Reviews (page 6 of 9)
Amazing but so depressing. Nothing changes....
Good album for day 2. Made me feel like I should be in Dubois, Wyoming sitting at a bar alone in cowboy hat, boots and spurs. Really touched my heart when John Prine said Jesus died for no reason. shit was fire.
A social realist Dylan you say? With a better singing voice, ability to craft a song that sounds new and old at the same time. Slight tinges of C and W, slightly more straightforward storytelling lyrics and less stream of consciousness. Sounds like three stars to me.
Some great themes and lyrics on this album. Wish I had the chance to see him. Fucking covid
Goat
All time album.
Phenomenal. 5 stars. Lyrically extremely underrated. Paradise is best track.
Interesting lyrics I like it
Llega el country con uno de sus eternos interpretes. Buen comienzo.
4.4 - Love John Prine, really liked this album. I think it can feel a little samey, but there are some really perfect songs.
"Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down... and won" - I love the wordplay on "Illegal Smile", its such a playful and poetic counter-culture ode to weed, or whatever substance. Fave Tracks: Illegal Smile, Pretty Good 3.7/5
Solid debut from Prince, a country favorite of mine
Really good album
Good mellow album to listen to when to unwind.
Pretty good, though a little too straightforwardly country for my tastes.
Good ol twangy country
This was nice! Good music and some fun lyrics.
really enjoyed this one! john's got a clever way of writing lyrics that really shines on this album. i definitely laughed at the lines "A bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down and won" and "all my friends turned out to be insurance salesmen" from the first track. definitely coming back to these later. favorites: illegal smile, spanish pipedream, hello in there, paradise, your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore, angel from montgomery
A hell of a debut full of songs that are pretty much standards now. There is a wisdom and emotional depth that is years beyond the young man who wrote them. He has an uncanny ability to tell everyone’s store.
Equal parts charming and depressing, loved it.
Was not expecting to rate a country album this high, but good lyrics are good lyrics
Country, folk. Ni fu ni fa.
Like early Dylan but enjoyable. Extra half star for no harmonica.
John prime’s best work and this one gets better every time I listen. There’s so much in the lyrics and the simplicity of the songs really makes this album so easy to enjoy. Not sure why this is listed as country because I would never call Prone a country artist. I would say more Folk but with this album there are some rustic themes but nothing really country. This is a great album cover to cover where his comedic lyrical style shines while also having a display of depth and sorrow that the world has as well. A fantastic album. 8.6/10
Oh goody, I thought. Twangy banal country BS to wade through. And (to be fair) a lot of the music is just that. But it made me realise that country music really allows the vocals prominence, and a lot of these ones are worth a listen. A few really bleak lines in there.
Country para dormir.
Lyrically this is still so relevant, musically, not massively my thing but I didn't hate it, it's a 3
It's almost a shame that I find the production here relatively generic when it comes to this prominent country singer-songwriter style because I genuinely found John Prine to be one of the most incredible writers in this genre. He does anecdotal writing similar to Bob Dylan, telling his story through a large array of different characters - 'Pretty Good' especially reminded me a lot of Highway 61's era Dylan with its absurd imagery and rock-tinge. 'Sam Stone' is devastating and one of the many anti-war songs here. All the writing here is beautiful, existential, and surreal. I called the production generic, but it's still very fitting and enjoyable despite it being made up of your typical acoustic and steel-pedal guitar combo. There were still some interesting moments like that atmospheric sound hanging in the background of 'Six O'Clock News'. More than anything though, this is an album that I'll remember for the bleak, yet whimsical world it builds.
Holy shit, schon wieder dieses nasale Countrygequake. Country - Singer/Songwriter - Grunge und da capo. Tolle Liste. Gestern ist Françoise Hardy gestorben. Ich wette, dass nicht ein Album von ihr auf dieser US-EN Liste ist, vermutlich überhaupt nichts französisches. Aber ist schon ok, wenn ich diese Liste gemacht hätte, wäre dort kein Country-Album zu finden. Naja, vielleicht eins von Johnny Cash :)
Boring yellowstone music
Surprisingly good
Enjoyed it a lot
I liked this quite a bit. I'm not into Country or Christianity. But I still got a lot out of this. It's got some super fun rock and psychedelic moments as well.
I’d love to see a documentary about how this guy got a record deal, sold a single album and then got popular enough to make this list. Because there’s got to be a great story about it. Great accomplishment for a guy that can’t sing.
This was… horrible. Weird and unusual punishment.
Simply one of the best. Almost every song on this album is perfect for campfire noodling. A genuine troubadour and storyteller. I love this album and I love John Prine.
Culturally interesting and great lyrics but I'm so sick of all this folk music.
Fine but a little bland
Good old boy
I have seen this name, but never heard him before. I do not normally go for this genre, but wow I was floored by how catchy and gripping it was! A little twangy protesty poignant Dylan/American Pie. This is a five star new album
The one good country album.
What Bob Dylan should be. Relatable, funny, melancholic, and just a solid listen. Angel from Montgomery is an absolute classic.
Goat
If Bob Dylan made a country album. Surprisingly good, not sure why, maybe my favourite in this genre
Interestingly enough, after coming off the Amy Winehouse album, I am seeing a certain "why" in how I feel about certain music and musicians. It isn't like this is "bad" (consider Amy Winehouse, not "bad" either). It is just that it is targeting a certain demographic, and not a big sweeping one, but an addict down one your luck one or, in this case, a life long done you down low and you gotta' just accept your lot in life... But for those who don't buy it, The bottle does not empty itself. You can't leave a place if you don't get up and go. I don't feel the life sucks then you die thing so much. Taking responsibility is not the same thing as resigning to ones fate (which is never set in stone). So while it is Ok, even decent, I can't really cry over any of it personally.
