Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Is this my personal musical preference? No. But as a showcase of traditional American folk music, I think this album is important. It also felt nostalgic in a way. There is a lack of variety, which isn't necessarily a fault, but all the songs kind of blended together. Probably won't listen to this album again. 2.5 out of 5.
Only really serves any purpose as a curio or artefact, such is its limited sonic palate. ‘In the Pines’ was an interesting one, as it’s always fascinating to hear earlier versions of an iconic cover. Elsewhere, I’m not sure jaunty ditties about murdering one’s girlfriend belong on any normal person’s essential playlist.
The harmonies are incredibly tight but this music does very little for me and it quickly lost my interest.
There’s probably a bit of cultural familiarity that is lost on me, and seems to be something that might be a flaw in this list in that it seems quite americocentric; in the same way I’m sure that English folk songs might be culturally lost on some American listeners. I can hear the influences of Louisiana blues and country and western here but it’s a style I’m not sure I’ll ever really enjoy. Too little to keep the ear interested with the chord progressions as by this point they sound like they’ve been done to death despite, at the time, it likely sounding a lot more fresh.
I like the songs but can’t do that classic country twang. (2.5)
listened to half and liked but felt more like background but granted i was working
If you focus on the lyrics, a couple of these songs are fun...
More well-paced in most Coen brothers movies.... This is just dense and lacks variety.
This is fine. Not positive why it is on this list. Not mad about it just didn't seem super interesting. I'll give it a 2.
Boooooooooooring and also sexist
I guess they’re good at what they do with the harmonies and all but what they do doesn’t do it for me. It’s a very similar and could almost just be one song. Unremarkable
Feels almost too archetypal 50s country
This is not the soundtrack for making curry. I thought I was very close to the end of the album, but I was only halfway through and I couldn’t do another round of songs that really all sound the same. I really felt so immediately compelled by Marty Robbins and did not feel the same here.
Not something I’d necessarily throw on but there’s something about these simple songs that are just easy listening and relaxing. I see the value in this album over some of the other stuff on here that doesn’t have the character this does.
Kind of sounded like the same song over and over again.
Much like with a lot of old country music, the uptempo songs are all catchy and fun and great to listen to with fun harmonies, but the slower songs just don't have much going for them and follow bland melodic formulas.
Struggled to get through this one, but I did. I can appreciate the craft, but that upper register just grates. Sounds like Ira Louvin was a real piece of shit too. 3+ for the influence, 2 for the experience.
The Louvin Brothers - Tragic Songs of Life I'm not big fan of a country music so listening to it wasn't something that I wanted to do. But anyway I hear and like some tunes here. Surprisingly it was an easy listen to me although as it goes with country these songs sound the same to me. Let us be honest though - country is a very US genre and for a foreigner like me I find it less interesting to listen. In my country we also have folk songs that are work better for me and country rarely sounds interesting to me. Songs I liked: Let Her Go, God Bless Her, A Tiny Broken Heart Let Her Go, God Bless Her A Tiny Broken Heart 2/5
Siento que toma una clase muy especial de persona para verdaderamente apreciar esta clase de música. Siento que sería el equivalente a escuchar llaneras
Ensinnäkin, vihaan sitä "Alabamaan" liittyvää stereotypiaa, johon insesti on tullut läheisesti yhdistetyksi. Suurimman osan historiasta se on ollut läheisesti yhdistetty aateliin. Kiinnostus siitä ei automaattisesti tee kenestäkään idioottia. Jos haluat väittää, että se tekee niin, pyydän sinua googlaamaan, kenen kanssa Albert Einstein oli naimisissa. Luulen, että se on suuri osa siitä, miksi pidän ajatuksesta. Se tuntuu tabulta, mutta ei ällöttävällä tavalla. Enemmänkin siinä mielessä, että vain harvat ja valitut voivat harrastaa sitä ja nauttia siitä. Lähes kuin hienostunut maku. Itse asiassa rakastan ajatusta siitä, että useimmat ihmiset kauhistuisivat minun ryhtyessäni tähän. En oikein osaa selittää miksi, se vain innostaa minua. in the paans
Musically important? I guess. Good? No
Не моє, соррі.
Middle of the road, samey stuff
The prominent country "twang" was something that brought back memories or times I would drive through WV (when radio was the option) and hearing the late night classic stations or the prelude to the religious stations.
Back to back 1956 albums. This one is vastly different from Frank though! Classic country that makes me want to sit on the porch and watch the sunset. Couldn't pick out any favorites, but enjoyed it enough that I didn't notice when it had switched over to recommended songs.
Tragic Songs of Life by The Louvin Brothers is about as far into country music as I can manage. The album feels very dated, with a heavy reliance on banjo, though there are some nice guitar flourishes — the riff in Let Her Go, God Bless Her being a standout. The storytelling is strong, with each song steeped in themes of loss and heartache, but overall I found the record a little naff and difficult to connect with. Country music simply isn’t for me. Favourite track: In the Pines and Alabama are about as good as it gets. Least favourite track: Kentucky didn’t work for me. Album artwork: A very standard cover for its time.
Don't really got much to say, but this is some decent classic country/bluegrass. Unfortunately, it's just not for me. It's a little too oldschool for me, and the higher singer is a bit piercing. In the Pines is a pretty solid track though. Reminds me a lot of the Nirvana cover of Leadbelly's Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
snooze fest. when they sing solo you can hear that they are only ok
Окей как фон, песни очень простые, но вместе с тем это звучит вполне себе приятно от начала и до конца. Лучшая песня - Knoxville Girl.
This would be 100% better if it was Aimee-Leigh Gemstone and Baby Billy Freeman singing it. This was truly fine - the religious overtones got a bit too much by the end thkigh.
