town

Not my thing tbh, I can see its appeal on a road trip, but outside of that it doesnt do much for me.

Pretty dull and turgid American road movie country rock. Good ole Boys. I quite like the twangy guita.

No private session used for Spotify, though I should have. I don't like this style of country music. I don't know why this album made this list as it seems so generic and typical of the twangy, mullet wearing, country crap. There might be some meaningful and poignant lyrics here, but I do tend to block out that forced country drawl.

This was a good album. I'm not a country fan, but this was solid.

It is ok at best. It's country, and I would say I don't like country -- but I gave that Lucinda Williams album a 3/5 because it was surprisingly fun and listenable. This one is not great. It's just kinda too...well, country. Also the twang of the guitar is beyond parody. We get it, country has a line of lyrics followed by a really loud steel guitar twang riff but you don't need to make it 10 times louder than the rest of the song and also do it every damn time. Not actively bad so it doesn't get a 1, but it's not great so it doesn't deserve a 3.

Twangy country. Not sure what depth or interest I'm missing but it's fine.

ass

The twangy king of country. The singer is a nice bloke.

Whatever country, really. Not my favorite genre

I laughed at the corny lines, and every song sounded the same.

It’s fine but the accent seems forced like in pop country songs. A little trite at times. Well performed and produced.

Not my cup of tea. Definitely country music. But not the worst I've ever heard.

Idk. It feels almost fake, these songs are so stereotypical. Very basic guitar work especially for an album called Guitar Town. His voice is nothing special. I actually was expecting to like this a bit from what I had heard about him, but I’m not feeling this at all. I just got to a song called Fearless Heart and it reminds me strongly of Springsteen’s music. I don’t like his stuff much either. But yeah, this guy sounds alot like him, (and Bruce was all over the airwaves in 1986) but with a country twang thrown in.

Guitar Town is not a place I would like to spend a great deal of time. Country music is timeless, isn't it, by which I mean this could easily be from 1956, rather than 1986. People who make it must just be totally immune to the development of anything new that's happening around them. Fair play, I guess. It's like the Amish community of music.

Could not make it past the first track

Iconic country vocals with some country and rock guitar riffs. I must say I preferred the rock than the country elements. I do love the lyric ‘born in the land of plenty, now there ain’t enough’. Feels apt for current climate. The album shifts from more upbeat to slower jams - track 5 really lowers the mood. Fav track was Little Rock n roller for its story telling lyrics. Not my fav album though on the whole.

Good, but not my thing. 2/5

Fine I guess

This isn't a terrible album, but it isn't one I enjoyed. With a name like Guitar Town, I thought there would be some standout guitar, but it was pretty bland. His voice sounds too much like a country version of Elvis Costello, so basically two things I don't love. This is a 2.

pretty cliche "country rock"

Fine genre music but not a style I like

The Good: the lead guitar and the organ sounds were nice and the vocals were fine, if unexceptional. The Bad: A sense of deja vu. I'm sure I have heard this album at least 5 times already on this list. The Ugly: The awful 80s production (especially the heavily reverberated drums). It plain doesn't suit Country music. Anyway, it difficult to see what makes this a stand out country album as there is nothing unique or innovative about it. I'm off to toytown for some pop psych....

I hate that town

interesting how much this sounds like bon jovi

Like Cher, Steve Earle is a mediocre musician who turned out to be a fantastic actor (Treme, The Wire). This record did nothing for me.

lack of instrumental variety, lack of vocal range, superficial lyrics throughout. None of these are inherently bad and prohibit an album from being good, but when your album possesses all three... The most memorable part of this album was also the biggest slap to the face. I felt most songs were upbeat in their instrumentals while the lyrics were often melancholic (which, for me at least, makes for a disjoint listening experience unless done properly). But then the last song (Down the Road) started with a very nice echo-y a cappella that finally set a tone to match the lyrics, but then immediately switched into the most jarring, lighthearted, plucky melody and I felt, for the first and last time, like a fool for expecting something worthwhile out of this album.