Not the biggest fan of country, didn’t enjoy his voice
John Prine is probably the best american song writer not enough people talk about and this album is full of some exceptional pieces of work.
As someone who doesn't like country, I still really vibed with this one. His voice was kind of goofy but it was just the right pace and the songs were well written and nice to just relax to
Awfully strong, if unassuming-seeming, debut. "Illegal Smile" is sweet, it a touch silly. "Hello In There" is borderline heartbreaking. The sub-par vocals (which JP seems to accentuate at moments of drawing out syllable and acting like he's leading a kids' singalong or when he seems about to break into yodeling and might undercut the more serious/heavy songs ("Sam Stone") though maybe the effect is meant to be tragicomic. In contrast, the lyrics are mostly execllent , with homespun wisdom ("blow up your TV/eat a lot of peaches") and impressive imagery both inventive (fight between Tuesday and Wednesday over Saturday night") and bleakly despairing ("hole in Daddy's arm where the money goes"). Dylan made the world safe for this sort of intentionally singing, one thinks, but he's more effective than the often flat, frequently clangy Prine. "Paradise" and "Pretty Good" are solid. One wonders if Prine was so underrated for so long that he ended up somewhat overrated at the end. One feels sort of the same way about "Angel from Montgomery."
I suppose this sort folksy style of country music has to be understated and restrained by it's very nature, it wouldn't be what it is if it wasn't. So it's hard for me to blame ol' John for not writing songs that stick my head or leave a strong lasting impression. At the same time, he does what he does well, and the songs don't overstay their welcome. So I'll give him an understated and reserved score I think he deserves, with an underlying nod of respect and appreciation.
Nice sounds need to listen to some more Prone
not my kind of country
Pretty good, not bad, can't complain, but actually everything's just about the same. This album really grew on me after a few listens. Dylanesque - but I actually prefer this. Could return to it
Too country for me.
Great story telling. Good jams. A slightly unpredictable lyrics. A fun listen .
Back to the roots with this album. If Angel From Montgomery was the only song he wrote, he would still have had a massive impact..
Country - especially old school country - is not for me
John Prine is an artist I am certainly aware of but had not spent a lot of time listening to so I was glad to have this album pop up. Very listenable and Prine puts his wonderful songwriting and storytelling abilities on display. Great songs include "Illegal Smile", "Far From Me", "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven" and of course "Angel From Montgomery".
Not a genre I really like but there is an honesty to this. The storytelling is good and the music doesn't fall into the tropes of bad country. I bit Dylanny at times.
Not usually my type of music but I found it very enjoyable to listen to.
Prine can turn a phrase but on this one his vocal style was getting a bit monotonous.
Interesting country. Really enjoyed it. Didn’t realize Illegal Smile is a year older than I am.
It’s like reading the poetry notebook of the guy who goes to the townie bar every night, orders a Shirley Temple, and never says a word to anyone, but will sit there people-watching until close. It’s funny, it’s critical, it’s got social commentary, it’s sad, it’s heartfelt. And musically, it’s engaging and varied; the acoustic, folk-adjacent songs have just enough of a backing band to keep you invested, but they can also kick it up a notch and melt your face off, too. I’ve only heard this once before when a friend put it on his record player for me, and I liked it then, but this time I can really dig into it and appreciate how deep Prine is, both sonically and lyrically. And I think there’s a lot to dig in to here, and both elements are very well balanced, which makes it even better. Even as someone who isn’t a huge fan of Country music, this is an instant standout.
Favourite song - Angel from montgomery
His lyrics are quirky, but I kinda liked it.
3.5/5
Just listen to the words of his songs. They are special.
I really started enjoying the late great John Prine about 5 years ago. Wish I had paid attention much earlier. A great debut album. Songwriter excellence. Love his lyrics from the first album all the way through to his last one. Great music. He is missed. $&@% Covid!
A diamond of a song writer. The master of stories recording a pretty much perfect first album
Great!
I have friends who rave about John Prine, and have heard many musicians praise him. It’s all about his lyrics. He tells great stories. But in my opinion musically ist’s unimpressive.
“There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose” Damn that’s good. I dig this. Sam Stone is a gut punch... Pretty Good is also pretty biting and catchy as hell. Your Flag... has a strong message that carries on. The recording is great for the era and style... But the lyrics especially jump out unlike most stuff does for me. This guy is awesome. This is a surprise 4.5.
Hilarious and a specific memorial to county music before it was claimed by right-wingers.
Decent “country” voice. Great lyrics.
I remember hearing much praise of John Prine at the time of his death without having ever listened to him myself and was excited to have his album come up on the list. I'm not a country music girl so I can see why I never came across him before, but I liked this album more than I expected to. Great lyricist for sure.
I didn't know he wrote these songs. I guess I've been a John Prine fan for a while. Well done!
Excellent lyricist. I'd like his work even more if he were a better singer or had a good singer do that singing for him. Still, overall enjoyable experience for me.
Mr. Prime assembled a pretty great collection of Prog. Country tracks, and while the direction of the album can feel kinda stale, there are some stellar country tunes in the mix.
Good folk album. A witty, some tunes funny, tongue in cheek critique of war, love, grief and the new age. Vibe similar to the Nilsson Schmilsson album. Was impressed by his lyricism and how real some of the songs felt. Standouts: Hello in There, San Stone, Paradise, Pretty Good, Donald and Lydia.