12 almost identical songs. During the first song I thought that i’d give this a higher rating, but listening to almost the same stuff again and again isn’t really for me(as well as this kind of country music)
snore
It was fine, very much of it's era. Made it a little over half way, the songs just all sounded pretty same-y
Заунывно и однообразно. 4 из 10.
They were prolly racist, idk. Funky ass lyrics couldnt save this one for me
Des harmonies, de la mandoline et la même chanson pendant 47 minutes et 26 secondes : oui, c'est bien de la country des années 50.
Seriously it’s just noise. It’s not ‘groundbreaking’.
um...hill-billy honky tonk....not my style
I did not really enjoy this much. I get that historically it might have a lot of influence, and generally they were performing American folk songs but compared to something like the Muddy Waters album it did not really hold up.
Despite my love of Gunfighter ballads this wasn't for me. (Maybe if they shot a few more people)
Decent music, very fun lyrically
It’s somebody’s thing, but not mine. Their version of In the Pines was solid though.
Worth a listen for Satan Lied To Me alone. However, this album doesn't really speak to me, it must be said. Pleasant, but feels more nostalgic than inspiring.
3/10
Old timey and formulaic. Modern western music I like; I’ll go as far back as Sun-era Cash, but that’s it. This is irritating.
Another pointless addition to the list.
Tragic songs of life, nice title hmmm another old country album. Can't 2 stars.
This album did little to settle the debate I’ve never had as to whether or not Kentucky or Alabama is the greatest place this side of heaven. It also did little to improve my appreciation of charming harmonies about beating your fiancé to death. In all seriousness, I know this style of music has its place and I can hear its influence on bands I do like such as Old Crow Medicine Show. But in the context of this project, there are albums I know aren’t on this list that I’d much rather have listened to today.
17/1001 :: The Louvin Brothers - Tragic Songs of Life Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 3 Fav Tracks: Knoxville Girl, Kentucky If you’re in West Virginia and you walk into a General Store and this is rattling through the speakers it feels perfect. Some good ole country boys, who love themselves some Jesus just playing some country bluegrass. And they’re quite good at it. Knoxville Girl is dark AF. Makes you wonder did these good ole christian brothers have something to hide? Or just putting it out there in the open?? All that said, while it’s cool to walk around that General Store take in some country tunes, grab a coke, some beef jerky and a turkey sandwich for the road there’s just no way this is interesting enough for me to revisit this whole thing again other than maybe a song or two.
You know how you can look at a dish (say, a dark chocolate lava cake for me), and acknowledge that it is incredibly well made with great artistry, and still have no interest in eating it? That's this album for me. I can tell the craft and care and artistry put into it, but this sort of album just isn't for me.
Not really my style at all. Some good singing and mandolin playing but I found most of the songs kind of blurred into one. The only ones that stood out were In the Pines, Alabama, and the harrowing Kentucky Girl.
Too country for my liking
Didn't listen to the full album. First two songs was not my style, they were too nasal and sounded too much like whining. The three more songs I got the time to listen to were better. Still not my thing though.
meh
I feel like I've heard this entire album throughout breaking bad/better call Saul. Not sure if it's accurate but that's the vibe I get. Not my vibe at all. I could see people liking it but not me.
Pretty much all the same music with different lyrics. Same song structure all the way through with very little variation. Not the worst thing I've listened to, but not sure why it's on this list. 2/5
I like the other Louvin Brothers album better. They are some of the best at harmonizing, mandolin, and guitar plucking. But the album got a little redundant and something I likely won’t seek out again.
aand another mid country album
This is goddamn awful, i dont hate country but i really really hate this its intolerable. Boring too.
50-talls country - et produkt av sin tid. En smule kjedelig og enformig for min del. Utdrag fra annen review som stemmer: "Old, old country. That’s what this is. Sad but happy sounding old time country music. I hate to cut this short but that’s all you need to know. Do you like a drum beat that goes bass, snare, snare? Yea? Well then there you go."
Not for me, too slow and old, not varied enough. All of the songs sound about the same.
Less. Banjo.
dečki pjevaju kantri, to je to. nije nepodnošljivo, al stvarno ne bih nikad slušao
Old country is not my thing.
Reminds me of the bluegrass family at malakoff diggins. Can't say I will put this one on again. It has the pines as a folk song which is cool, definitely prefer nirvana version tho
Ok 2/5
Standout songs: Let Her Go, God Bless Her Katie Dear
Det är så episkt tråkigt. Samma låt tusen gånger om. Alltså väldigt lite variation. Lite lattjo en gång kanske, men knappt.
This was fine. Not my jam. Feels like this was cribbed from folks of color.
Average country album
Every song sounds the same, just 50s country stuff not that interesting, I get the significance though
Was enjoying until the sermons started
Yep. Vintage country. Cool texture.
Twangy country just isn’t my thing
Þetta er ansi einfaldur hljóðheimur og eitt lag rennur saman við annað, en það má alveg hlusta á þetta í hófi. Svo er bónus fyndið að lesa um lífshlaup Ira Louvin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Louvin) miðað við hvað allir textarnir eru trúarlegir.
1001 Gen hates me. I'm in a long streak of boring albums that I highly doubt had much impact. There are so many great albums that could be in their places. I'm very close to just deleting this shit. I'm not 80 years old, god damnit! Yeah I'm not finishing this one.
Not my genre but interesting. Would be cool to know how this was influential, what did it affect?
I really wanted to like Tragic Songs of Life more than I did. I can hear the tight harmonies and the raw emotion in the performances, and I understand why it's seen as an important early country/folk album. But for me, it just didn’t connect. The songs blur together after a while, and the unrelenting sadness, paired with that very traditional twang, starts to wear thin. There’s no denying the Louvin Brothers could sing, and I respect the sincerity behind the storytelling. But I found it more exhausting than moving. I think if I had more of a love for old-school country or gospel-style ballads, I might have gotten more out of it. As it stands, it just didn’t speak to me.
Not really my cup of tea but nice to hear something I would have never selected myself.
