Put the "O" Back in Country

Put the "O" Back in Country

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Famous since infancy for his legendary parents, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings arrives at his inevitable debut with the weight of the gods on his shoulders. He attempts to point up his heritage--rather than be crushed by the weight of it--by inviting George Jones and Hank Williams Jr. to appear in spoken-word bits which bookend the record. (The Possum also contributes a weak cameo on "4th of July.") But such shilling comes off as exactly what it is, and the listener knows to expect a song about how awful Nashville is and how modern country just ain't got no soul. Jennings does not disappoint--in fact, he's got a couple tunes like that (the Neil Young-based title track and "Solid Country Gold"), and he also obliges with an Outlaw penchant for self-mythologizing ("Busted in Baylor County," about being jailed for speeding and smoking). The younger Jennings doesn't have his father's commanding baritone, his mother's delicate balance of pathos and strength, or even their natural songwriting ability, though he blends Southern rock and hillbilly with ease, and demonstrates a wicked sense of humor on "Manifesto No. 1," in which sex and Jesus share equal time. But his uneven bow ultimately ingratiates for its honesty. In presenting a vulnerable self-portrait as a rootless, restless man, burning up the road to try to outrun his own heartache and confusion, Shooter honors his heritage in the best livin', lovin', and losin' tradition. --Alanna Nash

Put the "O" Back in Country, Music, Shooter Jennings, Country, Country-Rock, Outlaw Country, Pop

Put the "O" Back in Country

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