Country version of Bob Dylan
Way way better than any other album I’ve heard recently
Super weird, seems like it wouldn’t be my jam. And yet, this album is just fantastic.
Can't say I'm a country fan. Had the occasional good lyric
I have this album hanging on the wall in my basement. I just love every song on this. A friend of mine got me into John Prine about 20 years ago. He is such a wonderful storyteller. Plus he is a pretty guitar player as well. Great, great album from someone we lost way too soon.
Classic old rock
I enjoyed this far better than I expected. What a great lyricist. Sure, not the best singer, but a John had what it took to enjoy a decades long career in music and write some of the best songs.
Great songs sung well. Wonderful story telling.
It’s like Bob Dylan with better vocals and no distracting harmonica.
Saanko sanoa taas tyylipuhdasta? Sitä tämä on lajissaan. Aikamoisia tarinoita sanoituksissa! Rouhea ääni. En kuitenkaan ole syvästi koskettunut. Kaksi ja puoli tähteä.
Tarkoituksena on kuunnella tarinointia, joka onkin paikoin lähes pysäyttävää, mutta valitettavasti kaipaisin vielä vähän kekseliäisyyttä biisien musiikilliseen puoleen. Toimii levy tällaisenaankin.
John Prine is a fantastic songwriter. He reminds me of Bob Dylan in many ways. His lyrics are often imaginative, deep, and clever. He really touches the heart of many people. On the other hand, his voice certainly leaves something to be desired. It’s an acquired taste. It would be like Getty Lee and Rush. Some people tolerate him. Other people hate him, vocally, but, it just fits. The same with John.
Lyrics that were occasionally funny. I do enjoy him a bit more than Dylan. The music structure was the standard folk country, so that became a bit tiresome after awhile when it became clear there would not be any song arrangement surprises. Was worth a listen but probably won't make it into my regular rotation.
Oh nooo. Very country isn't it. Lyrically more interesting than others. But strong country.
It's great when someone surpasses your expectations. Simple stories, told with no drama, but so many leave a year or two behind.
Such an awesome voice in the country space. So much feeling in each song. Rip fr
No compro que entre los 1001 albums que tengas que escuchar antes de morir haya tanto country
Clásico del country, buen álbum yeehaw
Wäri etz iwo zmitzt im nirgendwo sitting on my porch vibe denn wär da 10/10 aber so in bassersdorf hittets ebe scho ned so…
prine cool. illegal smile huere guete text. bowl of oatmeaö tried to stare me down haha. dases uf en 6/8 wechslet uf de refrain isch geil. haha wa my sister's a nun. spanish pipedream cute aso funny aso coole song aso jo. hello in there isch easy sad, chrieg isch nöd geil. Sam stone au wieder ptsd song. uff de isch heavy. sam stone popped his last balloon. paradise goht um es dorf wo wegme cholechraftwerk zerstört wird? de siech cha texte. pretty good isch seehr groovy. uuh yeah gitarresolo. your flag wont get you into heaven anymore slappt extrem. haha de himmel het z viel lüt wegem chrieg. far from me premium pedal steel shit. boah john de shit isch huere schön. angel from montgomery. oooooch d gitarrelicks. oooo de sad text (ischs sad?) beste song bis jetz. huuuere geil. quiet man au huere noice riffs und so. würkli sehr sehr sehr guet mr prine. ich glaub da isch prime john prine. donald and lydia isch etz bitz meh schreitend langsam. six o clock news cute chords ja coole bass. flashback blues sehr sehr guete abschluss song. de byebye. juere guets album. chratzt amne füfi.
oke er näselet scho sehr, mier chegget du bisch countrybueb jaa bis jz findis na cute aber nöd meh WOW SCHLAGZÜG WAS ISCH DAS far from me isch endlich mal es lied wo mi wieder chli packt es gfalltmer allgemein besser wenn echli meh passiert, d orgle im hindergrund und de bass und s schlagzüg bringed vill find ich jaa cute aber joa?
Pretty great. Donald and Lydia a very sweet song, the rest of the songs deserve a second listen.
Rootin and/or tootin
I was initially not really enjoying it but at about the 4th song I started thinking hmm, this is all still super relevant. "Your flag won't get you into heaven anymore".
Has there ever been a better lyric than: "There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes/ Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose" ... um, no. John Prine is an American treasure. What a tragedy that we lost him to COVID.
I dunno, this sounds country and I pretty much don't jive with it. I remember back in the 70s/80s a few friends that respected this guy, songwriting they might have liked? They weren't country dudes tho, so made me think I need to listen someday. Doing that now. Dylan-esque maybe? 2 stars sigh
Anti-war country music was a pleasant surprise
Repetitive. Doesn't feel profound in any way
1971 - Country-folk; progressive country; Americana. Humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, as well as serious songs about melancholy tales from his life. elements of social commentary and satire Wikipedia
Actually great artist and pretty good album, I’m just sick and tired of listening to country
escuche 8 minutos y fue suficiente; I hate country. Funny guitar skills tho. 2/10.
Shit sucks
Not totally my cup of tea, but I can see the attraction that people have for him
Good listen.
And here I was thinking I hate Bob Dylan 🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️
Absolute classic!
9/10 lots of fun super well written folk songs :)
I’ve seen this album get a lot of praise and a lot of criticism. Really it just comes down to a matter of preference, I guess, like anything else. His singing is a bit monotone, rather Dylanesque, the lyrics are heartfelt and honest - stories of real people and real pain, sung straight and true. No frills, no real technique, just folksy country singing. In 1971 the Vietnam War still ongoing, on its last leg, four years until the US would pull out. This album would hold a lot more sway I feel with people who lived through that time, but to call this album soulless or over-produced as I have seen some say is just baffling. I guess I just feel Prine and his music are more down to earth and relatable than some other folk music and the songwriting and lyrics are great even if you can’t quite love his voice. It’s a wonderful debut, and not hard for me to see why it is so influential.