I was ready to rate the album a three for most of it, the songs were enjoyable and the stories were fun. The cadence got quite repetitive after the first few songs though. Individually the brothers had nice voices but I also felt they clashed with eachother. The last 4 songs were hymns and as I'm not religious it meant I couldnt see the meaning in them so they felt like a bit of a chore go get through, which is why I knocked the score down to a 2. I can however fully appreciate how the album is on the list.
Bit of auditory whiplash after Throbbing Gristle yesterday (an all too rare experience on this list). Some very traditional country, which isn't really my thing. Liking the mandolin, and the harmonies, to a degree, but it's too steady or plodding, and very samey.
Uff, qué mala pinta. Super triste mezcla entre country y los Panchos con bandurrias, un sonido viejuno. Sin embargo, aquí está " In the pines" una canción tradicional que luego versionó Nirvana en el Unplugged y que allí aparece como "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?". Lo único destacable para mí, aunque supongo que más de un rockero americano los escuchó de niño en el coche con su abuelo o si padre camino de un partido de beisbol.
It was probably groundbreaking back in the day but the droning harmonies are tough to get through.
Realistically, the only thing of value on this pretty dreadful record is In The Pines, and the main value in that is that it reminds you of the absolutely superb cover on Nirvana Unplugged. Other than this, it's very bad indeed. It's also the only album on the Proj that I've had to listen to twice purely as part of the process, having been subjected to it on a drive from Shrewsbury to Brighton. It wasn't good then either.
Yup. Tragic.
So in a parallel universe the opener would be on Spongebob Square Pants as a theme song of a character that misses home. https://youtu.be/FtlFECUUuU8 4/10
5/10 I wish these gritty and disturbing songs didn’t sound like they would play at the cleanest barbecue in the south
This another example of how difficult it is sometimes to rate an album I would not naturally listen to but also know that there must be a background to it which brings it to be included on this list. This is especially so with older recordings. The fact that they are on this list and in this case nearly 70 years old is there some wow factor contained within to account for its longevity and perhaps influenced so many musicians? I ask this question not knowing the answer. Reading Wiki and the 1001 handbook doesn’t really answer the question either. So it’s down to relying upon my ears. My ears are connected to my brain and that immediately tells me that this is just American Country music which I have heard hundreds of times without note other than gaining a dislike of it. 2/5 15/5/25
thought I remembered liking this. not the case.
I’ve heard all the country I ever need to hear in my life
Question, by what metrics are the UK based writers of this list using to determine that an American country act is required listening? While this isn't a bad record, it's absolutely nothing spectacular. The harmonies are solid and very tight but not too exciting. I'd say this is a perfect example of an act who influenced bands/artists that had a wider spread impact that the original artist's music
Even deeper into a genre I can’t get into than yesterday’s Dolly Parton. It’s the vocals. Some of the banjos and other instrumentation is cool, but I can’t tolerate the vocals. The one cool part of “Tragic Songs of Life” was the appearance of “In the Pines,” a traditional folk song dating back to the late 1800s that was famously covered by Nirvana at their MTV Unplugged show.
Got way too preachy on the back half.
The faster tracks with the bluegrass banjo are much more tolerable compared to the slow ballads.
I feel like this is the perfect example of what people from the north and other countries think the south is like still. Just banjos and mandolins and songs about murder and jesus. These songs remind me of those drive through cities you passthrough while traveling. Cool in theory, rustic and simple, but if you need to stop for gas, you'll hold out until you reach a more metropolitan city.
not for me
The music itself was fine even if it wasn't my thing and the harmonies were nice, but I could've done without the religious lyrics.
enjoyed it more than i thought, but wont revisit it most likely. didnt actively dislike it. giving it a 2/5. i was impressed by the lyrics and their depth and play of emotions. some darkness to the lyrics that I didn't expect. lyrics great, music itself isn't really my thing. very basic 3/10
You can feel like you're in the 50s listening to this record. Apart from this time-capsule-quality, nothing really stand out for me and I fail to understand what is so important here that we need to listen to it before we die.
Not a bad album, definitely feels outdated nowadays but this must've been pretty good in the late 50s. Imagine the Beatles making crazy music 10 years later - no wonder the world enjoyed them so much. But yes, this album is a bit meh, nothing special, the songs are all pretty much the same and they're singing about real-life events, it seems, mainly personal experiences.
Tinha acabado de ouvir um album mórbido e macabro do Swans (por conta própria). Assim que terminei, abri o site e vi esse disco. Tragic Songs of Life. Bora. Entendo muito pouco de música Country, mas sei que as clássicas assim são as que eu gosto. É um genero que eu tenho um respeito imenso. Todo meu conhecimento do gênero vem da K-Rose, do GTA San Andreas... Ah, e do album 12 Golden Country Greats da banda Ween xD Enfim, achei o disco decentemente agradável. Teve momentos que eu comecei a viajar e desviar minha atenção, e eu precisava conscientemente focar na música. A harmonia dos caras é legal, as vozes são viciantes até, e as letras são bem interessantes (Fiquei boquiaberto ouvindo "Katie Dear" e "Knoxville Girl"...) 12 musicas que passam voando. 2/5
Older country music that wasn't really my vibe, pretty inoffensive stuff but not for me.
I've never heard of the Louvin Brothers before, but I do love some old-school melancholy ballads, so this album might be right up my alley! The stock market is crashing, the southern US is being ravaged by springtime storms, and civil liberties are under increasing peril. What better time for some Tragic Songs of Life? I was pretty underwhelmed by this album. Musically, the mandolin and the sibling harmonies were the only bright spots here. The guitar playing felt like background filler, and despite the harmonies, there just wasn't a lot of emotion in the singing of these truly sad songs. The lyrical content of these songs was really good, and it was interesting to hear all of these songs all in one place, but this album was a bit on the dull side when it came to the overall listening experience. This album is a nice concept, but the execution was lacking for me.