If you like generic country music, this might be for you! It wasn’t for me. Top tracks: “Guitar Town,” “My Old Friend the Blues”

--Guitar Song...definitely a country song. --Goodbye's All We Got Left...decent but nothing special --Hillbilly Highway...if you told me this was Weird Al I'd believe you --Good Ol' Boy (Gettin' Tough)...the production of this one makes it sound like a karaoke track --My Old Friends...it's not bad but I'm really not feeling this --Someday...I like this one. goes slightly beyond the generic trappings of previous tracks --Think It Over...'50s throwback --Fearless Heart...the production of this one is a little quirky, at least --Little Rock 'N' Roller...is this a lullaby? I respect the cheese --Down the Road...I like this one. Simple and touching but not in a cringe way like the preceding track

Just another country album, nothing really standing out for me. It isn't bad, there is just nothing special. It is really full of clichés lyrically, which even stood out to me who never really pays much attention to lyrics. 'Hillbilly Highway' could have been a parody song and then I would have said it was a bit too obvious. It just makes it past the minimum mark since it was at least somewhat enjoyable to listen to. 2/5

More like boring town

A little better than some of the other country albums on the list. Still lacking something that would keep me interested or wanting to listen again. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

basic-ass country

Was this album groundbreaking for country at the time? Not sure what qualifies it for the list. Cookie cutter country but not completely intolerable. "Someday " and "Fearless Heart" stood out, the rest I didn't notice. Don't think I'll remember this one when looking back...1.68 stars.

Not the worst country I've heard but still not something I want to listen to more than once. It has some textbook southern twang and hits enough of the country music tropes where I'm sure there is an audience for it. It's relatively unobtrusive for the most part which is more palatable than a lot of the other country garbage I've been exposed to. I can't fault it too much even if it's not my thing. 1.63 stars

I’m good.

Rootin tootin

I can’t stand twang and country in general leaves me cold. I know he’s a respected songwriter, tho it’s often hard for me to really grok lyrics on a first listen. It’s a 2 for me musically, elevated to a 2.5 for some good lyrics I managed to digest.

liked the last song. too country for me though

Not offensively bad or anything, but not my jam.

Super meh. Country has to be extra good for me to enjoy it. I did not need to hear this album before I died.

Love Steve Earle, but mostly his way later stuff, this early ballad country ain't for me.

It just felt oddly false.

This album was a bit too country twang for me. Sounded like John Cougar Melloncamp with a cowboy hat. Didn’t hate it, just not for me. 5/10

This is the evolutionary link between Footloose and Billy Ray Cyrus. This is a little more hick than I like my country but it was a decent listen.

As far as country goes, this is allright.

It was ok.

Giving it a two I know the floor for country is so much lower & this wasn’t fully atrocious. Also this guy says he’s a socialist. So bonus star.

OK.

It's not even that bad, but it's so country it's kinda unbelievable. Not really my thing but I'm sure some people like it.

461/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

Straight up country. Not my thing but the guitar was good. 3.8

So country. So very country.

Volle country, maar toch zie je niet die man met die gitaar voor je. Het is namelijk ook erg geproduceerd. En dat is geen combinatie. Het wordt gelijk ongeloogwaardig. Luister het eerste nummer voor het sterkste voorbeeld.

I think it was okay like I like it but I also don't.

Would love to see this album score a film about a 55 year old date-rapist called ‘Chive’ who gets sentenced to 30 years jail and learns absolutely nothing

Not my thing, but I heard elements of classic country. Maybe even Hank Williams. I also had a sense of everyman hardships, a la Springsteen or John Mellencamp. Not a lot of range, though, musically or lyrically.

Springsteen-ass loverboy cowboy

Steve Earle is not for me and that’s ok.