A guy I work with introduced me to John Prine and I fell in love with this album. I'm not the biggest country music fan, but John Prine leans heavily toward the folk side of country. He's also on the classic side of country which helps too. Illegal Smile is a great song touting the harmless effects of marijuana use. And I just learned that isn't what it was supposed to be about at all! John apparently said in an interview once that it was really supposed to be about how when he was a child he found himself smiling at things people normally didn't smile at. I can relate to that. Finding humor in all the darkness is my forte and it's John Prine's as well. Spanish Pipedream lets you know John Prine isn't normal country, he's hippie country. Hello I There is one of the saddest songs ever written. Wandering through a boring life of work that leads to potentially just losing your mind and then dying. What an American Dream. This song is followed by Sam Stone, another depressing song. But the way John weaves the tales isn't inherently sad, it's honestly got a bit of humor in it, which I think makes them even better. Who wants to cry about Daddy putting all his money in his arms? But if you can kind of get an illegal smile from hearing these lyrics, John knows he did his job. Want another illegal smile? How about a song about a woman getting raped by a dog? Is it an actual dog or is he just calling men dogs? Who knows, but if those lyrics make you snicker... you're going to jail. And all those gods are the same... yep jail. The majority of these are well thought out catchy tunes with just a few in the second half that don't capture my attention as well. The lyrics are both funny and sarcastic and dark all at the same time and the music has a country twang but leans to folk and the album just gives me illegal smiles left and right.
Made me think of John Dever. it's that style of music
Rating: 6/10
Not my kind of music
This album is amazing. Really interesting storytelling and catchy tunes. I don't think I've ever listened to this album all the way through but I found myself knowing a lot of the songs. Pretty relatable lyrics and some of them are really clever/ironic. A staple in folk/country. It's too bad covid took John Prine.
Probably my favorite song writer of all time. John Prine tells the most visceral stories about love, relationships, loss, loneliness, sadness, America, politics, and he always does an with underlying tone of humor. I love that his songs are about *things* but he sings them in the form of stories and characters that he calls by name. Cathy, Loretta, Sam, Dad etc. He writes about a real America and real American people, but it's neither negative or positive. It's just stories that anyone can listen and relate to. I feel like I've met every person that he sings about. My favorite songs: -Illegal Smile, these is maybe the most underrated weed song ever. Its so funny. I like the story of it and the underlying message. -Spanish Pipedream, another song showcasing John's humor. This song is kind of silly, but also a good message. -Sam Stone, have you ever heard a song so visceral about a Vet? "there's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes. Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose." Woah. This song is incredible. - Hello In There, who freakin writes a song about aging empty nesters and the loneliness involved? This song gives me the chills. - Paradise, maybe environmental protest song ever. I freaking love this song. I especially love how it ends: "when I die, let my ashes flow down the Green River, let my ashes roll up to to Rochester Dam, I'll be halfway to heaven, with Paradise waiting, just 5 miles away from wherever I am." I love that this song is a serious environmental song, but he still incorporates his dark sense of humor. - Pretty Good, not my favorite but I do like the humor and the bluesy guitar riffs. This one is a little more wild and edgy. - Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore, has any song been more relevant to conservatism in America? I love how in this song he covers his truck in American Flags and then crashes it and dies and God won't let him into heaven. - Far From Me, I love the complicated relationship in this song. And I love how he uses a broken bottle as an metaphor for marriage. - Angel from Montgomery, the penultimate John Prine songs. This song always gives me the chills. I love the story about a relationship, hope, loneliness, love. Its got it all. I don't even know what to say other than I'm grateful that this song has been in my life for as long as it has. (this is also one that Meg and I play / sing a lot in our living room and have for years.) - Quiet Man, lesser known but still a great story. - Donald and Lydia, the poetry in this one. Lydia's story and then Donald's and then Love. And I love how he tells about them making love, but how they were really very far away. Funny, but real. - Six O'Clock News, "come on baby, spend the night with me." This song is sentimental at the surface, and then realize its the saddest most heartbreaking song ever. - Flashback Blues, this one is fun. Ironic, funny. Just good.
Love love love John Prine…a legend of epic songwriting lyrics, great music for decades. He has been greatly missed since he passed
It's country. It's got topless women and religion. It's not my cuppa.
69% (4) 👍
I don't like country music at all.
You know the album is going to be a little different when the first song ends with "Hot dog bun, my sister's a nun." The whole thing is a mixed bag though. This guy is a more Country sounding Bob Dylan with the clever lyrics in some songs like Illegal Smile, Pretty Good, and Your Flag Decal, but then there's some basic boring Country stuff too.
Never really listened to him, loved this album.
One of the albums to scratch a wash board to of all time
Heard of this artist. Not sure if I'll be able to give it a listen to much, not really into this kind of music.
Feeling good laid back country/folk. And Angel of Montgomery, what a fine song
I tried to get through it, I gave up on the 3rd track. I can't handle his nasally twangy voice.
This is a silly sounding album. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be or not, but the guy kinda sounds like Cat Stephens, I particularly liked the song Your flag decal won't get you into heaven any more, made me lol.
I first heard this about 3 years and was in complete amazement. I adore this album.
Great easy listening album.
Country para dormir.