I don't think I'd ever choose to listen to it again but it wasn't bad
The most aptly named album in the history of music. These brothers were even more depressed and misogynistic in their kiss-offs than any emo bands ever was, and that’s saying something. What’s worse is that they also might be worse singers. Sure, emo bands used to whine, but their falsettos did take some skill; meanwhile, while the close harmonies of the Louvins give the illusion of competency, the second one of them is left to sing a bar alone, you realize that neither brother has any talent whatsoever. Combine these issues with the fact that these songs feel like cliché country, even for the time, with the 1-23 strumming patterns and yelping singing style, and there’s very little here that warrants any reappraisal, yet alone outright praise. I think there’s maybe 2 songs on here I’d classify as “listenable,” and even that is a low compliment. The songs themselves aren’t bad, but they aren’t special. Meanwhile, the Louvin Brothers actually are bad, and that’s what makes Tragic Songs of Life a real tragedy.
26/03/25 I appreciate this was of the time, but it was terrible.
Provides insight into the origins of modern country & Americana, though i’m not sure this is the best example. The harmonies are great — the folk and gospel influences are clear. Good for studying roots of modern popular music, though, again, I think there are other better examples of the same influences. It’s a 2 or three.
1,5
OK, I generally like country but this harmonizing, preachy stuff isn't my thing
It gets old. Really fast. The vocals sound like shit at many points during the album (not because they are bad singers, the recording sounds terrible), I mean that first track seriously made my ears hurt. There are some moments where I actually do get some level of enjoyment out of what the brothers are doing, but again, it gets old. This isn't exactly a versatile album. Overall, eh. Seems like a standard country record to me (ignoring the sound quality); not awful, but not really something I'd come back to either.
This type of country music is really not my thing and typically does nothing for me. This album wasn't really an exception. Doing an entire album in 1956 called "Tragic Songs of Life" and then having the majority of the songs be about unfortunate events is certainly a choice...definitely trauma-informed before these people probably even knew what personal trauma meant. I guess I'll say that the guitar and mandolin work on this album was nice, though.
I imagine this is exactly what Kentucky sounded like in 1956 and while some of it is ok, I can’t do 47 minutes of banjos and southern warbling.
I’m sure it’s quite good for what it is, but I don’t wanna listen to it.
McLouvin, yeehaw!
I can imagine my kin throwing unwashed ass to this at Jamboree in the Hills. 2.4.
This reminded me of a not as good version of the Everly Brothers Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5
Versão americana-crente de Tonico e Tinoco. Satan is real hahahahaha
This is fine 1950’s country / bluegrass but man you really need to be in the mood for this stuff. Got a little church in, in the end too.
Quintessential country - this is what nearly all old country music sounds like to me. It's not very good. The singing is like shitty harmonized yodelling....still better than techno
Tragic that this is on the list.
They look like they're gonna call me a slur at any moment now
Although the harmonics are quite good, their voices are annoying to listen to. Also very boring country music.
It's fine
This was not an enjoyable listen. It was at least interesting to hear a version of "In The Pines" with all of the pathos sucked out of it. I only made it through half of the album but it seemed to consist of very limited chord patterns (don't think they managed any chords other than I, IV, V). I can't fathom how this wasn't derivative even for its time unless they invented the D chord or something. I struggle to pay attention to lyrics but it seems to be a series of - well - tragic tales. It basically amounts to True Crime in a musical format.
"Kentucky, I miss the hound dog chasing coon" *Big eyebrow raise* I need a bit more than the storytelling aspect of country music, and this doesn't have that "bit more".
4/10. I. Don't. Care.
Don't like country and probably never will except when you are at Buffalo Grill ! The mandoline is probably the nicest bit of the songs
Some good songs but overall repetitive.
1.9 really not my thing
This brand of western folk music is incredibly familiar to me, and unfortunately there's just not a ton here that distinguishes these brothers (at least from a 2020s perspective). My favorite track on the album is "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight," but there's a band local to me that performs it better, in my opinion. I am fond of the mournful, human realness of the lyrics, though.
On todella synkkää. Toki uskon valo siellä loistaa. Aika kivan kuuloista. Mutta joka biisi on ihan sama (sanoitukset vain vaihtuvat). Countrya joo, kansanlaulupohja ilmeisesti, mutta silti kaipaan enemmän vaihtelua.
Jos kaikki biisit levyllä kuulostavat samalta, ongelma on yleensä kuulijassa. Väitän, että tämän LP:n tapauksessa ei ole: vaikka seassa on muutama piristävä, nopeampi kappale, kaiken kaikkiaan harmonialaulun ja honky tonk -rytmien sekoitus jää hieman vivahteettomaksi. Ehkä tarinat olisivat avain tähän? 2,5
Country. No puedo estar más alejado de estas baladas que hablan de EE.UU. y el campo. Nota: 1.9
A pleasant enough novelty for half a dozen tracks but a little goes a long way with this procedural old-timey country stuff. Historically significant I’m sure but basically two-dimensional. A chore.
A little to slow and religious for me but the country vibes are right
Wow c'est vraiment insupportable, arrêtez s'il vous plaît
01) Kentucky - 6,0 02) I'll Be All Smiles Tonight - 5,5 03) Let Her Go, God Bless Her - 6,0 04) What Is Home Without Love - 5,0 05) A Tiny Broken Heart - 5,5 06) In The Pines - 5,5 07) Alabama - 5,5 08) Katie Dear - 5,5 09) My Brother's Will - 5,5 10) Knoxville Girl - 5,0 11) Take the News to Mother - 5,0 12) Mary of the Wild Moor - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,42 (54/100) Current ranking: 373/425 Remember this album the next time you see a comment that there are too many British albums on this list due to the author's bias. I'd rather listen to the Spice Girls than the Louvin Brothers.