A little too rocky for my taste in country. Starts veering towards proto bro-country

Someday is a banger but the rest is standard country.

Didn’t mind some of it but some terrible songs on it.

I have a feeling this is the album of Steve Earle’s I should like the most and I like it very little. Too rooty tootin for me. I also need to mention how much I hate the song where a truck driver calls his son from the road. “Hey little guy, can’t believe you answered the phone. I didn’t know you could that”. Maybe the worst song opening in history

Little bit of a Springsteen vibe going on but rock country. $20000 truck. I wish

This is kryptonite to my ears. The guitar tone, vocal inflection, super tight and clean production. That said, I might owe this guy for a bunch of artists I do like.

It's not great but there is something with Country for me. Nice to have in the background. Is it significant to music history? Is it important for the genre? Do you need to hear this? Like with most entries in this list, No. But it's at least easy to listen to or have in the background.

fav songs: Hilbilly Highway

I didn't hate this but it feels a bit like what you would get if you asked AI to make you a country rock album. Even his accent sounds put-on (especially on Little Rock 'n' Roller, where it gets weirdly Jagger-ish).

Couldn’t understand pretty much anything he was saying apart from the odd 'ghee-tarr', 'perdy lady' and other cliched codswallop. Listening to some of the tracks, I can only agree with other reviewers about it sounding more like a parody. And all I could see when I closed my eyes were old people with their thumbs in their belts line dancing. I did find myself tapping my foot on the odd occasion which saves it from a 1. And if a friend was playing this in their house when I visited then I wouldn't ask them to turn it off. And they'd still be my friend. But I never want to hear it again.
 2

mais rock do que country mas ainda assim é bem country bom pra quem gosta.

I respect Steve Earle and he's a survivor. But this is too much country and not enough rock n roll for my tastes.

Not a fan of the first/title track, but I thought the second song was ok. Back to disliking the third track. So this is clearly hit or miss for me. But then I really couldn't get into the remaining tracks. I'm just not a fan of "new" country, though I can appreciate that this album includes some Springsteen nods too.

Seems to tick every cliché about country music - heavy accented vocals, twangy guitar, the most boring basslines imaginable and songs about trucks and girls. Nothing here I can relate to, but some of the guitar twanging is OK.

I’m a huge Steve Earle fan, but there wasn’t much to grab onto on this one.

A lot of cowboy chords for a country album called Guitar Town

Maybe this is just so iconic that listening to it feels like a parody of country music? Anyway, not my thing at all.

Solidly Country. I'm not really a country fan but I've definitely listened to worse than this over the course of this project.

Tough listen. Theres a very specific type of country music I enjoy and this is not it. Can see why the album was significant for the time and why its on the list but that doesn't make it an enjoyable listen. 2/5.

It’s a nice record, but it didn’t pull me in.

As far as country goes, it's not bad. But it's still country. The nasal voice and such are hard to get over for me, and it's always so bland and formulaic. Copperhead road is a decent track, but that's not on this album. Not that this is too different from that, so I guess for people who like country rock this is good. Tough for me to get into though. 2/5

Right off the bat I can appreciate that this isn’t boring classic country. There’s a real sense that Steve Earle is trying to write pop-country-rock hits. While the combination of those three words makes me physically ill. Now, I can appreciate that for the country community, his music leans pretty heavily towards rock music, it is not quite far enough for me to get into it. I think his lyrics on songs like “lil rock ‘n’ roller” are adorable and endearing, so he’s a talented lyricist. The real problem is I just don’t really care for country and this is like crowd pleasing, classic country with light rock elements. Honestly it’s not for me but it’s not offensively bad.

I've liked other country albums on this list better

Poo

https://blog.cdn.own3d.tv/resize=fit:crop,height:400,width:600/DkwzWLdeRf7ODKCxv9wJ

howdy partner yeeeahaww whatever

Country music....Listened several times. Don't know why it's on the list. Not even his most highly regarded album. Not my jam. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #489 (2003), now not ranked (2020) Best Songs Guitar Town

I didn't like it at all. The country accent was too thick. The guitar too twangy. Nothing for me here.