3.5/5
Great singer song writer, with a tinge of sadness through-out. Bette Midler does a great version of Hello in there and Bonnie Rait, Susan Tedeschi cover Angel of Montgomery.
The first few songs sounded the same but there were some great lyricism throughout the album. “there’s a hole in daddy’s arm, where all the money goes”, I loved “Sam Stone”, story about a drug addicted vet. Iconic voice, depressing lyrics.
Every song on this record touches my heart. Prine wrote everything he saw with all his soul, and this is the pinnacle to me. He certainly created a lot of impactful music long after this record released, but nothing of his touches this one.
it's country with a lot of fiddle and banjo/guitar it's ok
Not for me. Too folky and twangy. 1/5
Ok stuff
like a tv show i wouldnt return to but sat through. story telling on point
No
Was very listenable for an older country album. Very solid lyrics, flag decal sounds like it could have been written in the past few years.
Plenty of similar sounding songs here, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a sucker for pedal steel. Going a little lower since it didn’t do anything radically different for the time.
Sounded like a parody album of what country music should be. Guitar playing was good.
These were songs of my childhood. My sisters & I busked towns in the Midwest playing, amongst other things, several songs from this album.
Songwriting genius.
Would like to hear others.
I'd like to punk cover Flag Decal
Pretty good, not bad, I can't complain. But actually, everything is just about the same. Strong start, with mostly forgettable second half. Excellent lyrics, capable of being playful to full of sorrow and despair.
Not a huge country guy but this album was special. The lyrics were great and I loved the protest message.
I am not the biggest country fan, but this album made smile and chuckle. I recommend listening to it on a sunny winter's day on your way to the office for maximum impact.
A great songwriter and an important voice who didn't get acknowledged until much later in life. These are powerful songs.
I found this unpleasant.
Ecstatic seeing this come up. A favourite of mine
Every song a story capturing moments of America. Brilliant!
i had never heard of John Prine 2 weeks ago. then last week i was talking with my stats professor and Prine is one of his favorite artists so i listened to this exact album. and now i just listened to it again a week later. and it’s good! not amazing but never bad
I really like this one: Twangy vocals, unadorned folk and country music blend, and really great songwriting.
literal bob dylan abi tam dinlemedim albümü ama bitirmicem galiba çünkü herhangi bi bob dylan albümünü koysalar daha iyi olurdu farklı bana konuşan bir şey duyamadım ki ben bu tür şarkılarda (country/folk her neyse artık) gitarı dinlemeyi seviyorum genelde albümün yarısına kadar dinledim şu an ve değişik gitar da duymuyorum her şarkıda aynı neredeyse ama kötü de değil şarkılar ama dinlemem bi daha aç bob dylan dinle aga bu ne
Surprisingly I quite enjoyed this. Country folk isn't my favourite musical genre by a mile but found it quite mellow and each song told a story. Overall not a bad listen
I wanted to like this, I started of liking it, the lyrics are kinda entertaining, but after a while it just all blurred into one big country mass
Mighty fine songwriting, Mr Prine.
loved it. witty and thought provoking. need to listen to more of him
4.0 - Plenty of casually devastating lines on here, like “there’s a whole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes / Jesus Christ died for nothing I suppose” (“Sam Stone”). Side B is sleepier. Other standouts: “Your Flag Decal…”, “Spanish Pipedream”, “Angel from Montgomery.”
Prine wrote some very unique country songs, performed complete with great fingerpicking. Among these songs, some very biting songs about the Vietnam war's effects on veteran's and on America in general-- ripe subject matter for it's 1971 release date. Some other good songs about empathy for the elderly, real principles of Christianity, to the power of imagination ("Illegal Smile" - supposedly not about weed, I swear I looked it up!) One can hear why he is country-western royalty and has legends like Dylan, Cash, & Kristofferson singing his praises. Not only that but unlike many country legends, all songs on this album were written by Prine, a real showcase into his strength as a storyteller, even if his vocals on this album had yet to fully mature, it's clear he's giving his all nonetheless. Real nice album, thoroughly enjoyable performance from Prine and band.
A masterpiece.
Not my genre, but I really like him. Been listening to Kacey Musgraves nonstop lately. Maybe I could be a country fan?
John Prine's music represents a big musical blind-spot for me, albeit one I never really knew was a blind-spot until the massive outpouring of online grief back in April 2020 surrounding his untimely passing. Despite seeing how many artists, writers, and acquaintances were waxing poetic in those days Prine's music remained something out there in the ether that maybe one day eventually I'd get around to listening to. A brief digression, on critical reassessment. As an outside observer, but frequent follower of the Rolling Stone "500 albums" list it is fascinating to observe the leap this album made. From #452 to #149, regardless of anything to do with the songs, which are great I'll add, that sort of canonical shift and sea change over the course of 8 years is simply fascinating to me, it shows that the canon is so far from being fixed and will probably continue to change. This is a great collection of songs though, Prine is a marvelous storyteller, has a real way with a turn of phrase without being too overwrought. Plainspoken when it fits, but equally capable of hitting on a beautiful melody. Type of album I wish I had grown up with and had nostalgic memories with, but one that'll stick around in the rotation.
I can see why people like him. Just not my favorite genre of music.
At the time of writing this, Toby Keith has been dead for less than 48 hours and the story where Kris Kristofferson says what Keith did to country music is what pantyhose did to finger fucking is making the rounds. Appropriately, the debut album by Kristofferson’s protégé is a pure example of going commando and getting right in there.
Liked, not loved. Some nice tunes; overall ok.
Bob Dylan's Dylan and Johnny Cash's Cash. The folk-rock-country musicians' musician that is accessible, wry, funny and a great story teller. John Prine should be more well known that he is.