Loved it for one song. Liked it for two. Got pretty old after three.
A sorrowful and quaint country album from the 50's. Enjoyable and sweet.
I understand this was about tragic stories but the juxtaposition of a very jaunty song about a man murdering his girlfriend, where he is the sympathetic character, is still annoying to listen to. The other songs less like this and nice harmonies. Is samey though ennit
Very classic old school country.
I don't think it's terrible but it's too repetitive and too samey. I've heard worse but I'm never gonna listen to it again
It was a different listen but it got very samey after a while. Nothing wrong with it but not something I’d return to so 2*
Fell on the wrong side of novelty for me.
No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction Hey it's the Where Did You Sleep Last Night lyrics No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction
Naw
Brother where art thou
That's some twangy country! I don't hate it. The sound really isn't my favorite but the songs themselves lyrically are pretty fun.
Certainly tragic.
Country & Western old style. I found this album too whiny.
I dig the sound but 45 min of gospel was a lot
I’m not enough of a fan of this type of music to understand why this didn’t seem to carry much import for me. Really I can only make comparisons to performers like Hank Williams or Johnny Cash, and say, in that case, I didn’t find much soul or honesty here. Granted, these are largely covers of traditional songs, but even then, there are many artists whose interpretive work is deeply inspiring, while this, despite seeming accomplished, I just found eerie and off-putting.
It’s so easy to sit back and discard this music. To think it’s outdated and to not quite grasp its significance. What if I said to you, without The Louvin Brothers there would have been no Houmous & Chutney - what about that? 2.2
This sounds like a Norman Rockwell painting. Pretty nice, very 50’s and more boring the longer you listen to it
Lovely harmonies. And historically, really cool, influenced The Everly Brothers and Johnny Cash. Buuut I’m not a fan of country at the best of times and some of these lyrics have not aged well…
They have nice harmonies, but it's really not my style. That twangy religious music doesn't do it for me.
Interesting (I use the word loosely) to hear an example of this type of thing and not without merit. Perhaps, even, evocative of the time and place. Also interesting to read about the brothers falling out and the bad behaviour - same old same old, eh? Musically this stuff doesn't move me though.
Not really my cup of tea.
-has some moments of artistry and aesthetic appeal but overall… yea… not beating the “country music all sounds the same” allegations even though ik it’s not true. Saw someone on RYM say it sounds like a stereotype about how bad country music is and i can see it -Favorite is Let Her Go, God Bless Her
I enjoyed the themes of nature and mourning in the album, but I found it to be musically similar throughout the whole album. It's not a bad album, but just a bit boring after a while. Didn't mind the religious overtones tracks as much as I thought I was going to. Favorite song: Alabama Least favorite: Pray for Me Knew before? No
Old timey country Pleasantly bucolic feel Yet drama plenty
Some classic simple ditties about beating fat chicks to death. Nothing I would listen to by choice.
Different, started well but got a bit samey and whiney
Well that was…….fine.
Over een 'cultural gap' gesproken. De 60s stonden bekend als een stroomversnelling van alle vormen van media, en dat begrijp je direct als je een aantal platen uit de 50s hoort. The Louvin Brothers ken ik vooral van het album met één van de hardste covers ooit, "Satan Is Real", maar ik kende eigenlijk geen muziek van ze. Een conclusie na het luisteren is dat ze wel echt goede yin en yang vocalen hebben, die zich qua hoogte haaks op elkaar begeven maar toch sterk samen gaan. Doet me een beetje denken aan alt country duo The Handsome Family. Een tweede conclusie is dat ik weinig andere elementen of unieke kenmerken hoor waarin dit zich zou moeten onderscheiden van elke random local bluegrass band in de Appalachen - die naast z'n muziek ook in de moonshine business zit. Elke melodie is het zelfde, alleen gebruiken ze telkens als context een andere topografische plek in de backwoods van de USA (Alabama, Kentucky, Knoxville). 'Tragic songs of Life' leest de albumtitel. Ik krijg zelf weinig mee van die tragiek, maar dat zal dan wel die culturele kloof zijn. 5/10
Best geinige country-plaat. Eén van de twee broers heeft wel echt een matige stem die niet zou misstaan bij een Sesamstraat-karakter. In harmonie klinkt het nog wel aardig, als hij solo zingt krijg je zin om zijn mandoline kapot te slaan. Blijkbaar was één van de twee daar ook om berucht. Naast zijn mandoline sloeg hij ook zijn vrouw, trouwde hij vier keer, schoot één van hen hem drie maal in de rug en verongelukte hij na rijden onder invloed. 5/10 Highlights Kentucky In the Pines (shoutout naar Nirvana die dit nummer ook speelde bij hun legendarische MTV Unplugged)
Couldn't get into it
Forgettable album, only highlight for me was the "In the Pines" cover.
it was okay, not the best, found some songs annoying
No. Absolutely not. No.
Worth a listen to get an idea of what country music was like back in that era. Doubt I will ever return to again. It has value, the review at the top of the review list sums it up really well, but overall not for me.
Music has come on a long way since this. The sound was probably appreciated at the time but ‘tragic songs’ sums it up.
What is home without love, the original Gold Digger 😂
2.5 not bad but every song was the same
This album makes me think of a sleepy, dusty Texan town. Definitely dated and it lacks a lot of the charm from some of the other early country we've gotten here like Ray Price. Mostly a boring album to me, though the harmonizing is solid. My favorite was probably Katie Dear.
A typical twangy 1950s male duo; not bad for what it is, a lot of the songs sound the same, as was typical for the time. Several religious songs, not my style.
Fine for what it is.
After the first listen I wasn't sure I wanted to listen again, it's just a bit too much country for me. Second listen I did start to get into it a little more and In The Pines was a particular standout. Overall thought I'm Thankful that it's over.
