Guitar Town

Very country.

Guitar Town doesn't even have Copperhead Road on it, so it's a disappointment from me. Title track is alright, the rest is fairly derivative and okay at best. 2/5.

Always worrying when track one has the same title on the album, and has more than twice as many Spotify streams as all the rest put together. It's all a bit bland, reasonably generic country soft rock that doesn't really speak to me. What you'd have got if Springsteen was half as talented and grew up 1000 miles further south west. 2/5.

Pre-Copperhead Road. Enthusiastic and energetic but he's still got the Johnny Cash thing going on, not really developed his own style yet. Smiled to hear "My granddaddy..", "GI loan" and "turned out the lights" all feature somewhere on this album.

Guitar Town has a recognizeable guitar melody My Old Friend The Blues is a lovely ballad. Overall a regular country twang album.

1986 was a key year for country. This is one of the key albums. Finally a must listen album. Earles brand of country was harsh, brutal, gentle, raucous and fun.

Well boys, if am going to listen to this, I am going to need a Trucker handle (name) for my CB radio chatter , but cant decide between Moonshine & Luna Moon. Which is more me, a double entendre or the tautology? This smooth album, err, "transports" me to a big barn style bar with neon and barrels and peanut shells and sawdust around. The warm relaxing tones are welcome on this album, and unlike most country, it doesnt grate and need not be weaponised in the Mars Attacks style. I suppose I do miss my 80'thundering Copperhead Road (Pogues influenced). Does the album below here? not qualified to say Do I love it? It is pleasant enough. Comforting. And the lullaby "little rock n roller" finally mentions a Truck Stop, and is kinda sweet. 3.5

Never heard this album before. But I do have a bunch of Earle’s cd’s. And 5 of the 10 tracks appear among the 13 tracks on Essential Steve Earle (1993) - pretty good, considering he’d released 4 albums up to that point. ( By contrast, there are no tracks from this album on the 2003 live album Just An American Boy). It’s an easy listen. He’s in fine voice & the musicianship is first-class. And every now & then I hear a lyric that confirms the class in what he would go on to do. But somehow it all sounds a bit generic. Like I’ve heard it all before. Little Rock’nRoller? Really?There are times when I think it’s a Jimmy Buffet album (not that there’s anything wrong with that). On the remastered 2003 cd, the best track is the bonus track - a live version of Springsteen’s State Trooper also recorded in 1986 - the band sounds so good.

A pretty fair cross of country and rock. Highly influenced by Springsteen; the version I listened to included a pretty good cover of "State Trooper" on the end, just to make that influence super clear. It's OK, but does not set my world aflame.

6/10. Or a low 7. Nice bit of country rock

It would be hard at this point to convince me that those involved in the creation of this list didn’t just throw a dart at the top 40 country albums every couple of years and call that representative of the genre. 6/10

Country rock, precursor del country alternatiu que tan en boga va estar als 00's. Gran part de la seva força resideix en les seves lletres i en les seves arrels en l'Amèrica profunda; cap de les dues coses m'arriben especialment a prop

I can't rate this, not my kind of music

The country really didn’t stop coming! Lower score overall but still good

Idk man de va helt okay men hade inte en övertygande country swag faktor

I like this more the more I listen to it. Interesting that the rock press picked it up and country ignored it at first, as parts of this sound very stereotypically country. Then again, maybe that's the reason - it was novel for rock but typical for country. Well written songs and some great country twang.

Normcore.

Fine country I suppose. Almost Springsteen-ish at moments. Definitely typical cliches of country but this was 1986 so I'll cut it some slack. I'd rather live in a Guitar Town than a Small Town.

Ce n'était pas mauvais, mais à la longue c'était un peu trop country à mon goût. Heureusement, c'était un album de courte durée et il a terminé juste comme j'étais tanné, mais je dois admettre que c'était bien fait. Je prendrais certainement ça avant bien des groupes country contemporains. 6/10

Soft country

Man har liksom hört det förut...

A very good country album that was pot outlaw but before the pop country. This is a good level of country music and rock sound that makes it enjoyable and still gives it a humble sound. More country albums should have been like this but instead they just aim to make money. A shame because this is quality. Would relisten but overall this isn’t anything groundbreaking just good. 6.8/10

All pop music is derivative of what came before. This is the defining aspect of **POP**ular music. Very few things come out and break the mold – the very notion is antithetical to the process: Iterations on themes that evolve over time. So, this debut album is derivative of that which comes before, while being the height of the form. The chronological iterations of the genre at large will soon descend into alt-pop-rock-country madness. (You know what I'm talking about.) Competent. Clean. Evocative. Absolutely not my taste.

Galet tunn linje han vandrar men gör det ju strålande.

Yee Haw

pretty lame country

A perfect blend of songwriting and delivery that brings straight ahead country with a nice blend of 80’s heartland rock.

Started strong, fell away towards the end. Good country music. 3 / 5 stars.

Some really lovely guitar work here (fits the name). Unfortunately everything else is just average.

Steve Earle is terrific - respects the heritage but pushes country into new territory; no facile, cookie cutter country tracks here. And, in any case, Earle is just a fine singer-songwriter.

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Put this one off for a long while because I think the album title is dumb. Not loving the tone out of the gate. Makes me think of Dire Straits if they were more inspired by country, mixed with John Mellancamp. I think this is fine enough 80s country rock. I just don't like 80s country rock very much. 2 / 5

I figured I'd like this more since I'm a fan of 80s country, but this was really not my thing

Very solid debut album. Songwriting and arrangements on point, and Earle’s delivery is perfect toungue-in-cheek tragedy. Not my style per se but I appreciate it nonetheless.

Way better than I expected

I went to school and it was bad I got a job and it was bad I lived my life and it was bad So I got in my car (which was bad) And drove away to start a new life hoping it wasn’t baaaaaad And it was bad

If I'm going to do Steve Earle, I believe this is where it starts and stops. Not bad at all.

It wasn't really my thing. I enjoyed the first two songs but after that there wasnt really anything I liked too much. I might listen again but probably not. It wasn't bad by any means, just not really my thing.

It's a good one of those

Quite pleasant in the background, though I wouldn't seek it out. No songs really stuck out to me, I didn't save any to my playlist.

Shit billy

Solid ‘80s country album but nothing really blew me away. I enjoyed the storytelling quality of the lyrics but a lot of the album runs together after a listen.

