Search - Me First & Gimme Gimmes :: Love Their Country

Rosa A. (Rosita) from TAMPA, FL
Reviewed on 3/20/2011...

Love the CD. Thanks!

0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Above Average, But Not Their Best

Brian Seiler | Tomball, TX USA | 10/21/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is problematic. I am a Me First and the Gimme Gimmes fan, and I am a country music fan (I have the originals of a fair sampling of the material they've covered here), and this is probably the first time on any of their records that I can see some clear, distinct errors in judgment and execution on the band's part.



The plus side for the album is that it's a set of moderately effective punk rock covers of country songs of various popularity. While not ambitious, the music is generally well executed. It's not a CD I'm sorry I bought.



However, there are some problems with this album, particularly when compared with some of their earlier fare. For starters, the song selection here is incomprehensible. Annie's Song? I mean, John Denver showed up a lot on the country charts, but this is not one of the songs that gets a lot of radio play in a lot of markets. It's also not a song that's particularly friendly for conversion to the punk ruck genre, because it is, in its original form, essentially a vocal showcase for Denver with only a minor part for the backing instrumental parts. Country Roads would have been a good choice here (their cover of that song is more than adequate), and Thank God I'm A Country Boy would probably have been more in keeping with the feeling of the album.



Similarly, Lookin' for Love is not really the hallmark of Johnny Lee's career. Cherokee Fiddle would probably have converted better, and would have better allowed for performances from the band. The Hank Williams number selected (I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry) is adequate and one of the more creative and interesting on the record, but I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive might have been an easier sell and even Hey Good Lookin' might be more recognizable. Other songs just aren't very effective on the record (Ghost Riders - a song I have grown to hate in all its various forms, and Jolene - a song that uses the same word four times in a row to form the chorus and casts serious doubt on Dolly Pardon's abilities as a performer). East Bound and Down - which will be most recognizable to folks as the theme song to Smokey and the Bandit - is similarly not the best they could have done in Jerry Reed's catalog (Guitar Man might have worked better, or even Amos Moses).



Some songs, however, are gems. I don't much like any country music perpetrated after 1985, but Much Too Young and Goodbye Earl are probably as good as they could be. Sunday Morning Coming Down is very well done as well. Comparing this to Are A Drag and Blow In The Wind, however, you see where the CD has some tracks that you might conceivably just want to skip over, and given the album's 25 minute running time, that's a pretty big problem.



Mostly, I suppose I'm just disappointed with the end result they've got here, which shouldn't really be surprising. It's easier to shoehorn pop music into the punk rock formula than it is country, if only because the two genres share a lot more qualities. This is a noble effort for what it's worth, but one that ultimately disappoints.



Buying Recommendations: For fans of the band, this isn't really a matter of choice. There is a new record. You'll buy it. It's not as good as some of the earlier work, but it's good enough. For new listeners interested in the band, if you've only got the money for one or two CDs, I'd tend to steer you towards Are A Drag and Blow In The Wind before this record. For country music and punk music fans interested in hearing the mashup of styles, you should be satisfied, if not really deeply and fundamentally impressed."

At it again...

Dr. Rock | Chicago | 10/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is exactly what I would expect from the punk supergroup we all know and love. Another fast CD with catchy covers and an expectedly short running time. Great stuff as usual."