Kinda boring and then all of a sudden he starts singing about murdering some girl. Super weird.
These guys are crazy. Great voices though.
Another country album that I'm sure is great of the genre but isn't for me. Nice harmonies. Pretty samey all the way through.
Not bad but I don't think it's for me. General 50's folk/country stuff. Almost like you're playing fallout but it doesn't hit the same for me.
Not for me
I wanted to like this. Especially knowing that Nick Cave did a version of Knoxville. Just not for me
It’s no secret that music as a whole has gotten better since the ‘50s. Of course the ‘50s were vital in pushing music to where it is now, but that doesn’t mean everything during that time was GOOD.
Sometimes you just want some old time music — despite this record's occasional charms, today wasn't one of those days.
Not my cup of tea
Every song on this album sounds the same and this is not one of the genres I would normally listen to. The album is mostly country songs sung in a southern accent with rather basic melodies. The songs on their own are not bad, but an entire album of them is rather boring as they all sound the same.
Album 467 of 1001 The Louvin Brothers - Tragic Songs of Life Rating : 2.5 / 5 This is an interesting listen for a few songs but it soon becomes apparent that just listening to one track will give you what the entire album has to offer. Harmonies are interesting but, again, if you hear them on one song you've heard them on all. If you don't like it, your grandparents probably would. A step back in time.
Probably the darkest record I've heard from the 50s, which isn't really saying too much but still. 4/10
Meh
Just set the metronome and count 3/4 for 36 minutes and you've got yourself a Louvin Brothers album. 2/5
The songs sound all the same and the vocal performance is not quite there, very nasal. 2/5
Too old for me I guess
Tragic Songs of Life was an album that i just found average but it did have some good things going for it. The lyrics are generally some of the better lyrics of this genre with them having some fairly serious themes around them which most country albums released after this could not really do. This album also is really short so even if it was less pleasant to listen to, it wouldn't have lasted too long. However, what i can't get over is how samey and uninteresting the actual music is. I actually had trouble picking a favorite and least favorite song because every song sounded so similar. There are some good things about this album but unfortunately, they aren't enough to save this album from being average. Best Song: I'll Be All Smiles Tonight Worst Song: Alabama
Acho que o termo mais adequado para este álbum passa por tragic songs to listen. Possivelmente estou a ser injusto, acho que estou a focar-me demasiado na idade do álbum que tem um som muito envelhecido. A música In the Pines até é interessante, contudo todo o álbum parece um álbum de country velho saído de uma cena do velho oeste. Pode não ser justa esta avaliação mas o tempo é um juiz importante que devemos levar em conta e este álbum teve uma sentença pouco risonha. Julgo importante frisar que as músicas tem algumas coisas interessantes especialmente quando existem um foco no instrumento, quase que um solo. As vozes dos senhores são terrivelmente agudas e a sua elevada repetição, bem, não poderei dizer que é agora que se queira ouvir durante 16 músicas, exatamente, 16 músicas. Não é que o álbum seja longo, tem por volta de 48 minutos, mas tem 16 músicas, que poderá ser considerado excessivo. A versão que estou a ouvir tem estas 16 músicas sendo as 4 últimas extra, todas elas religiosas, o que aos meus olhos não agrega valor, inclusive piora a obra aos meus olhos. A melhor cantiga parece-me ser a Knoxville Girl. Nota: 4/10 Data: 05/06/2024
Repetitive song structure and piercing vocals (high pitch harmonizing) make it difficult to listen to more than one song.
Yeehaw. Couldn't wait to finish this so I could clean my ears out.
Well, expectations were a bit low for a 1950s country album so I wasn't exactly disappointed. Having said that, the lack of variety in the music is pretty egregious. Musically, I can't tell one song from the next and after 35 minutes, I was ready to switch to something else. The Louvin Brothers do some nice harmonizing. Lyrically, it's pretty dark as well, which I suppose may be notable for the 50s. It's also nice to be reminded of Nirvana halfway through.
I liked this for a bit, but the songs all sound pretty similar. I do like the harmonizing, but it's not enough to keep me engaged. 2/5
really old country music. the brothers really know how to harmonize well, and i do like the strummin' techniques, but really it's just a genre that is not made for me. from the subject material to the sound, it is literal textbook country music. i feel bad for rating it this low because it's sincere. but even so...
I didn’t get much out of this one. The harmonies are alright but the nasally lead vocals grate on me. Also, some of the more grisly lyrics really jar against the twee music. This style of country is a good fit for longing and heartbreak, sure, but I’d suggest it lacks the necessary emotional gravitas to pull off a murder ballad.
Not exactly my style. The four tacked on Gospel songs at the end were weird. 2/5.
2 stars
A little too country for me
I can only take so many straight forward 3/4 tight harmony country tracks in a row thanks
Listening to one of these songs was good. Listening to a couple more, started to like it less but I still appreciated the harmonies. And then, as each of the rest of the 16 songs marched on, I started to feel like a prisoner of The Louvin Brothers and grew irritated. Not for me.
Country
I started off enjoying it but got tired really quickly.
Excellent storytelling abilities, massively limited musicians
50s country sounds all the same.
Álbum viejísimo típico yankee de rancho, de granja, con banjos y coros secos. Safa para escucharlo un rato.
Låter ungefär som ett avsnitt i Family Guy när Peter och Quagmire bildar en duett. Oförarglig musik.
I love me a bit of country, and I can hear they're fantastic at what they do, but this is just a bit raw and plinkyplonky for me.
it was good for the first 15 minutes but then every song sounding exactly the same was near unbearable
Not unpleasant, but not enjoyable either
I don't mind this kind of music, and after listening to one song on the album I was thinking it'd be a solid three stars. But the songs all sounded pretty much the same. Actually had to listen to something else halfway through, as it had gotten too boring. Might as well just listen to one song and you've heard the entire album. For this reason it gets two stars.
when someone says old-school country this is what I imagine they are talking about. It was an ok album
Ok.