It's country. Normally, I don't mind country. I don't mind this just the same. But, it's country. I have a hard time feeling like I'd ever like to sit down and listen to any of this again. Not sure I like his voice, either.
Definitely a different voice in his earlier recordings. I enjoyed this album.
I like country so this was good.
Some fun lyrics - satirical or snide in an entertaining way. Pretty good musically. A bit too country-croony.
yeah, so better than I thought. Some fun/clever lyrics and overall a pretty positive experience. Maybe a bit samey throughout but it was enjoyable!
He sounds like a duck. It's bad.
Just the cover had me going 'oh no', but the music was even worse than I expected. And it all sounds the same.
I would be glad to listen this album only at special circumstances - like being a hitch-hiker in the southern part of USA.
A very well written folk album. I don't know who the FRICK John Prine is, but man can this guy write a song. "Illegal Smile" is a funny song. "Your Flag Decal..." is also funny and kinda sad. "Sam Stone" is almost funny for how sad it is while John Prine sings it so thoughtfully. "Hello in There" is a very beautiful, sensitive song. "Spanish Pipedream" sounds nice, although it's kind of an odd story. I don't know WHAT "Pretty Good" is about. "Six O'clock News" is also tragic, but subtle enough I don't really know what the story is. Many songs stand out, and even though John Prine sings with a very hick sort of affectation, he performs each song well.
Good storytelling songs that would be great for long road trips.
So I can tell that he is a talented songwriter, like if Bob Dylan grew up in Kentucky or something, but too many times he throws in a random silly line that takes away from what the song had going for it. I love old country but this one was not one of my favorites
At first I was not happy with another country album since that’s something I really don’t listen to usually, but this one was quite okay… Not too long album with nice storytelling songs, that would be 3 from me.
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This was funny, sad, and witty. He was an amazing artist
There's a hole in daddy's arm where the money goes. Jesus Christ died for nothin', I suppose. That’s a hell of a line It’s a good solid 3 Suspect I could be convinced to go to 4 with enough listens
The lyrics are really detailed, which makes it a little hard to get the full scope of his music on one listen through. The light instrumentation means the electric (steel?) guitar really shines in its moments, and the harmonies on Paradise are excellent. Better than Bob Dylan.
The thing is, I'm fairly lyric deaf. Without a conscious effort to process a song's words, they mean nothing to me. And when I put in the effort, it sort of muffles the music, so I mostly don't. Sometimes, this is a blessing however, so I can for instance pay attention to "Hello in There" while somewhat ignoring this album's country twang music and... my eyes feel warm? Phew, this is a tough one. I can't do it justice, I'm afraid. I'm pretty sure John Prine was an exquisite human be– ///a few moments latér, an open Wikipedia article about Paradise, Kentucky on the screen/// Actually, this is good stuff. A good 4 kind of stuff even ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
An interesting hybrid of Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan.
John Prine was a gift to all of us trying to relax and not take life so seriously. This album is just a talented guy singing his thoughts out loud, and its so simple, that its amazing.
Really good folk album front to back. Songs range from funny to deeply sad to politically relevant even now. Wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did
Ok
Grim and dustbitten! Aika kova. En yleensä countrya nii paljoo, mut tää kyl kolisee.
Amazing
Not a fan of country. This was ok just not my thing. I appreciate the social messages. Your Flag Decal was hysterical and definitely holds up today. 3
John Prine starts a song with "I am an old woman" and you believe him.
John Prine, country legend, makes his genre seem effortless. Playing around with time signatures, metaphor, and humor ("Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose"). With how witty and twangy Prine is, you wouldn't think he grew up in Illinois! He certainly borrows stylistic elements from Bob Dylan, but Prine crafted country music into his own.
Strong contender for the quintessential country album. Prine's pen was among the best to ever write - 'Sam Stone', 'Paradise', 'Angel from Montgomery', and 'Donald and Lydia' are prime examples.
One of those albums where you have to indulge in the lyrics to fully appreciate it. Prine is a quintessential country and folk songwriter and one of the few characters of the genre who can be compared to Dylan without overselling his talent.
Avevo paura mi arrivasse un album con uno stile un po' country, ed eccolo qui. Per niente il mio stile ma non è esageratamente il country stereotipo che mi immaginavo. Un album che comunque non riascoltetei.
Seems to have a good sense of humor. Music is ok.
Country, folk. Ni fu ni fa.
Country para dormir.
Great album, beautiful songs.
.. no comments
Kind of country-ish. The lyrics are really good. Probably wouldn't buy it but would listen to it on spotify.
love!
Easy 5. Country/folk isn’t necessarily my genre, but I absolutely loved this album. I’ve heard about John Prine for a long time, but never dove in - glad 1001 gave me the chance. Favorites include Paradise, Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore, and Pretty Good. Every song is good and there are great session players on the record.
Why is this album in this list?
A Country-folky sound with a existential streak, this is a great album that leaves no subject untouched. Patriotism/war, drugs, addiction, the environment, relationships, growing old, suicide This is some powerful, vivid songwriting. I can see why was admired and had such an influence on so many. All the songs are gems but Sam Stone, Pretty Good, and Angel from Montgomery are among my favorites.
2 1/2
Genre: 1/5 Lyrics: 5/5
Someone I've never heard of, self-titled album, sat in full denim on bales of hay with a guitar behind him. Not to go into this with any prejudice, but I think I'm going to dislike it. Yes, this is entirely wrong for me.
Had a good turn a phrase on quite a few songs. Only an average listen for me.