Akkúrat svona köntrí finnst mér óendanlega leiðinlegt.

Nice country album, seems to be a very early start to the "I got me my truck" era of country but it's a good listen

This isn't really the country music I enjoy. It just feels so off... 2.5/5

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, it was rather smooth Favourite song: Track 5 - My Old Friend The Blues

I listened to it at some point but I couldn't tell you anything about it. 4/10

Okay for what it is. But nothing spectacular.

thoroughly enjoyed

No conocía al autor ni este disco. En otras reseñas ya he puesto que me gusta la Americana music y algo el Country pero no soy fan. Quitando la canción que da título al disco no me ha parecido algo imprescindible.

I love My Old Friend The Blues.

I see how this works for others but it doesn’t do anything for me.

Excepcional! A beautiful and unique album!

Old twangy rock 2.5

It’s country by Steve Earle so of course it’s good but nothing stuck out to me too much. Maybe that was just the circumstances I was listening to the album in but it just gets a high 3.

I don't usually go for country but I was surprised by this and enjoyed it

Standard country rock schmaltz.

Sure it is not super twangy country but it is still country. Avoid it.

Musica classica de cowboy falando sobre o truck dele

Like an uninspired, country version of Bruce Springsteen with less feeling. Nice basic songwriting and structure, nothing extra. Nice album to throw on just to have some noise, but isn’t really deep. It’s fun and I enjoyed it. No substance though. 3/5

Proper hillbilly music- not too bad but not my kinda thing.

This is probably the best Country Rock album I've ever heard, and I mean that derogatorily. I did really like Goodbye's All We've Got Left though

Steve Earle is great but this album just sounds like a bunch of songs that are pretty close but not close enough to Copperhead Road. Sounds like a John Cougar Mellencamp album if he was from Tennessee. Or a Steve Earle album about sucking on a chili dog.

Goodbye's All We Got Left to Say is good! Love the guitar in Fearless Heart Overall a pretty solid classic album that could go toe to toe with some Tom Petty or John (Cougar) Mellencamp albums.

If modern country sounded like this I would definitely listen more Guitar Town sounds like a fun place This album makes me want to jump into my Toyota T100 and drive endlessly down a dirt road

No thanks I'll cut my ears off next time. I wish they gave 0's. Is this where country took a turn for the worst? Apologies to all the other artists I gave a 1 to compared to this.

I should have stopped when "Hillbilly Highway" started playing. I only made it a couple more songs...

Country Rock. Ugh, why is it so popular? I love me a good guitar, but I can't get past the real country twang vocally. Please get it away from me. Best: Guitar Town Worst: Hillbilly Highway

3.7 - It's got a strong John Cougar Mellencamp vibe but with more distinctive writing and country music production to square it to a Reagan-loving American heartland demographic. I was slightly put off by the "funny talking man from Iran" line. I also don't love the synthesizer lines that remind of terrible ballads from Ed McMahon's Star Search show from the 80's. But overall, it's a tight and well-crafted pop country record that gives voice to an everyman persona. Standouts: "Hillbilly Highway", "Good Ol' Boy (Gettin' Tough)."

A couple of tracks sound a bit like Ryan Adams, but the rest is Country and Western

i am lead to believe that steve earle's guitar town was groundbreaking in terms of country and rock coming together. most times, i didn't find myself that impressed, but it's of course different listening to something in 1986 than 2023. it was easy enough to listen to! it could be catchy at times. i do enjoy witty lyrics, and earle's songs could contain clever lines. earle even leaned into the hick side of country rock, even going so far to create a song named "hillbilly highway." you gotta embrace who you are! 2.5

I love when I get to put on my 80s/90s country hat for this project. Upon hearing this album, my initial bias was "well, this isn't nearly as good as X 80s/90s country album that I love! why was this included instead of X?" Well, I think I can somewhat answer that now. The late 80s into the 90s was a transformative time for country, as rock and pop music began to creep more into the overall sound. This album arrived during that transformative time and is probably a very early example of that sound transformation being put into heavy play. A lot of the "heavier" instrument sounds of heartland rock/pop acts were directly transferrable into country music. Bruce Springsteen was definitely among the most influential here, which is why his overall sound and voice affectations are so prominent in this era of country. Steve Earle still has a lot of classic country sounds going on here in these early days, but the Bruce Springsteen-isms are undeniable. Eventually, the Springsteen-isms would take an even heavier hold in the 90s country music scene. This project is known for paying dues to early influencers of various musical movements and sounds, and in the case of country melding with contemporary rock and pop, I think the presence of this album is again an early example of that. And while other artists that came later did this sound better and more famously, this album is in the midsts of the birthplace of the 90s country craze. So again, not a favorite album in the grand scheme of 90s country, but as an appreciator of this country music era, I did baseline enjoy this album.

ммм кантри) нет

I’ll be honest I’ve never been a country person. This album is good at keeping what makes genre recognizable but making it accessible to those, like me, who aren’t big into the genre.

I mean, it sounds like every album that ever came out of Nashville. And, while I love the town, I'm not here for the janky countryrock sound it's known for. It just sounds like the Eagles wearing Wranglers. Or Springsteen with a over-the-top twang. Hard pass.

The more male-sung American country music I listen to, the more I just think it's not for me. I really can't get on very well with that twang of his accent. Somehow, despite saying all that, Hillbilly Highway happened to be my favourite. Unfortunately, to me that bar wasn't very high. I also got this on a day where I just really couldn't appreciate music like this, sorry. Favourite: Hillbilly Highway

Goldschool country. One of the best country albums ive heard

It's fine. One of the best country albums I've ever heard, so let this 3/5 be an indication of how low the bar has been set so far (except for my man Johnny Cash). Nice one, Steve.

I liked it. Nice country album. 4/5

The honky tonk beats left me feeling calm and even gave me some bounce as I worked on organizing receipts. Feel good music, but I’m afraid I can’t recall anything that moved me.

Some country shit, felt like I needed to be on a dirt road

It's another country album, much better than contemporary country, but still, nothing really exceptional. I don't have time to write much more about it, sorry.

