What not to buy: Hank III – Ghost To A Ghost
Why?: You put more effort into forming that question than he did in the entire cd.
Okay, that’s pretty bad but seriously; why?: No, seriously. Ghost To A Ghost is, in a word, lazy. In another word, bad. In a stream of words: It’s disrespectful to our little underground scene that this album was released in any form that requires money for you to hear it.
I was going to launch into a huge rant about Ghost To A Ghost after hearing it for the first time. I was, honestly, angry that Hank would give us this pile. After all the talk, all the speculation of him holding songs for the post Curb era what do we get right out of the box? More of the same. More runnin’ and druggin’ and outlawin’ cliche. More juvenile lyrics. More laziness and I was ready to rail against it with all the bile and typographical acridity I could muster. Then, I thought, what’s the point? I’d put more effort into said rant than Hank did in the album I was railing against. Furthermore, at this point, I feel like I’d just be pissed cause I want something from III that he’s just not capable of giving me. Another Straight To Hell. Another great country album. At this point, I am resigned to just accepting that, as Hanks’s greater body of work suggests, Straight To Hell was just a flash in the pan. And it’s a damned shame.
It’s one thing to make a bad album. Hell, it happens every day. It’s quite another to not even try. To just push something out cause you have it. Don’t buy Ghost To Ghost. Hell, don’t even download it.
I know some people are gonna say, “Hey, he’s releasing 4 albums back to back. The others are better.” To which I say, “Well it should have only been 3 cause Ghost To A Ghost is complete crap.”
Hate away in the comments, I don’t care cause deep down inside, you know I’m right.
Autopsy IV
Part time blogger. Full time hater.
Probably one of the only albums I can run all day without getting tired of, and to my ears, a lot of that has to do with its weird diversity. In addition to the runnin’ & druggin’ outlaw country there are wild tracks like Trooper’s Hollar which mixes wild samples of his dog’s bark (first time I heard it I was thinknig “WTF!” but since then, it’s really grown on me) before slowly submerging into this weird bastard-Creole mix that drifts in and out of ambient-teasing noise. Love the Tom Waits growler and the undeniably goofy throw-me-for a loop closer with Les Claypool kills me every time. The release is weird and won’t satisfy many (obviously) but I feel that it is actually kind of an ambitious project. Speaking of ambitious…
The four albums worth of music that you mention offer a predictable weird mix – In addition to the 2 albums-worth-of-music in GtG/Gutter Town here, we get more Assjack-lite from the one CD and the other is an artistically bizarre split between speed metal that samples legitimate cattle callers. I’d say check that last out if only because no one has done it before and won’t likely do it again — it’s not enjoyable to me though, I can’t cosign that. This one though – I’m all about it.
Honestly, I am just flabbergasted that someone likes this album. Are you a fan of his catalog cause this just feels like a wash, rinse, repeat to me.
Yeah, I’m a fan – try to see him whenever I can (though last year up in Calgary was the last). Guess we just hear different things here, is all.
“Guess we just hear different things here”
True that.
I used to never miss a chance to see III live but I’ve skipped his last two trips through the Bay area.
I am now dumber having heard that song. May God have mercy on my soul.
I think there is a really decent 4 or 5 song EP from the double album, otherwise I agree…not worth the money for this album. It’s a shame too, I really am a III fan.
Totally agree, I think there are some good tracks between the two disc. Just not enough to warrant a two disc set.
Do you have any idea how refreshing it was to hear somebody be honest about a record?! So often, the blogs and mags and reviews on various sites just blatantly pander to the artist. Not everything is great, or even good! I just got back from listening to the samples from this record and couldn’t agree with you more. Please..keep up the great writing…and Thank You!
Jaysus! I didn’t finish the song but it was pretty reprehensible.
I thought I might be the only one thinking the same thing. I didn’t even make it through half of Ghost to a Ghost/Guttertown. It might be better than Rebel Within, but that is hardly saying much. All of a sudden I was totally over the whole schtick.
I don’t know if I really want to listen to the Lovesick, STH, or Damn Right, which I thought were all pretty good, anymore.
The entire album is available on Spotify. Great way to hear it without the purchase or download of it.
I have to agree that this album sounds just like the last couple albums and adds noting new or interesting to the Catalog. A real let down if you ask me. I will not be purchasing this or filling up my HDD with this nonsense.
He might have let out four albums at once but I think they all should have been left on the shelf. To me the only bit of entertainment comes from the irony that attention deficit domination sounds so much like Living Color. I listen to that and I keep on expecting him to break out a version of ‘cult of personality’ !
THe song “Gutter Town” was alright the rest of the 4 discs are shit….I’ve been a fan since 99 and as you said I hate it, but just gotta accept it. I only bought GTAG, I paid 14 bucks opening night in ATL to find that the album was only 9.99 at best buy. What kind of artist charges more at their shows for merch than a retail store???? Fuck him I’m done, tired of being let down. He should’ve takin his time and produced quality instead of quanity!
Best Buy sells cds considerably less than their retail price, and lose money on cd sales. But, they are hoping you will be buying more than a cd when you go there. They sell expensive electronics, and can afford to lose a little money on cds. $14 is not too bad for a 2 disc album (I am not talking about music quality here, one might argue $14 is not worth it for the music on Ghost to a Ghost).
I will admit, when I first put on Ghost to a Ghost, and heard Day by Day, I was a little upset with Hank singing about “looking for a damn good time.” He really has to start singing about new stuff. But, I don’t think the album is all horrible. I am pretty fond of Ghost to a Ghost, though it didn’t really need those shouted vocals in it (and I am usually pretty fond of screamed vocals). I think the lyrical content of that song is not his customary “living fast and hard” stuff. Additionally, “Ray Lawrence Jr” and “Time to Die” were something of a step outside of what he has been doing on his last few albums, and enjoyed that. Also, all of the songs on the album are like 5 minutes or longer, and I think that most of them would have been better if they were shorter. The novelty of Troopers Hollar wears off pretty fast, and the song just keeps going. All in all, I can’t say that Ghost to a Ghost is a great album, but I think there are some good parts about it (if you are willing to wade through the lengthy 2nd disc, there are some enjoyable songs to be found).
Thanks for your article, I needed this