It's a country music. Nice but I can listen few songs, not so much .
As I listened to "Knoxville Girl" I couldn't help but think that Nick Cave would eat the shit out of this, so imagine my delight when, if fact, he had eaten the shit out of that. He did it better...
I’m not a fan of twangy country, but I can see that this is well done for what it is and it’s era.
Alors que Buddy Holly & The Crickets emmenés par Martin Lamotte se dirigeaient tranquillement vers le titre de groupe le plus ringard du générateur depuis plus de deux ans, nos Louvin Brothers viennent de leur chiper la distinction à moins d'une semaine de la ligne d'arrivée. Un vrai coup dur. Malheureusement pour les Brothers, j'avais annoncé il y a quelque temps que la mention d'un nom d'état américain dans une chanson était désormais sanctionné d'une étoile en moins au moment de la note. L'introduction intitulée Kentucky et le morceau Alabama ont dans ce sens été perçus comme des provocations. Trois moins un nous donne ainsi deux. Pour une quelconque explication sur les barèmes utilisés par eltrapeze et moi, nous vous invitons à nous contacter directement via robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com
La ringardise incarnée, tous les codes de la country de merde étaient bien présents. Si vous aussi vous détestez la country, vous pouvez nous contacter à l'adresse mail robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com histoire de vous procurer des t-shirts anti-country.
So much twang. I think maybe I'd kind of like it if that guy's voice weren't so whiny.
I don’t think I like country music
Nah, not for me
Not really my thing but it was cool to hear In the Pines as a fan of Nirvana’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Old school country; the soft strumming, harmonizing and story telling. Enjoyed it. Not a ton of versatility in the music but a good listen and look into 1950s country music.
Fun and very Americana
Well, this is an album. I find it weird that I've only gotten 50s albums and they're all from 1956 specifically. Did albums just not exist before 1956 and then stop existing from 1957 until 1960? Anyways, this album is one that exists. Country music has never been my thing. 50s music has never been my thing. You put the two together and you get an album that I'll forget about in a week. The singing is okay. The duo work is respectable. Definitely a bit cheesy. The sound is certainly repetitive, but not unlistenable. The writing is where this album gets interesting. It's quite dark at times. The last few songs in particular tackle things like war, murder, and grief. I mean, I guess that counts as a tragic song of life. There's quite a bit of Christian imagery in here. I'm not a Christian, so that does nothing for me. Overall, this is a forgettable album, but I surprisingly don't hate it in a similar way to similar albums like "A Date with the Everly Brothers". Light 2/5.
My, the songs were tragic weren’t they?
Felt like 16 different versions of the same song. Maybe the lyrics were different but after a few songs I found myself tuning them out.
Meh. Too dated but some enjoyable guitar/banjo playing. Honestly one of the first albums I didn't listen to all the way through. 4/10 (2/5)
I don’t think this record is bad, but the other reviews were not lying when they said it was the same tune over and over and over again. I actually enjoyed the stories quite a bit, but the backing tracks oftentimes didn’t fit the tragic nature of their tales. Definitely interesting, but not something I’ll likely think of after this review.
Oh boy, this was difficult to stand… defiantly not my kind of music
This sounds like the 50s in the Appalachian mountains and it scares the shit out of me.
Well... it's country. This means that the average album of that genre gets a -1 to rating.
Yeah I get it boys
Kristilegt kúrekakántrí má alveg hljóma í bakgrunninum fyrir mér en ég mun seint setja þetta á fóninn. Mér finnst öll lögin vera eins og mér finnst þau ekkert spes. Þetta er samt ekki ömurlegt.
Their vocal harmonization is pretty and the musicianship is strong, and some of the darker songs are kind of cool, such as “Katy Dear”. Others like “Knoxville Girl” are really messed up. I was a bit bored by the repetitive melodies, but there’s definitely a mood here.
Well this is awfully depressing, isn't it? These brothers have some tight harmonies, but beyond that, there isn't much here of interest to me.
Not really into Country
Not for me - too much twang and religion.
It is beyond me how anyone likes that whiny, twangy, voice crack thing. There are songs (not on this album) that are so good, I can enjoy them in spite of it, but it’s genuinely confounding how that’s such a pervasive aesthetic in an American music. I’m really not quite sure what’s so special about this album. It did give me a greater appreciation for Nirvana’s version of “in the pines.”
Initially fun but all sounded the same
Interesting bit of country history. Tight harmonies and some of the songs tug at the heartstrings but the songs all kinda sound the same to me
Familial harmonies have a different quality to them, the matching of the vocal timbre creates such a unique sound. These songs have a sneaky darkness to them that is paradoxically lightened by the brotherly harmonies. First time I’ve heard the concept of murder ballads. Others would master this sound into something less primitive, but this is still endearing, even if it is mostly a snoozer.
An okay country/folk album. The harmonized vocals make for a pleasant sound, but the instrumentals are lacking to make for unique tracks on the album. I dropped the album towards the end.
Wow this album had everything! Beating a woman to death: ✔️ Praising our Lord Jesus: ✔️ References to a love for multiple southern states: ✔️ According to Fox News, that’s Bingo!
Boring and religious … my favorite! I thought a song came on I finally liked so I checked my phone and realized it was the first song recommended once the album had ended.
Meh
Reminded me too much of my Southern Baptist upbringing, and not in a good way. Nice mandolin tho.
Ensireaktioni oli että miks kenenkään pitäs kuunnella tällästä shittii, mutta onhan tässä lyriikassa jotain aika tykkiä varsinkin tässä vitunmoisessa masennuksessa ja saatanoissa. Toki lyriikat myös megajenkkiä. Musiikillisesti kyllä niin hirveetä että just yltää kakkoseen. 2/5
Onhan tässä tunnelmaa, mutta eeehkä vähän vanhentunut.
