Review: George Strait's Twang

Twang EPK at YouTube

If you've heard one George Strait album, the mantra goes, then you've heard 'em all.

Then why am I the proud owner of over a dozen of Strait's 38 albums?

I bought his first album, Strait Country, as a new release, in 1981. The first song on that first album, "Unwound", is still one of my favorites. And Strait sings "El Rey" , the final song of his predictably fine new release Twang, in Spanish. The two tracks serve as bookends for (literally) days of great music.

Sure, a lot of it is formulaic and sappy. But Strait is also the most prolific and expert practitioner of my most cherished country music tradition- the drinkin'-to-forget song. "Living For the Night" is Twang's real keeper in that category.

Strait name-checks Hank Williams on the title track and Louis Armstrong on "Where Have I Been All My Life." Guys like me love that stuff.

I also appreciate the fact that it took Strait to finally break the six-week stranglehold that Michael Jackson's Number Ones had on the top of the charts. Loyal readers of There Stands the Glass know that I cried when M.J. died. But the tears I shed as I listen to Strait's hurtin' songs have an entirely different taste.

It's fitting then, at least from my perspective, that "King George" displaced the King of Pop.

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Until Tuesday, I'd never seen Over the Rhine. They absolutely floored me. I had no idea what I'd been missing. Here's my review of their stellar performance.

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Between the sets of Ari Hest and Over the Rhine, I snuck into the Blondie show down the street. The veterans looked and sounded phenomenal. And I got to hear "Hanging On a Telephone"!

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I encourage you to share the Gnawledge.

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This Blue Note/Wu-Tang mash-up is dope. (Found via NPR's jazz blog.)

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Kansas City Click: The rarest of events in Kansas City- an in-store performance- takes place with Micro Giant at Streetside Records Thursday. It's followed by a proper gig at the Riot Room.