Too much twang over a short period of time for me on this one, some interesting song compositions here and there but mostly too straightforward and static to capture me.

sanoin pojanklopille sitten että miks et oo töissä... tuli semmosta vastausta että piti terassilla käydä KOLME röökiä savuttaa ennen kuin hilseet laskeutu takasin alas. menin sitte pojan isälle puhumaan, kysyin että minkälaista taloa siellä pidetään kun ei voida edes TÖIHIN mennä. kyllä niitä töitä tässä maassa riittää... kankkulan kaivoon koko saatanan valtakunta valumassa kun istutaan vaan kotona ja vouhotellaan niistä peleistä.... fearless heart

they type of country I enjoy kinda wilco esque sonds about small towns 3.5

Kinda old school country before it went more pop with a Springsteen like vibe

Man I had hopes for this, because I know Steve Earle is a cool person, and Copperhead Road is a banger. But this album... sucked. This was genuinely boring country rock that pulls the least interesting bits from each of its parent genres and stitches them together in the hopes of appealing the least common denominator. I hope he's got better stuff out there, but if not... at least we still have Copperhead Road.

I have to say, I was really not very impressed. I didn't hear anything that struck me as a strong stand out. That being said, I like this guy after reading through his Wiki. I wish he made a better album, and maybe he did after this one.

Tried again. Not a fan.

Feel for the guy and even like this kinda music just sounds kinda cheez

Not my favorite but extra star for playing Walon in The Wire 3/5

Best prima

Not a huge fan of country music but that's the only thing I don't like about this. Good melodies, good music.

Horrible

meh

Ok but not great

Easy listening soft country. Nothing jumped out and grabbed me as the music passed by, either as good or bad.

Really crap

I like this. Sounds like unashamed American confidence of the 80s. Reminded me of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. I enjoyed the instrumentals and harmonies on Down The Road.

Some forgettable tunes but a few belters, not one I’d be rushing back to but a good listen nonetheless Hillbilly highway best tune for me

Genuine Hilbilly music

Solid old country-rock, not exactly my thing but there were definitely some good songs here.

HL: "Fearless", "Hillbilly Highway", "Someday" The blend of mid-80s radio rock & country kinda slaps for the most part; I‘m skeptical that it’s Earle’s best album but it’s probably the first I’ve heard front-to-back. January 19, 2023

Someday rocked

Steve Earle is cool. I’d consider him “real” country music. The twang ain’t faked. The drawl is real. The reverb is awesome. There’s a clear influence on artist like Dwight Yokam and others who I’d consider the last real country artists. Great album.

Bog standard country/rock. Not my thing "at all" but for those that like that. Fill your boots.

Not my jam but great voice and well-respected name

Call me crazy, but when I queued up an album called "Guitar Town," I expected to hear some impressive guitar playin'. That is not what I got, but I did get country music, which is always a tough sell for me. <insert '90s-era Hercules "Disappointed!" .gif here>

Fantastic twangy country music

absolutely gash.

What a shit album title I'm 8 seconds in, it's country. Fuck my life.

favorite tracks - hillbilly highway, good ol boy, fearless heart, down the road least favorite tracks - goodbyes all we got left

I’m very picky with my taste in country music. This is a bit too twangy and poppy. It wasn’t a bad listen tho. Just nothing that really stood out to me.

If the first 10 seconds are any indication of what this is (overproduced cornball country music) I am in for a very long 40 minutes. He's already said "Hey Pretty Baby" as I typed that last sentence. This is only the third album to make me regret my personal rule that I listen to EVERY song*. Hillbilly Highway? Seriously. Do you want more tassels on your sleeves you line dance cliche knobend? There are a couple of more tolerable songs towards the end - a ballad about his kid and an old style rock and roller - but this is relative to the otherwise dreadful stuff either side of it. Avoid * Only broken once, for post 2000 U2. That was for my own mental health.

I am a Steve Earle fan, but this is his early stuff that is a lot more twangy kinda country, than the rockish, southern fried version of his later years. But I did enjoy this album. I have listened before and will probably hear again through my random plays on Spotify. I liked the first several songs on the album. Some were your cheesy kinda songs, but some times I'm into the cheesy, sappy kinda songs. Special shout outs for Hillbilly Highway, Good 'Ol Boy, My old friend the Blues and Someday. And the song that touched my heart was Little Rock n Roller. If some day you are blessed and have children, I am confident this song would make you smile and think of your kids when they were growing up. Shit, you even think of them now, when they have grown up! "I know there's an Angel just for Rock n Rollers" I'm giving this album a 3.5. 3 for the album and a bonus .5 for making me think of my children 3.5 will score a 3

See review: Gilded Palace of Sin. 2

2.5 Oh boy, more country! I was at least a little interested to check this one out, being familiar with Copperhead Road as a karaoke staple for my dad, but he warned me ahead of time this album is not that, and he’s right, it isn’t - it’s much more on the lighter side. I still thought it had a fun energy to it though, even if it was a bit more on the poppier side, and I genuinely feel like Earle has a voice made for country music. Other than that, don’t feel like I have a ton to say - pretty middle of the road country, so middle of the road rating. I saw Emmylou Harris has a cover of the title track, and I found it pretty solid, to the point where I may even prefer hers… though to be fair, there’s probably very little country music I don’t think could be sung better by her. Shoutout to Bright Eyes for featuring her on I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning. Favorite songs: Guitar Town, Hillbilly Highway, My Old Friend the Blues, Someday

Ok album but not for me - too country

Excellent country rock. Great, clean production. I’m picking up Bruce vibes on a lot of these songs. “Little Rock ‘n’ Roller” is such a sweet, heartbreaking song!