Actual lyrics: His brains was on the sidewalk and blood was on his shoes C'mon baby, spend the night with me
I hate this kind of music.
I wish other genres would tell stories like country. If I didn't hate steel guitar and country accents in music, this would be amazing.
There's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes. The sense of humor and sarcasm runs deep in these songs. John Prine was a master storyteller, which I miss in today's country music. Excellent album all around.
Maybe I do like country
Nice, singer songwriter…
One’s been more of an admirer than a fan, but this is quite the debut. Different from Dylan, seems obvious now, but perhaps it wasn’t then. Similar in that the songwriting far surpasses the vocals, but Dylan is a notch more serious, and owns that seriousness and the seeming silliness (not just lyrically, but often in melodic little flourishes) with which Prine approaches his serious subject matter, are markers of difference. “Hello In There” is lovely, affecting – a template Jason Isbell stole for “Traveling Alone” on his excellent Southeastern record which belongs on this list. The organ on “Sam Stone” sounds an awful lot like the opening cut Pink Floyd’s The Final Cut and the grim, post-war subject matter also rhymes – personal elegies, basically. “Paradise” is great. “Angel in Montgomery” is deservedly renowned. Playing is sound and workmanlike.
His lyrics are great. For a country/folk album I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would
RIP. Great album
A different type of songwriter to those around him at the time, and a cheeky sense of humour undercurrent to the lyrics. But.. I find his nasal delivery grates a bit, and makes each song rather same-ish. 3.5 rounded down to 3.
I’ve never listened to any John Prine before, but his influence looms large in a lot of the music I’ve loved for years. Bob Dylan ranked Prine among the greatest songwriters around, singling out many of the songs from this album to make his case. And Roger Waters is a huge fan, going so far as lifting the melody from “Sam Stone” for the opening track on Pink Floyd’s “The Final Cut”. So my hopes were high for this debut album, and even though I struggled with it at first I was rooting for Prine all the way: a liberal ‘70s country musician whose songs address the horrors of war, addiction and loneliness. I had to stick with it, but after several listens, and especially after registering the lyrics, I’ve been swept away: there are some truly stunning songs to be discovered here. The compositions may not break the bank musically, displaying an economy of arrangement and melody. All the songs are led by Prine’s acoustic guitar, with simple strums and the odd arpeggio across the same handful of chords. These are often fleshed out with bass, drums, keys, fiddle and some nice lead or lap-steel guitar (“Your Flag Decal…”, “Far From Me” in particular), but it’s all ornamental and casual. The most upbeat tracks are “Spanish Pipedream” and “Flashback Blues”, which respectively cover a longing for a life off the grid and running from a painful past, over breezy shuffling rhythms with some lively fiddle accompaniment. Elsewhere, “Pretty Good” and “Quiet Man” are good bluesy jams but feel quite out of place on an album of stark heartbreak, a little like “Meet Me in the Morning” in “Blood on the Tracks”. But where Prine really excels here for me is with the ballads. This is a wordsmith’s album through-and-through, and the slower tracks really give his words space to breathe, so everything else can orbit around them. “Far From Me” is one of the bleakest portrayals of an ending relationship I’ve ever heard: even from the comfort of my happy one, it almost brought me to tears. “Donald and Lydia” goes further, with a tale of two lonely isolated individuals imagining their own love story from ten miles away. “Sam Stone”, with its hopelessly tragic tale of a war veteran slowly dying of heroin addiction, was voted one of Rolling Stone’s top ten saddest songs of all time. And finally, “Hello in There” is a quietly devastating picture of people growing more and more detached and lonesome in their old age: it’s going to stay with me for a long time whenever I pass some ancient eyes. All of these songs are absolutely beautiful, and deserve to be shared with everyone you love. When Prine died in 2020, from Covid-related complications, I read that tributes were conspicuously absent from most “traditional” country radio stations, who objected to his progressive views. Screw them: I can say with some confidence that this is the best country album I’ve heard so far. Rating a 4 but it will probably be a 5 in a few years.
I love it. I'd give it a 6 if I could.
Country meh
Mir gefällt dieser Singer-Songwriter Sound ganz gut! Die lockeren Texte sind auch ganz in Ordnung für dieses Genre. 5.2/10
Listenable country music. Sounds incredibly like Bob Dylan at first listen.
Being torn between Boredom on most songs and Admiration in some songs (e.g. Angel from Montgomery, could be one of best songs Dylan), let me give it 3 stars
Very country and very folk, which is not for me. But the lyrics are amazing. Especially Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven.
Naw
I was surprised by this one
Really solid country-tinged folk. I can definitely see the Dylan comparisons. Ultimately I think I'd rather be listening to him instead though to be honest.
How in the world this is one of the best albums of all time is beyond me, but I'm no musical historian.
coen bros. soundtrack-core (postivt)
Måske det bedste album jeg har opdaget gennem det her projekt indtil videre! Post-hippie-folk mesterværk, fanget på det der super spændende tidspunkt hvor hardcore 60er optimisme bliver til hardcore 70er pessimisme fordi man finder ud af at man ikke har løst en skid. I went to a flower power demonstrations and all I got was this stupid heroin addiction. Heldigt at han er sjov og at lyden er virkelig lækker, ellers havde det her sgu været for deprimerende.
Fin plade, er sikker på at man kan finde mere hvis man VIRKELIG tager sig sammen og lytter til teksten, for musikken var ret generisk.
Definitely not bad, but not really my thing
Can't stand country music
Funny how I like his twangy voice but I always disliked Willy Nelsen’s twangy voice.