"Tragic Songs of Life" by The Louvin Brothers, despite its historical importance in country music, falls short in terms of variety and intrigue. Released in 1956, the album adheres to a consistent tempo and sound throughout, lacking the dynamic range needed to captivate listeners. While the sibling harmonies are a hallmark of the Louvin Brothers' style, the uniformity of the album becomes monotonous, making it challenging for the listener to distinguish between tracks. The absence of musical diversity limits the album's appeal and prevents it from reaching its full potential. While certain songs may stand out individually, the overall lack of variety diminishes the overall impact of "Tragic Songs of Life," warranting a modest 2/5 for its historical significance but marked by a notable absence of musical innovation.
Good harmonies but every song sounded more or less the same. Listened to the original album but not the bonus tracks; couldn't take any more.
Not really my type of album, I think it deserves to be on this list though
Folk songs about God and sin. I think in the right setting a good album to listen too.
2/5 - pleasant enough but dated
I like the dark humour of the album but each song was so similar to the other it got boring quick, high 2.
Good god. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting a murder ballad from 1956 called Knoxville Girl to go so hard. I ALSO wasn’t expecting it to be something that charted. I don’t recall listening to a song with my jaw wide open like that before. That’s worth something, even if the genre and the generation clearly isn’t for me, but I’ll return to my original comment. Good god.
Samey, but nice vocals / harmonies etc
Good harmonies. Not for me though.
50’er folk/country, ikke rigtig noget specielt
No variety musically but the lyrics were pretty cool if disturbing. This album probably influenced a lot of people so I understand why it's on the list, but it's not worth listening to. 2.5 stars
This was okay, I suppose, but definitely not my thing. Let's call it 2.5 stars.
Tragic Songs of Life is the debut album by American country music duo The Louvin Brothers. This traditional folk/country music is a concept album of heartbreaks and murder ballads. More than 50 years later, this album still holds up as a go-to for traditional folksy songs about death and tragedies. I appreciated the old school songs on this album, but the music is showing its age. The Louvin Brothers were great on this album and it may be one of their best. Give this album a listen if you like classic folk/country music.
🆗 and…
Beaucoup trop country pour moi, ça fait vraiment très "stéréotypé" country old school qu'on entend dans les films. Très similaire d'une chanson à l'autre, c'est assez unidimensionnel. Ce n'est pas le pire album j'ai entendu de ma vie, mais j'oubliais quasiment qu'il jouait. 5/10
Take your left hand. Put your middle and ring fingers down. Put your thumb on top of your middle and ring fingers. Raise your hand in the air.
Must be another of these milestones you need to know of interested in music history.
Very country.
Idk man it’s like aggressively southern
I listened to a couple songs and turned it off. It was okay and nothing too exciting
Im a sucker for that Grand ol Opry sound and the Chet Atkins Gretch style guitar playing throughout was a highlight. Otherwise it was a bit of a slog, the gospel harmonies get irritating after a while. 2.4 rounded down. (Still better than that Franz Ferdinand album Longer)
Voi viiiiiiiiiiiiittu. Ei kiitos enää näitä.
Pari biisiä ja periaatteessa koko levy oli kuultu
Folk country. It was definitely something. Can’t imagine this being anyone’s style any more.
Oh, I'm sorry, was that a full album of 12 songs and not just the same one on repeat? Not a lot of variety and a bit boring. Yep, the brothers can harmonize and play just fine, and stick to a theme (don't mind the grim nature) but change up the formula from time to time.
Pay attention, historians. Dimery and co. ignored "early modern" artists as pivotal as Robert Johnson, Lead Belly, Hank Williams or Woody Guthrie to then include this curio, admittedly interesting, but far from sounding as relevant as those names today. I get that using the album fornat to select recordings from the artists I've just quoted can be a little tricky (compilations would be a more apt word). Yet it's a "rule" that Dimery bent a couple of time anyway. So this can't be the only excuse he had here... On a more "subjective" note, there's a bit of bluegrass in those tunes, but I wish there was *more* of it to make the proceedings a little more lively. Nice harmonies there for sure, and some striking lyrics here and there. Yet I still get bored most of the time. Next please. Number of albums left to review: 430 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 264 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 138 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 171 (including this one)
Especie de dueto de cantautores/trovadores que, acompañados de guitarras clásicas, interpretan canciones de estilo folk/country. Aire retro.
I mean... there is some nice harmony here, but I don't remember sigining up for 1910s hit parade and the religous overtones.
Good quality singing and playing. Not my style of music, and so each song is a bit same same.
Interesting stories, distinctive sound, instantly transports you to a unique place and time, but not necessarily a place you wanna hang out at. There's a darkness about the album, and it's not a cool one like Black Sabbath! Two newlywed cousins out of five 🤵👰
Hillbilly gospel older than my mom. Some songs are OK... some had interesting lyrics or maybe modern lexicon makes it interesting, hard to say.
ну очень кантри, пас
Really don't like this kind of music. If you want an album to listen to right before you commit suicide, then this album is for you.... 2/5
Dit zal vast historische waarde hebben voor latere country, maar het is me toch steeds teveel twing twang twong
Oef, de eneige positieve associatie die dit oproept is met meerdere Coen Brothers films. Verder is het eigenlijk gewoon niet te doen.
Mais um disco de country tradicional para seguir na lista.
1/12, 8%
Don't like this country twang sound
Day 112 Tragic indeed. I cried.
I did not Louv this.
HATE the sound. Makes my skin crawl. I like country music but this is too twangy for me. 2/5
Un disco que no tiene mucho para ofrecer, largo, tedioso, cansino, las cancilnes igualmente mantienen la idea basica, pero hasta ahi va 3/10
It was country, all sound the same.
For me this is just more of the same old same old for C+W. It's not inherently bad, but also doesn't stand out from a very busy crowd.
Not for me