I've actually never listened to Steve Earle but I listened to the hell out of the music of his son, Justin Townes Earle. Justin tragically passed in 2020 at the age of 38 after falling back in love with drugs after years of sobriety. I was really sad when he passed. Steve Earle was doing this weekly podcast/vlog thing named after this album called "Guitar Town" where he would talk about some of his interesting guitars and assorted music stuff. I didn't really follow it because I didn't really follow him but I tuned in to the one that he did the week that Justin passed because I had heard that they had like an on again off again relationship that ultimately ended with both of them being very close with one another. It's interesting to look at because this was Aug 2020 which meant that the pandemic lockdown was still somewhat early but definitely in that phase when people were starting to wonder about how long this thing would last for, and I think that Steve was doing this vlogcast thing to keep himself busy. In the video towards the end, there's this very short and surreal moment where Steve is playing an old mandolin that he describes and spends like 5 or 6 minutes playing and strumming and then he finishes the video by saying "1910 Gibson Model A Mandolin... Justin Townes Earle, 1982, 2020" and then ends the video. The comments section is filled with people sharing RIP sentiments and the difficulty of losing a child and how much they loved Justin but I was just surprised by how he doesn't mention much besides that. He does allude to Justin's passing earlier in the video because he says that he will do "less of these videos, little bit of a break because we had some bad stuff happen around here" and that's it. (Here's the video with time stamp: https://youtu.be/oa8zJWVpm-0?t=568 ) These folk/country lineages I know are always temperamental and drama filled- like the most famous one being the Hank Williams' musical dynasty. IIRC they all hate eachother, and from my perspective, Hank senior is really legit heart breaking roots country, Hank junior is a crappy conservative rockin country pop act, and Hank 3 is the bassist of one of my favorite heavy metal acts, Superjoint Ritual. So they really do their own things and live their own lives.. Anyway, back to this album hahahah! The songs are definitely more country/folk pop than I would have thought. Not exactly my thing but I can pull out elements that I like, like the guitar playing on the otherwise cheesy song "My Old Friend The Blues" is particularly tasteful. "Fearless Heart" is great. To me it sounds just like a song that Justin Townes Earle would write but with much less of an edge to it. I also hear Justin's mumble inside of the singing in "Little Rock 'N' Roller" which is pretty fitting. Makes me sad and the ending being a lullaby really reinforces that. The "State Trooper" cover at the end was nice. I dug the slower, crawling pace of it. Overall I liked the album. I think it fits on this list. It's probably a 3.3/5 for me.

Skipped through this because not my thang

This is such a good album every song is rife with hooks and melodies and singable lyrics. Stories that are relateable with interesting, colourful characters. Themes are familiar; loneliness, boredom, hope, the myth of the American dream. The songs are delivered with simplicity and a rock and roll toughness that shows us what's to come. One of my favorite country albums and deserving of a 5 star rating.

Korrek

Good country rock.

There are Steve Earle songs i have known and loved for decades but I do not enjoy country music as the norm. That being said, for some reason listening to this album didn't make me want to instantly turn it off. I'm still giving it a 3 .. but that's high praise for country from me.

niet afgeluisterd, niet mijn ding

Prima achtergrond ruis maar kon er niks bijzonders in herkennen . Beetje saai imo

Yee-haw. Good ol' country music. Pleasant and true to the genre but generally not memorable enough for me to think it should be on a list of greatest all time.

2/12, 17%

Very solid country rock Favorites: Guitar Town, Hillbilly Hoghway, Down The Road

Quite surprised to know that this was Steve's debut album, for this feels and sounds as worn and lived out as many lives. A sign of things to come, as the saying goes. Short, sweet and solid. Favorites: Guitar Town, Goodbye's All We've Got Left, Hillbilly Highway, My Old Friend the Blues, Someday, Fearless Heart, Little Rock 'n' Roller.

If they would speed it up a little and make it a rock 'n roll album, it would have been great, but now it's just boring country music. I liked the last song (live) which had a little more energy.

Like a great road trip, whooshes by with moments of poignance, insight, kicks and chug.

This is a stunning debut album.

Tosiaan hyvä eka biisi, sittenpä lopahtaa. Ilahduttavaa toki se, että jotenkin tässä on uudempi soundi kuin ilmestymisvuosi voisi antaa olettaa.

Guitar Town on viiden tähden biisi, mutta se on sitä siksi, että Earlen sävellystapa on luottaa tuttuun muotoon, jonka minimaalinen varioiminen synnyttää ajoittain lopputuloksen, joka nousee selittämättömästä syystä itsensä yläpuolelle. Tällä levyllä artistilla ei käy vastaava tuuri minkään muun kappaleen kohdalla, ja suuri osa levystä tuntuu aika tasapaksulta suorittamiselta.

I don't really listen to country all that much but I quite enjoyed this

Boring, annoying country voice. Really struggled to get through this one. Luckily it was fairly short.

Meh.

Not really in to country music but not bad.

It feels like there’s a direct line leading from this to Blake Shelton’s ‘Boys Round Here’, and for that I don’t know whether to give it 1 star or 5. Goodbye’s All We’ve Got Left is a decent song (and strangely familiar), but a lot of it’s a bit… ehhh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Fun 80s country rock, but forgettable.

Oh hell no. No more country please

Really enjoyed this, upbeat easy listening. Country but not annoyingly so.

Fills the gap between Springsteen and Johnny Cash, which is a pleasant place to be. Musically and lyrically great, and really fun.

Not a big country fan, but I enjoyed it for the most part.

Country suave a bordo de una guitarra. Buena voz. Para muy amantes del género

Unfairly categorized as country, but this is straight Americana - equal parts folk, country, and rock & roll. One of the best albums of its kind, and Steve is one of the great songwriters of the American experience. Amazing songs. Great record.

I'm not one for country music but I didn't mind this album. The upbeat songs were fun and while I didn't enjoy the "sad" songs, at least the twang and cheesiness weren't too overwhelming

It wasn't bad for a country rock album. But how was this different from any other 80/90s country rock album or some guy playing at a random state fair? This didn't belong on this list. 2.5 but I'm rounding down.

Very standard 80s/early 90s solo country male sound. I enjoy this kind of music in pieces, the entire album itself got to be a bit much. But I do like the songwriting.

Pretty boring, not a fan of this old fashion country style.

i like some steve earle, but i don't like this steve earle, sorry. (i also don't really like most country, so yeah)

Country

I love Steve Earle, but I prefer his rock side versus this album which is more pure country/twang kind of stuff. It's still good, but I think when he started blending elements of rock and country and folk and bluegrass he really hit his stride. 3 stars.

Sounds to me like the country version of the kind of stuff tom petty and Bruce Springsteen we’re doing in the 80’s. Hard to believe his vocals were Grammy worthy. Songs are alright but don’t seem like anything special to me- I am not super familiar with country of the 80’s so I might be missing something here- Maybe it was influential to a lot of modern country with the same kind of sound?

Some good time country songs but the 80’s digital country tones just aren’t the same as the old timey stuff twangy guitars are happening but they sound so thin and lame compared to George Jones records Little rock n roller is a truly horrible song. Sounds like something we would have to play at a wedding Really not digging the twinkly 80’s piano on hillbilly highway Any album with pedal steel is gonna get a decent rating at least. But man everything sounds so bright and digital. I miss the warmth of old 60s country. Surprised but I actually kinda like the synths sounding guitar on fearless heart Really like the last track. Singing is great, mandolin is great

Guitar town? Oof. Bad name. This reminds me of kidsalong. This was hard for me to get through but I didn’t HATE anything.