Pretty good for country
Didn't actively hate it which is big praise for a country album of which there is way too much on this list 2.4
A bit tooo C&W for me. Hello in There wasn't bad. Quiet man too. But that was it. Almost a two, but went for 1 star
Alright. Well, it's hard to say anything really bad about this album. But it's also really hard to say anything good about this album. It exists, I guess? 2.5 rounded down, because I can't remember what it sounded like, since it finished an hour ago.
Not quite sure how to rate this one. In terms of song structure and lyrics, great. In terms of vocals, instrumentation and overall feel of the album, not my style, and I found myself wanting it to be over.
an all timer, one of the kings of sad as fuck country still being a good time
Not my favorite style of music, but I like lyrics that try to make a political statement. The lyrics add +1 star to what I was going to rate it.
this was a DNF for me
yeah this is good stuff. I listened to more than just this john prine yesterday
Pretty good! Not bad! Can't complain!
Interesting but its not my genre so it got to the point where it make me feel a bit bored. Respectfully tho. Appreciate the art and the atmosphere but its not for me. Liked a few songs still!
Bodenständiger Country. Sehr selbstreflektiv und teils auf humorvolle Weise gesellschaftskritisch, wir "Illegal Smiles" (die Cannabishymne, die nie als solche gedacht war).
The music doesn't do much for me, but the lyrics are great.
I've tried to get into this guy so many times but his voice just isn't for me. Lyrics/songwriting not bad though
An accessible and likeable midwestern Bob Dylan.
John Prine has a rare gift for being able to tackle very weighty and political subjects, but remains heartfelt, unsentimental, but warm and funny. That’s a rare thing I think that’s what sets him apart from many of his peers. This is a special album.
Easy top 5 of this project so far. This album rocks.
Wow. My relative ambivalence to country was utterly undone by the deft lyricism, emotion and warm humour of this album. Will be buying this!
This is not music. It’s stories told with a boring guitar strumming in the background.
Okay
74/100
Voice is grating :(
Loved it!
Let me first say, I truly hate country music. For the most part we’d be way better off if it didn’t exist. John Prine is the exception. Hello in There, Sam Stone are borderline masterpieces about war, growing old, drugs. A times there is too much twang for me. But still very strong 8.1/10
This was a very enjoyable album. I don’t listen to a lot of country, but this was nice. The instrumentals were very basic, but the man’s a good story teller. Very easy listening, the album slowed by nicely
Completely forgettable but not terrible.
Watch out Bob there's a new Muppet on the block
Folk country that is funny, sad, and political so at once. Someone needs to remind new country that their flag decals won't get them into heaven anymore.
Great
Lyrics and delivery with pathos, soul, humour and poetry. Straightforward, elegant and poignant.
3.5 Decent album. The two stand out for me are Your Flag Decal and Angel from Montgomery
We have both sorts of music, country and western. It was ok, all sounded pretty much the same as other stuff in this style with a dash of drug taking and depression. Never heard of the guy before today but he sounded a lot like Bob Dylan on a few tracks. Won't be listening again.
Ganska bra, lite skön country-folk.
Ikke for meg. Country blir så fort "juvenile" syntes jeg. Som i første sangen: "I just wanted to have fun, my sister was a nun" what? "We have Bob Dylan at home"
This album deserves better than the rating I am going to give it. It's a heartfelt reflection and critique of American culture and society, especially war culture, perfect for the American counter culture 1970s. The lyrics are poetic and occasionally darkly humorous. I just really don't like slow country. Favorite track was Sam stone
Classic!
Not too bad... but that era just has too many outstanding folk albums..
Super! Malo Bob Dylan, al manje pretenciozan.
I’ve not heard of John Prine before, but after hearing this, I’m prining for more.
I'm not sure where to go with this one. It's a really solid country album with strong anti-war lyrics. I think I'm making it a 4.5, just because it was a bit too much about god for my taste.
Excrucingly painful pissarro poor effort at the worst music genre..... country. I'm getting massively fed up with the volume of crappy whiny country albums this site selects. This guys singing is hilairballs.... jeez they must have been desperate in 1971 to listen to any aul eejit whining along to cheesey country lyrics.
Much better than expected, country songs with nice (although very Cristian) lyrics
Okay country folk with some good lyrics.
Great lyricism and sound. Worth exploring more.
country nooo
Good stuff. Couple of songs I could revisit. That decal song, a few more
It’s not bad… but it’s so boring! 🥱 Country music isn’t my cup of tea.
It was only in recent memory that the world began to realize what was obvious all along: that John Prine was a treasure in the music business. I throughly believe that we be all the worse off if he hadn't put his talents to tape and allow us to fully take in his impeccable storytelling talents. There is no better place to start than here, an album that will captivate and bowl you over from beginning to end. Favorites: Illegal Smile, Spanish Pipedream, Hello in There, Sam Stone, Paradise, Pretty Good, Angel From Montgomery, Quiet Man.
I'm not a big country music fan but I think this album has some songs that touch on serious issues and I felt connected to. It doesn't have a ton of replayability for me just based on personal preference but I do think it was well done
This is the album that plays in my head when I think of folk music. Favorite track was Illegal Smile.
Really like the lyrics on this, very woke for the era. Very simple sound, but it does a good job of frontlining the lyrics.
I don't like country but I like John Prine. The music itself is whatever but what he sings about is the kinda stuff I can get into. He seems like a cool dude.
Country para dormir.
Not a big fan of this kind of vocal style, but good lyrics go a very long way. Liked it a lot. The instrumentals are fine too. Favourite song maybe Quiet Man. Reminded me a lot of The Mountain Goats, wonder if it’s an influence