This feels like a major missed opportunity to me. Steve Earle did bluegrass on some of his later work and that would have been a more interesting inclusion. Unfortunately we are stuck with this cornball country rock. Like it’s fine enough but some of these lyrics are just kinda groan worthy. Favorite song was Hillbilly Highway.

It’s hard to like an album if you hate the genre it’s based off of - I am not a fan of country one bit. Whilst this is a good demonstration of the genre and nice playing from the guitar - I just can’t like it.

Typical Country music, I have no idea why the list makers chose this pick, but you know it is country. I had this on shuffle and had no idea that I did until the last song, and honestly, I really don't need to hear this again.

I can’t find what’s special about it. Just ok.

The album didn't really do much for me. Was decent enough country music, but there wasn't anything remarkable. I just had it on in the background after 2 tracks which says it all...

2.5 stars. Standout is "Hillbilly Highway" super catchy steel guitar. The rest feels like it needs to pick a lane, too hick for rock but doesn't fully commit to country and western. Cheesy songs like "Little Rock 'N' Roller" really bring it down.

Not totally awful, but a bit insipid

Opens strong but devolves into basic country.

Cheese cheese cheese.

I feel so lame when my favorite song is the starred song. Makes me feel like I fell for something. Lol. But I was really searching for something to like about this album

Generic country

Fun.

The usual 2 stars not for me.

On the too cheesy side of fine, so just fell into the 2 zone at the end.

Given this is called Guitar Town I was hoping for some really cool guitar solos or similar. Unfortunately this did not deliver. Was just very generic boring blandness. Completely inoffensive but so vanilla

Country music is so boring. I don't mind if there's great singing or guitar but this has neither. This is just so bland. I bet Elliot Smith likes it

Personally I prefer Steve Earl's acting over his music. Having said that, it's not bad for a debut album especially.

I can appreciate the modern country, but I was bored, sorry 🤷‍♀️ Highlights: Guitar Town

Y'know I really wanted to like this album, but this ended up being one of the most forgettable in the entire list. 3rd time listening to this and again almost nothing stands out. "Down the Road" is incredible though. Saves it from a 1 star

Country rock - Not my bag

Almost like some of it. Had a very Bruce Springsteen vibe to several songs.

Para quem curte o gênero, deve ser um prato cheio.

Ikke min cowboyhatt

Yuck. This sounds like crappy small-town AM radio.