Great lyrics, but this twangy cowpoke era of his music is not something I'd revisit often. Yeehaw. That little rocker track is even more poignant now since his son's recent passing. Jesus.

I don’t like most country music.

Not my cup of iced tea

3.5-4 stars - it was good, i enjoyed it more than I thought I would

Really great stuff on here. I know a lot about his work with Lucinda Williams, so I expected greatness from the start, and greatness is what I got! Good stuff all around.

For its genre, its pretty strong

I was excited to hear a country/singer-songwriter album, but this didnt do much for me.. it was fine, but I couldnt hear what made it "1001" worthy, if that makes sense...

Hated this. If you walk into a bar and this sort of music is playing, you know you're just a few minutes away from some redneck good 'ol boy saying "you ain't from round here are you boy" and then punching you in the face.

Deeply cool, thogh there would be better records later, especially Transcendental Blues, as I recall. The production is tinny and a case can be made that SE over-sings (overtwangs?) on some cuts. Still, lots of lovely moments and authenticity to spare, which more than overcomes the '80s effect. This is an obvous template of more than half (and definitely the better half) of the Americana to come.

Malgré une réelle volonté de se débarrasser de ses influences country sur cet album, notre ami Steve Earl ne réussira que partiellement son entreprise et se trouvera bien bête au moment de terminer son projet sur un morceau à la gloire du rodéo et du port d'armes. Bien essayé, toutefois.

Steve Earle tentera tout l'album de se dépatouiller de ce style country tant décrié, sans jamais complétement réussir à s'en extraire.

Not a terrible album but he’s no Springsteen. Great guitar sound but barely a minute in to the album you’re bombarded with lines of indiscernible country babble populated by the occasional Southern town (“howdy dowdy Tennessee”). The earnest songwriting is definitely charming and it’s something which has pleasantly surprised me about this style of country pop so far on this list. But this ain’t top tier.

Just meh, very mediocre. I didn't hate it but there is so much better country out there to listen to. A Guitar Town is my type of town though.

Very good

I love Steve Earle. I don't love every song on this album but it's still a phenomenal debut.

As primeiras músicas do disco todas são boas de ouvir. Goog Ol' Boy é muito boa! My Old Friend também.

Just some classic guitar-slammin' country. Makes workplace lethargy slightly more endurable. That said, vocals and songwriting were just okay IMO. Production was smooth and nice at least. Worth a listen, but largely wouldn't re-listen to most of this Fave tracks: "Someday," "Fearless Heart".

I swear this music is a joke right?

A slightly more guitar ‘rock’ side of country or Americana resembling Ryan Adams at times. Ok.

-Ok enough country rock -Not actively unpleasant -That's about all I got

Great country rock.

Good ole boy country I can properly get behind. Sincerely written, masterfully played, limited references to his beer cans and maximum references to his highway chewing 8 cylinder and gheetar.

I guess it's my fault for thinking that an album called "Guitar Town" would be an awesome guitar album to look forward to.

Aight

nice

I really don’t like country music.

OK but not my favorite of his. A little too much country twang and not enough rootsy Americana.

Country. Ni fu ni fa.

When people say Nashville Country, this is what I imagine (granted I have no idea if that’s accurate). It’s like pop country but when pop was rock.

A bit bland I really don’t have good or bad things to say about it

i’m always down for some nashville country, but this album didnt really speak to me. it was fine?

American country cliches lyrical and musical - not for me

Not much variety in these songs and a little bit too much country for my taste. Fave track: Little Rock 'N' Roller

Hmmm, it's sub-Springsteen Americana, a bit samey. Hah, I was going to pick "State Trooper" as my fave track, but it turns out that A) it's a bonus track and B) it's a Springsteen cover! Fave track - "Good Ol' Boy (Gettin' Tough)", maybe, or "Someday"...

"Guitar Town" is Steve Earle's first album after years racked up as a session musician and songwriter. He broke out here with commercial success and multiple singles hitting the country charts. My dad, ever keen to present me with easy-going soft rock with shades of country, gifted me this a few years back as a random selection from the book. I dismissed a bit as lightweight and am only just coming back to it now. I was wrong, Dad. Well, a little bit. The opening track "Guitar Town" gives a good idea of what to expect: super polished, pristinely produced guitar country. There are walls of shimmering acoustic guitar and a clean twangy lead with plenty of tremolo. Drums are stompy, handclaps punctuate the choruses, swells of organ fill in the gaps. The lyrics are unrelentingly cliched and "been-there-done-that" to the point they don't even register, but feel like well worn shoes to dance in. The poor lyrics aren't too much of a problem: the hooks come from the guitar and Earle's unfussy vocals (often with some lovely harmonies, as in "Goodbye's All We've Got Left"). The best songs here are "Guitar Town", "Someday" and "Fearless Heart" (with a cracking chiming guitar solo). Elsewhere there's country blues ("Hillbilly Highway", "Think It Over") slightly dodgy attempts at harder rock ("Good Ol' Boy") and tepid ballads which bring the pace grinding to a halt ("My Old Friend The Blues", "Little Rock 'N' Roller"). Instrumentally, it's very accomplished: not particularly spontaneous or rough around the edges, but it serves the songs well. In 1986, "Guitar Town" must have been completely out of step with the prevailing popular styles of the day, regardless of what was happening in country. Hearing it now has made me appreciate Steve Earle a lot more, but it still isn't really my cup of tea. I'll keep waiting for Travelling Wilburys to come along for this formula to truly click.

Pretty good debut. There were some great tracks but also some very dated tracks that firmly place this record in the 80s with the over use of echo. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but with a genre like country, you expect more of a timeless quality to it. I really like Steve Earle and this album clearly shows his songwriting prowess.

todays album was very interesting to me. Every song on it felt familiar but at the same time it felt like he shouldn't be the one singing it. BUt it was not a cover. so weird

Honky tonkin guitar from the 80s. if thats your vibe then boy howdy do we have an album for you. Its well produced, and Steve's voice has a charm, I just dont like this hyper prodcued country sound.

