Oklahoma Review Archives
The Grifter's Hymnal
Review of: Ray Wylie Hubbard
(Bordello Records) The Grifter's Hymnal serves as the follow-up album to Ray Wylie Hubbard's 2010 release A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment. The Oklahoma-born read more...
The Songs of Woody Guthrie
Review of: New Multitudes
(Rounder Records) The New Multitudes is a group composed of Jay Farrar, Anders Parker, Will Johnson and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket's Jim James). This is a debut album of
1966
Review of: Karen Dalton
(Delmore Recordings) Born Karen Cariker during 1938 in Texas, Karen Dalton grew up in Oklahoma. During her lifetime, Dalton received little critical acclaim for her music. In New York City she kept time with
A Hell of a Woman
Review of: Jim Thompson
(Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) Jim Thompson's novel A Hell of a Woman contains no soft-hearted sentiments the Oprah crowd would applaud. A Hell of a Woman tells the story of salesman/killer Dolly Dillon. Mr. Dillon tried to do the right thing, but read more...
Live In Japan
Review of: Leon Russell
(Omnivore Recordings) Omnivore Recordings just released Leon Russell's Live In Japan album. This marks the historic album's first release outside of Japan and its first time on CD anywhere. The read more...
This Is Indian Land
Review of: Cody Canada & The Departed
(Apex Nashville/Underground Sound) Oklahoma has long been a western-edge feeder system for country music. Woody Guthrie is a native son. Bob Wills established his career there. read more...
Cottonwood Farm
Review of: Jimmy Webb & The Webb Brothers
Born in 1946, Oklahoman Jimmy Webb remains one of America's greatest songwriters. His songs are timeless, true standards that resonate in any era. Webb's father was a Baptist minister and former Marine who presided over rural churches in southwestern Oklahoma and read more...
When The Women Come Out To Dance
Review of: Elmore Leonard
(Harper Paperbacks) Born in New Orleans during 1925, Elmore Leonard ranks as one of America’s finest writers. His family soon moved from the Crescent City to Detroit when he was a child, and Leonard never moved away from the Motor City. Author of 45 novels, Leonard read more...
The Party Ain't Over
Review of: Wanda Jackson
(Third Man/Nonesuch) After his impressive turn in producing Lorreta Lynn's Van Lear Rose, people have been waiting for Jack White to work his production magic on another Nashville legend. Since that record, White has assembled an amazing creative hub in Nashville with read more...
A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkment (There is no C)
Review of: Ray Wylie Hubbard
(Bordello Records) Ray Wylie Hubbard is an Oklahoma native who later moved to Texas and fell in with the likes of Waylon Jennings, Doug Sahm,
Boots, Buckles and Spurs
Review of: Various Artists
(Legacy) “I grew up dreamin’ of being a cowboy/ And loving the cowboy ways Pursuin’ a life of my high ridin’ heroes/I burned up my childhood days...” -Willie Nelson. “My Heroes Have read more...
The Imus Ranch Record
Review of: Various Artists
(New West) Bekka Bramlett has a mystical effect on me. She always has, even as backing singer for Faith Hill, or dueting with Sam Moore, Billy Burdette or Joe Cocker. But like her mother before her, soul sensation Bonnie Bramlett, and her daddy Delaney for that matter, she read more...
The Blues Rolls On
Review of: Elvin Bishop
(Delta Groove) What makes this new Elvin Bishop record so amazing is the roster of special guests he has been able to assemble. This lineup shows just want a respected guitarist Elvin is with his peers. The guests on the album include B.B. King, George Thorogood, read more...
Boys Will Be Boys
Review of: Jeff Pearlman
Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty by Jeff Pearlman Harper Books Jeff Pearlman's new book neatly summarizes the shift to the modern era of the Dallas Cowboys. The early history of the team isn't read more...
The Very Best of Outlaw Country
Review of: Various Artists
(Legacy) The thing that sets this compilation apart from the plethora of others that are always being flooded into the market is the fact that it brings together Southern rockers and “outlaw” country artists on one excellent CD. It could be used as a read more...
Song of America
Review of: Various Artists
Song of America Various Artists 31 Tigers Records By James Calemine This 50-song, 3 CD collection tells the story of America through songs from the year 1492 through modern times. Song of America contains a diverse line-up of artists read more...
The Wheel Man
Review of: Watermelon Slim & The Workers
(Northern Blues) Oklahoma’s Watermelon Slim is quickly becoming one of my very favorite blues artists. His unique Southern vocals and tasty Dobro playing have crawled up my belly and into my heart. The title track, “The Wheel Man,” is catchy as hell, read more...
Runnin' With The Big Dogs
Review of: Mike Shropshire
Part of [beating Texas] is that old Okie inferiority complex. There’s no better cure for that than whipping Texas’s butt. -Barry Switzer, former Oklahoma coach In 1929 at the height of the Great Depression, the Texas-Oklahoma game was moved read more...
The Bluegrass Sessions
Review of: Merle Haggard
The Bluegrass Sessions Merle Haggard McCoury Music By James Calemine Merle Haggard's new release, The Bluegrass Sessions, upholds his reputation as one of America's finest musicians. After 40 years, Haggard continues to record read more...
Angel In Disguise
Review of: Leon Russell
Angel In Disguise Leon Russell MRI Records By James Calemine Angel In Disguise contains 11 new Leon Russell songs. Russell's prodigious discography proves his influence and talent read more...
The Getaway
Review of: Jim Thompson
The Getaway Jim Thompson Vintage Crime By James Calemine Jim read more...
AKA Grafitti Man
Review of: John Trudell
AKA Grafitti Man John Trudell Rykodisc Records By James Calemine John Trudell, a Native-American poet, recorded this classic spoken word CD twice. Trudell formed the Grafitti Band with Oklahoma Native-American guitarist Jesse Ed Davis. Davis read more...
To Tulsa and Back
Review of: JJ Cale
To Tulsa and Back serves as J.J. Cale’s first studio album in eight years. Cale returned to Tulsa, his hometown, and recruited some old friends to play on the record. It’s common knowledge that Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, Johnny Cash, the read more...
All Star Bluegrass Celebration
Review of: Various Artists
(Sugar Hill) Both the DVD and the CD of this live show, recorded onstage at the revered Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, are absolutely indispensable to any lover of Bluegrass music. I mean, the cream of the crop of today’s pickers are on hand, and the read more...
If I Could Only Fly
Review of: Merle Haggard
The name Merle Haggard carries a heavy weight in country music. Haggard remains a maverick who stared into the face of decadence during peaks and valleys of his legendary music career—thirty-nine number #1 country hits, IRS troubles, addictions, prestigious accolades, extreme read more...
Mad Dogs and Okies
Review of: Jamie Oldaker
Jamie Oldaker’s Mad Dogs & Okies (Concord) Rock n’ roll drummer Jamie Oldaker, best known for his work with Eric Clapton, has assembled a magnificent all-star cast for “Mad Dogs & Okies,” with read more...
The Road To Escondido
Review of: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale
Some of Eric Clapton's biggest hits ("After Midnight" and "Cocaine") were J.J. Cale songs, so it's only fitting the two guitar slingers finally recorded an album together.