Not really my thing. Too much country

First impression pre listen: It's been a while since my last country album and I feel genuinely excited to get into this. Yeah it isn't my favourite genre of all time, but it's always fun to challenge one's taste a bit. I've never heard of this artist before and the album name having the word "guitar" in it would usually be a red flag for me. Hoping to be surprised. Individual track notes: Guitar Town Has that iconic Nashville production. Charming guitar. Extremely cliche lyrics. He has a very solid voice. Fine. 3/5 Goodbye's All We've Got Left Kinda don't love the backing track, sounds like a default preset. Solid lyrics, has some unpredictability and cleverness to them. The piano does get pretty good after a while, especially around the final third. Fine. 3/5 Hillbilly Highway Fun sentimental lyrics. Don't really like the chorus. Decent instrumental break. A bit repetitive, gets quite tiresome after a while. Dislike. 2/5 Good Ol' Boy (Gettin' Tough) Cliche. Feels overtly political. Doesn't sound very memorable. I guess it's pretty reflective of its time, could see it being relatable to some. Average. 2.5/5 My Old Friend The Blues I really like the guitar playing at the start, sounds very pretty. I appreciate the more stripped back sound. Would've prefered if they kept it sweet and intimate. They kinda ruined the song with the added instrumentation and the hammed up vocals at the end. Dislike. 2/5 Someday I kinda like the guitar. Cliche lyrics, heard it a thousand times before. Bores me to tears. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Think It Over Okay chorus. Bland instrumental. Nothing remarkable, but listenable at least. Average. 2.5/5 Fearless Heart Has a pretty cool instrumental section, where there's a really interesting guitar effect. Otherwise really average, but I guess it bumps it up a bit. Fine. 3/5 Little Rock 'N' Roller Made me check out completely. There's a slide guitar part that is kinda memorable, but overall it's more boring than watching paint dry. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Down The Road The acapella intro is pretty nice. Hate that the echo effect persists after the instrumental comes in. I like the mandolin. Average. 2.5/5 Final review. So this album isn't outright terrible at any point, but it's mostly just unremarkable and sometimes even really boring. It's filled to the brim with every single country music cliche you can find, and while cliches can be fine you gotta do something different between them to stand out. And that is something this album generally fails to do. There's a few moments here and there where you'll find a lyric or an instrumental moment which stands out, but otherwise it's predictable and just uninteresting. The Nashville production is very solid, with good musicians delivering decent performances. The vocals are also well performed, with an alright voice to boot. So the songs here are definitely listenable, nothing makes me groan or roll my eyes, but it's just not enough to make it sound distinctly different from other albums of the genre. I wanted to like this heading into it, but it ended up being just OK. 2.5/5 rounded down to a 2/5.

turns out i really just can’t do country unless it’s in a cheesy tornado movie

When country stays in it's lane, it's hard to see the light anywhere else

a couple of high points - Guitar Town, My Old Friend The Blues - but some pretty ordinary country spread across the rest of the record

This did not impress me much. 2/5

Some decent country songs. Not my style but not that bad. Easy listening. 5/10

Nice objectively, but not my type of music.

Fine. Just like every other Country album I’ve listened to

This would be cool on a boat maybe. Currently I'm in a cold dark office and not a boat so.... 4/10

Just really not for me some very annoyingly generic country music.

Kind of sounds like John Mellencamp With a country twang.

to be fair, this album wasn't thaaaat bad, just a bit dull. i liked some songs but i wouldnt actively play this album for my daily life. maybe its just me but i think americans are the only ones who can actually enjoy these kinds of genres (since its american country and stuff). but, as i said earlier, it couldve been way worse. i loved Fearless Heart, though, it gives off road trip vibes

This was fine, honestly I just found the music kind of boring and repetitive. Just not my genre I suppose.

80s country honky crap

Not very good. Podunk 80s country. Had a decent beat, but that’s about all I can say for it.

Zzzzzzzzzz 2.0

dent country album

100% the kind of thing i picture when I think ‘country’. Full of clichés but it doesn’t feel like it takes itself too seriously. Nothing very interesting but entirely inoffensive.

I like Steve Earle generally, but this was really not my vibe

had some good songs but its very cliche country, that happens to deserve a spot here. Its not really bad, its just not good enough to be more than mediocre. (2.5/5.0)

inget som bet sig fast direkt

i hate country but like id probably put this on if i was drivijg to thr middle of nowhere

Dit is voor mij zo'n beetje de meest generieke country die je kunt bedenken. En dat heeft als voordeel dat het ook wel redelijk makkelijk naar binnen glijdt allemaal, ondanks dat er een heel klein Elvis Costellotje in verborgen zit. Dit soort country zou je op Sky Radio kunnen draaien zonder dat het meteen klachten regent, denk ik. Het is aan mij niet helemaal besteed, dat wisten we inmiddels eigenlijk ook al wel een beetje, maar dit is toch wel een 2,5je eigenlijk. Het gaat me te ver om er een 3 van te maken.

This sounded like the Key and Peele "Racist Country music" sketch (not the lyrics just the sound). The lyrics felt like a pisstake of country. Maybe it is? Weak 2.

I don't like country. I got Nebraska a couple days ago and that State Trooper song sounded familiar though. It was decent enough.