I liked several tracks but I really preferred his newer material

Country

Unerträglich banal

Did I like this? Absolutely not! Was it the worst thing…close. It’s clear Steve Earle is a decent musician it’s also clear that his brand of country on this record isn’t for me.

Steve Earle's debut album and considered one of the first in the alt-country genre. I actually consider Earle's next few albums more alt-country. This one has more of a traditional country feel to it and even towards the dreaded pop-country. Each song tells a story with classic country themes: I'm down and out, a breakup song, not living up to expectations and living on the road. Two songs really stand out to me: "Guitar Town" with its great rhyming lyrics and twangy guitar and "Little Rock "N" Roller", a tear- jerker about calling up his son, Justin Townes Earle (RIP) while on the road just to talk and don't tell Mom. I can't say this is my favorite Steve Earle (that would come in a few albums) but there are some outstanding songs and overall, it is a good liste.

honest and immediate as country is

Is this for real? It feels like it is making fun of country music. I like some of his other stuff so I'm not sure why this album really rubs me the wrong way.

Need to hear more if it.

Put on yer shit-kickers and kick some shit

Best Song: Guitar Town. Really hits you in the mouth with the twang, but it's early enough in the album that it feels like a nice novelty rather than a ludicrous affectation. Worst Song: My Old Friend the Blues. Call me cantankerous but I really don't think "the blues" should be sung as sweet-faced as this. The blues are gritty, not this saccharine stuff that feels like it should be playing at closing time in a rib restaurant. Overall: You'll only find long vowels in this ol' giddyup. Feels like it has a classic rock feel in parts, almost like Bruce Springsteen or Bon Jovi, but also devolves into modern pop-country crooning. I don't really like the genre, but when I do it is at least has some raw and rough qualities. This kind of polished country feels like an oxymoron that's antithetical to the best parts of the genre.

I love this stuff unironically. 4

This ain't it chief

Not usually my cup of tea but jangly enough to keep me entertained. Had to go and listen to Copperhead Road as well for good measure after realising it wasn’t on this album.

Neither love nor hate

File under : Albums I’ll keep in my jukebox in the scenario I play in my head sometimes where work goes sideways and I move far up north or down south and open up a bar where someone is always in the corner playing darts

Just a nice country boy singing his nice songs. Inoffensive

meh

Yeah, not my thing at all. Tough to sit through.

Little too country for my liking but still enjoyable

why is this on the list

Didn’t make it far.

County isn't my thing - could not get away with it - nice guitar sound

Generic country with repetitive music. I kept waiting for the sound that worked explain why this was a 1001 selection but I never heard it.

You know, this is an album that grows on you as you listen to it over time, kind of like a comfortable pair of old jeans. I've heard it before a few times here and there, but enjoyed it more this time around. I also enjoyed the album more as the songs progressed. It's a classic sound of stripped down, rock-tinged country. The songs are warm and catchy with some really earnest and engaging songwriting. It's a sound that doesn't really get old, even 30-odd years after it came out. Fave Songs: Think It Over, Someday, Goodbye's All We've Got Left, Fearless Heart, Down the Road, Little Rock 'n' Roller, My Old Friend the Blues

All I could think about during this was Wheeler Walker Jr. Pretty interesting to see where he got his whole fucking sound from. A lot less references to sucking dicks and tits. So I guess that's okay? Little Rock n' Roller got some emotion out of me. It's a solid album.

Seems well produced, not my thing though

This is weird music. It is like Bruce Springsteen, but more 80s and new wave but also more country. This album really confused me.

Oooh that’s county alright. And I really don’t like country. I feel like there’s a possibility that this is a seminal album that might have set the mould for things to come. Don’t really care though, as it’s such a shitty mould. I did however, find my thumbs being inexorably drawn to the belt loops of my blue Levi jeans, so there maybe something powerful in this boring dross.

Spooky in hindsight. An ok debut.

Steve Earle is everything the critics think about Dwight Yoakam, only his voice is pleasant to listen to and he writes a hell of a lyric. Long live Waylon. Best track: Guitar Town

Country. Ni fu ni fa.

Country. Normal.

I know why people can like this. It's this time where people like Earl blew some fresh air in the country music. It's just still really not for me, and as far as I can tell, musically also nothing special.

Never been a fan of C&W, just can’t get into the genre. There are tracks on this album that are more listenable than other and the album does tell a story of 80’s America and the struggles that parts of the country encountered.

Voor mijn gevoel typische moderne amerikaanse country-muziek, met zo'n pop sausje er overheen. Klinkt wel lekker eigenlijk. Mijn favoriet is "Good Ol' Boy". ***

Guitar town - not my style Goodbye's All We've Got Left - pretty good. I liked it when the piano came on. Hillbilly Highway- really catchy! liked it a lot. Good Ol' Boy - little repetitive, but fun to listen to, i'm in the mood for some traditionnal country My Old Friend the Blues - oof... good song Somedays - most eighties poppy song in here, so not my fave. but not that bad either Think it over - waaay too traditionnal and repetitive Fearless heart - mmmmmeh Little rock n' roller - too cheesy for me Down the road - funky still better than bad by michael jackson, so

Know the name, but never knew a single lick of his music. It’s definitely country. But not as dull as I was expecting. There are some major pop elements throughout that make it more listenable than run of the mill guitar and twang country. Steve’s alright with me.

Maybe it's because I hadn't had a country album after 70 albums on this site. Maybe it's because it's barely half an hour of music and I could start a new album. Maybe it's because it's genuinely good. Maybe - definitely - it's all three. Added.

Love it. I'm not a huge C&W fan but great songwriting is great songwriting.

Guitar Town by Steve Earle (1986) This album was probably appealing in 1986 because it was one of the first digitally recorded country albums. And indeed it does have the clarity and sonic space of a digital recording. Also, it was likely embraced by younger country/western fans, who could appreciate its innovative rock flavorings. But musically, it doesn’t offer much, and the lyrics are sub par. Singer/songwriter Steve Earle has a competent backing band, but there’s inadequate genius at the artistic center. The closing track “Down the Road” stands out, but the a cappella solo passages are too brief, and they could have used at least one other voice in harmonic backing. Disappointing. For an album titled Guitar Town, there is precious little guitar virtuosity here, basically just strumming and plain, simple riffs. And Earle’s vocals are overly affected, with a sassy twang yet insufficient range, especially on the low end, in the ill-chosen (but easy to play) key signatures. There’s lots of mumbling toward the ends of phrases, as if Earle doesn’t take his own thoughts seriously. So why should the listener? Underwhelming. 2/5

Not bad, but too twangy for my tastes. And if you've heard one song from this album, then you've heard them all.

Guitar town Hillbilly highway Good old friend the blues

Yep that's honky-tonk alright.

country rock 80s no doubt churned through the KXRK channels

This is probably the first country album I've listened to that I actually enjoyed. I was dismissive of the first few seconds because I'm generally not a big fan of the southern twang vocals. But as the drums, lead guitar and background keyboards rolled in, I got hooked lined and sinkered and soon embraced the twang. It's by no means perfect or consistent, but it did capture my interest and brought a few bangers along the way.

Alright, nothing special.

A great countryrock album. I had not listened to it for quite a couple of years. It is still perfect in every sense.

Solid alt country rock album. Not a huge fan of Earle's vocals, but it has the heart and intensity required for this kind of music.

This is absolutely not my style of music at all, bleh

i do not have thoughts ever

Didn’t speak to me. Feels like the precursor to late eighties/early nineties pop country.

Really good country music. Nothing more, nothing less

Dope and dumb

1986. Guitar Town

I've heard of Steve Earle thanks to Lyle Lovett's excellent cover of Earle's song 'Lungs,' but didn't really know Steve Earle's music beyond that. This album is a lot more country-style than the music I usually listen to or tend be drawn to, but I like it. I find the songs to be well-written and performed nicely, too. Kind of music that reminds me of road trips, or playing pool at a bar. Romanticizing this all in my mind, I know, but that's what music often does. I'll take it.

Meh. Specifically unchecked country music….

4.5

Not too shabby old boy, started breaking down into a lot of country, so 3 stars, because I ain’t about that.

Just a great album. Great vocals, lyrics and who doesn't love pedal steel guitar

This is good songwriting, and not pandering BS. Music and hooks are catchy. Lyrics are hard hitting, but still are down to earth and relatable. Highlight tracks: 2, 3, 4, 6

I really don’t like country, holy shit this album was difficult for me. I’ll give it a 3/10, the only part of the album I liked was in Fearless Heart at around 1:45 and 3:18, it was a pretty nice 80’s style hook that I appreciated the rest of the album was lackin tho

OK. Expected more.

Good old country

Nice.

Rock solid country music. I liked it. Maybe I'm being changed by mere exposure to country. I should probably go back and see what I think of Willie Nelson, now.

Maybe not more than the sum of its cliches, but Earle rides the peak of the Springsteenism wave with such warmth and range that the sum is pretty decent on its own.

Guitar Town came out in 1986, one of the worst years for music ever, and it doesn't outright suck. That's some kind of accomplishment, right there. First off, the sound of the album is pleasing. There's a nice balance between guitar, keyboards, singing and drums, which is down to producers Emory Gordy, Jr., and Tony Brown. Yes, the backbeat on the drums is overly literal, but I'd be shocked to find an 80s mainstream album that didn't have that. The songs and musicianship are pleasant enough. Oh, another thing: the keyboards are period-specific, but they don't make me want to puke. And yet, I've got to ask, why is this album on any kind of list? It's bog-standard mainstream country from start to finish. Nothing musically interesting about it. And Steve Earle doesn't have anything new to say lyrically. Still, you could do a lot worse. If this came on in a barbecue restaurant, it wouldn't make me want to take my ribs to go. One last note: The most assertive, appealing songs are frontloaded, so the album steadily gets weaker as it goes along.

Hayride Springsteen. The precursor-to-Stadium-Big-Hat-Country production occludes the songs a bit.

Already knew this well. Not my very favourite of SE, but perhaps pips others to the list because of its greater significance. Nevertheless a really strong album.

Listened to this after pulling an all nighter for a hackathon. God it didn't help keep me awake on the way home

Liked this more than I thought I would.

This was very good. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen again, but it was really well done.

As a general rule, I like Steve Earle. I've heard a few songs here and there since the mid-90s and I've heard some performances for radio stations in his the more recent portion of his career, but I've never heard a full album. "Girls & Boys" was the track I liked the most from this listen. It had a good driving rhythm to it. Overall, the album was good, but I'm not sure if I will remember this album long enough to want to come back to it. I'd be happy to listen to more Steve Earle though, in general.

SO TWANGY

I was not familiar with this before. I enjoy "Guitar Town." I did not like "Little Rock 'n' Roller." I liked the old school country sound of "Think it Over." What I hear is an 80s country album. I don't know enough about the genre to know what might be special or innovative about this particular album. I don't know what makes it stand out, although I know that sometimes it was the first to sound this way.

Most of this was...fine? I guess? (shrug emoji) I like the guitar playing and the instrumentation but mostly this leaves me cold and wanting to listen to a country album that I like. I liked Hillbilly Highway. Good 'Ol Boy is ok, though I don't really get why someone from Iran partially owns his truck and it reminds me a little of the song Gettin' Bi from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I do really appreciate the line, "I was born in the land of plenty, now there ain't enough." And I don't know that I like the song all that much but I sure feel the sentiments in My Old Friend the Blues.

I’ve always liked Steve Earle, although haven’t listened to a lot of his music. Time to remedy that a bit… I’ve always been a big fan of truckin’ songs. “Guitar Town” is a really fine specimen of this genre. Steel belts, truck stops, boots and motels? All to a rockin’ country arrangement? Count me in! We’re off to a great start. Clearly Steve Earle knows his hay around a good hook. “Goodbye’s All We Got Left” is such a great sounding song it makes me wish he was breaking up with me. Spoiler alert: at this point I hit add to add this album to my library. It’ll take a real surprising disaster to derail this. “Hillbilly Highway” is a simple but very compelling seemingly autobiographical song about a musician and the choices we make in life. just a straightforward great song. “Good Ol’ Boy (Gettin’ Tough)” has lyrics as compelling today as in 1986. We are seeing what 35 years of where exacerbating inequality in the land of plenty gets us. Maybe this song should have been a little angrier and more demanding back then... Loved “My Old Friend The Blues.” This song would have come in handy over the last few years. I’m sure it will again soon. “Someday” is another great song about not getting by in America. Again, a perfect sentiment in 1986 that sadly makes me wonder if we will ever progress… “Think It Over” is a sweet little breakup song that you can dance to. “Fearless Heart” is a really sweet love song with very clever lyrics and a great arrangement. Couldn’t ask for more… “Little Rock ‘n’ Roller” is a touching song. Full of those hopes and promises that likely will never quite come true. Sort of a country “Cats in the Cradle”. I’m fine with a little too much sap these days. “Down The Road” is that classic ‘keep on keeping on’ advice to those who can’t find love. A classic ending to a classic country album. What a great debut album! Definitely see why it’s on this list. Listened to it 3 times already and expect it to be in heavy rotation for a while.