Good songwriting but too country. Probably should be a 3 but its a 2

Hard to get all the way through this one.

Country music is not my favourite, and while this record isn't bad, it certainly isn't my favourite. It feels like the soundtrack you'd play wandering around rural United States. It's not too dense and doesn't overstay its welcome, so it's definitely an accessible record. Earle's songwriting isn't bad, and the instrumentals are exactly what you'd expect out of a country record. In terms of songs, my favourite was "Think It Over", it made me feel like listening to the Fallout New Vegas country radio again. The worst one by far for me was "Little Rock n' Roller", super boring, sappy and overlong.

Definitely 80’s country, but with some 80’s pop in there too.

Generic and cheesy. The worst of 80s production combined with the worst of country. Featuring maybe the worst song I’ve ever heard “Little Rock n Roller”. At least we get to hear some pedal steel guitar.

Oh no jag lyssnade men sen blev jag uttråkad and then i forgot sry steve earle

Nah

I've already listened to this, but I'm giving him a relisten since I like some of his later stuff. Yep, it's still meh. ⭐⭐

Love his politics, not too hot on his music

Not my style. (30 known/60 new)

I keep wondering if I've finally made it through all of the country albums on this generator but I keep getting new ones. I'll admit that a handful have surprised me, but most have been duds. Apologies to any country fans out there, but it just doesn't do it for me. "Guitar Town" really hasn't done much to change my mind. It's filled with every cliche in the book and doesn't add much musically to the genre. Country cringe gives way to 80s cringe on "Little Rock n Roller". There are some decent moments on the album as a whole and there's nothing particularly offensive. But it's definitely not for me.

Did not like it

I don't have the patience for mediocre country music in these troubling times. There are exactly two types of song on this record – happy and sad – and those emotions are portrayed with as many chords (pretty much). Add something, anything, resembling harmonic musical progress and we'll have ourselves a deal. The album has very little sense of progression, which is a problem I have with most single-genre artists on this list. Even though it cycles through a few moods, providing some variety from the otherwise monotonous listening, it feels more like treading water than swimming towards this fabled Guitar Town. Instead, we start in Guitar Town (a great song, by the way) and drag our feet slowly through the quicksand. Also, there's no excuse writing a song called My Old Friend The Blues and having it be anything but blues. (The Rolling Stones did the same thing on Sticky Fingers, but I'll allow that because it sounds good.) There are a few positives to shout out here. Consistency has its place in music, and it's definitely something Earle does well. The songs are similar to each other but differ through their guitar hooks, which do hold their own (even if they're unmemorable). Earle's voice is pretty good – certainly twangy enough to follow in the footsteps of the country genre. The spots of 80s production and instrumentation (e.g. the airy electronic percussion), while normally a terrible addition to music, are used sparingly enough that they spice up the album a little. 2/5 Key tracks: Guitar Town, Goodbye's All We Got Left, Little Rock'N'Roller

these are the sounds going through the head of a divorced dad as he drinks lite beer at noon on a wednesday (hump day) and tries to identify the hookers in the motel parking lot (there arent any). he is on his way to texas and he doesnt know why (she took the kids). hillbilly highway slaps 2/5

Is this the origin of all shitty pop country of the last 30 years? I can't tell, but I have a feeling that the formula was close to being defined. Was this album incredibly easy to listen to? Yes. Too easy? Yes. It was interesting to notice the blend of country and 80s beats at some points; however, there really wasn't much else interesting to this album. Vocals aren't impressive, production is pretty bland, there isn't much musicianship at any point. The storytelling is the only thing that you can probably speak to, but it's not unique in any way. It feels like an album that is designed to target people that pretend to be country in their suburban homes. Sorry! Favorite song: Down the Road I'm feeling a 2 on this.