Too country for me but better than most country

Better then expected

C’est bon mais j’ai eu beaucoup d’albums de ce style dans les dernieres emeaines et celui ci n’est pas plus marquants que les autres.

I get the appeal, but not for me

I'm sure Steve Earle wishes that he had the same mop of hair today, that he had 35 years ago, when he recorded his breakthrough record. At the time, he was being compared to Dwight Yoakam,for having the crossover appeal to a mainstream pop and alternative market. Some radio DJs at the time referred to him as the “Redneck Springsteen”, and his blue collar rage holds a fair amount of water here. Cars, guitars, hillbilly fun, smoking a lot of cigarettes, breaking girls hearts and living in motels are the palate in Earle's world. The title track and Someday are my two favourite tracks on the record, but the rest of the songs are all fine. My biggest complaint is the production: his fine band, the Dukes, sound thin and too far in the background for me. Still this is as fine a country record as has been made since the 60's, and well worth a spin on the Victrola.

I'm a SE big fan but like his folkier stuff more. I'm guessing a brother like Steve will not have multiple offerings on the 1001 list so feel I better give my overall SE ranking to this one.

I could only listen to this once, on the drive back from Ottawa, so there was white noise to deal with. "Hillbilly highway" had to compete with Highway 401. Nice twang and not over-produced. Lyrics about hard-times. My co-judge says there's not much to differentiate the songs.

Good country. Some sad boy jammers. 3.5/5

Boring and tiring. Same ol country music. Too much of that recently! I don't care

I feel like this is what uneducated people think Bruce Springsteen is, just an American bloke with a guitar singing about big trucks and shit. It was all a bit hollow. HOWEVER, the only good track was the live cover of State Trooper which is a Springsteen song.

I've said before how I don't like most country and this is the perfect example of the kind I don't like. Boring

upbeat country, alright to bop along to but nothing particularly memorable about this.

If I was a trucker in the 80s, I'd probably have played this

This is the kind of country I just can't jive with at all sadly.

pretty boring

Country?

A nice album with a cross between different musical styles. Very easy to listen to and be entertained.

Wow surprising. I like the songs and his voice.... it gets a little too twangy at times, but this is solid from start to finish. Really enjoyed Fearless Heart.

Classic Americana. Springsteenesque. Not as good. But still enjoyable. 3/5

Nekakav western-country album koji nije loš uopće, ali jednostavno je sasvim okej. Ništa posebno.

Decent country album but ultimately fails to leave an impression

A good album that isn't exactly my thing, but I enjoyed it for what it was

A good album, I’m not a fan of live stuff though. Cheap Trick is good for their hits, but I don’t love much more than that.

Kolejny albumik z gatunku tych countrowych. a jak polowa takich pickow na tej liscie, nagrywany nigdzie indziej, jak tylko w nashville, coraz bardziej utwierdzam sie w przekonnaniu, ze jest to jakiegos rodzaju mekka tego gatunku, przed pojawiniem sie go na liscie nie mialem stycznosci z nazwiskiem pana Earle, a po przesluchu jestem w stanie stwierdzic, ze z muzyka takze nie mialem do czynienia, albo przynajmniej nie mam uczucia deja vu sluchajac plyty, co do samego krazka to jest to debiutancki album pana steva, chociaz to nie byl jego poczatek kariery muzycznej, bo jak przystalo na country muzyka prowadzil ciezkie zycie w ktorym staral sie pogodzic nieglodowanie z graniem muzyki, co slychac na tym materiale, w ktorym mozna sie doszukac autobiograficznych watkow, jak porzucenie domu w mlodym wieku, zeby udac sie do mekki countrowej i tam szukac szczescia po barach dajac koncerty dla kazdego chcacego sluchac, taki zywot prowadzil przez 14 lat, po nagraniu guitar town, dobre okreslenie na nashville, jego kariera wystrzelila i do dzisiaj ma na swoim koncie 21 albumow studyjnych, wiec polaczenie klasycznego rocka i elementow country zrobilo komercyjny sukces, nie wiem w ktora strone poszla dalsza czesc jego dyskografii, ale mam nadzieje ze byl to honky town jak na tytulowym traku guitar town, ktory chyba nie tylko dla mnie, bo wedlug spotifaja jest to najbardziej sluchany trak tego artysty, zrobil najwieksze wrazenie, jego upbeatowosc i liryka walki o lepsze jutro w smutnym dzisiaj stanowi cos co najbardziej mnie urzeklo na tej plycie, wiec pierwsza czesc albumu idealnie wpisuje sie w ten koncept, druga natomiast jest bardziej tradycyjnie rokowa, pan Earle i jego gitarka jest wspierana przez bande zwana the dukes, ktora raczej stanowila wsparcie dla solowych tworcow, jak to czesto jest w muzyce rokowo countrowej, ciekawe jest takze ze jest to jeden z pierwszych albumow nagrywanych cyfrowo przy uzyciu mitsubishi X-800, wykorzystanie 32 tejpowego sprzetu dalo pole do popisu jesli chodzi o produkcje i overdubowanie, bo jest ono mocno wyczuwalne, 34 minuty nagrania jest podzielone na 10 kawalkow, ale wersja spotifajowa to ultra super deluksix na 30 lecie plyty, wiec zawiera takze nagranie koncertu chicago z roku 86, ktory jest dobrze nagranym livem, ktory dodatkowo pokazuje, ze banda potrafi grac, a nie tylko nagrywac przy pomocy overdubowania czego sie obawialem podczas odluchu pierwszego cdka, uspokojony tym faktem wrzucam na plejke good ol boya, no i oczywiscie tytulowy guitar town

Basic. Shit.

I don’t much like country but listened through this. It was fine, I’m sure it has more meaning and significance to fans on the genre. Just sorta seems like generic country to me though.

Quite enjoyed this 3*