Originally, my review for this album was "Country Music for people who voted for Reagan", but then I googled Steve Earle. Turns out he's a lifelong socialist and, like, genuinely incredible. Lifelong Pro-Choice, supporter of people with autism, strong focus on being anti-capital punishment. He protested against the Iraq War, Steve Earle sounds awesome. Too bad every song that sounds like yours for the next 40 years would be made by shitheads. 2 stars, which includes the bonus one for Steve being cool.

As far as actual listening experience goes this was probably like a 3 but unfortunately I don't think twangy Walmart Springsteen deserves a place on the list

Meh. I guess this album is all right if you want some softer, more countrified Bruce Springsteen/Tom Petty/something else I can’t think of at the moment. Would not revisit.

Some of the lyrics describing the downturn of small-town America are actually good, and they keep with the tradition of Country songs being depressing. But for the most part, it's pretty boring stuff, and I definitely don't like the music. For a Country album, the sound is a bit too polished, and there isn't enough personality in the songs to shine through that stylistic choice.

Generic country tunes, did not catch my ear

Too country for me. I didn't hate it, but I won't ever listen to it again.

He likes his truck more than I care for

Not my cup o tea but some points for HIllbilly Highway

Not a big country guy - he's okay but it's nothing special.

Musically this was decent. His voice felt like he was trying really hard to be "country" to the point it seemed like a joke.

Meh

2 --- Country sin chiste

< The Beatles

I'm sure it's a good album and has some nice songs but it's not my thing.

Boring

Normally I’m down for some “alt country,” and a few tracks here were enjoyable. But for the most part I found his accent a bit grating.

This is the type of country that irritates me: basic instrumentals, foolish lyrics, and vocals that countrify every word.

It's fine, it's boring, and it's not meant to be anything special are all good ways to describe this album. I don't know why the author of this list chose an album like this over stuff that's actually high quality but whatever, his loss. Just another worthless spot on the list

This kinda sounded like a spoof of a country album. Such an over the top twang in his voice, so so heavy on the bendy guitar, so many lyrics about being from a small town and wanting to get out. This isn’t for me. If we have this in here, I demand more hip hop

I am not a country music afficionado, so my review isn't worth much. I always loved Copperhead Road, and a few on this album were fun. But playing the whole album one song after the next was kind of monotonous. Too much twang for me.

"My father is my uncle" Country

Far too country. The lyrics are just too hokey.

I start off biased because this music is something that I will never consider impressive to me. This, given its genre, could have been worse. I just think the twang is something I don’t appreciate so I can’t really tell what’s good from bad because it’s all pretty meh to me.

At best I could generally say this is fine. It's not a genre I often like and with the 80s reverb wash over everything it sounds incredibly of-its-time which is not a great sound. I have a hard time connecting with music like this - it could and probably would be fun to hear this / him / them in a live setting, but the rote and uncreative 4 chord country rock washes over me in a forgetful way; i.e. I don't feel any emotions or chills at all, it's just.... *there* - how has Steve Earle gotten so (relatively) famous? I expected and maybe wanted more. This is - as the kids say - pretty mid. Also, simple (I could say boring...) music like this almost forces you (me) to rely on something else, which I suppose the only other thing IS the lyrics which are laughable - almost a self-parody. They do absolutely nothing to me other than - I admit - allow me to adhere to certain stereotypes. Hillybilly Highway, good ol' boy, etc.... Ok...there is some decent stuff midway through - "My Old Friend the Blues" is nice - will definitely give points to this slow one; gives a little of an old-school feel which would have been nice to hear more of. "Someday" has a strong Springsteen vibe although the lyrics start to dance that line between Bruce and Bon Jovi.... Overall though - a disappointing pass. 3/10 2 stars.

I just really struggle with country music…

This album is in the wrong book. It should be in the "The most generic songs of all time: How to do it in less time"

Federe produktion end den slags plejer at have, men sangene var ikke så meget min stil

2.5 ok country. Can tell it’s a predecessor to studio country. Fav song My old the blues