Search - Merle Haggard :: Chicago Wind

Disgusted with the copy protected format

joe smith | Jackson, Miss | 04/01/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Do not but this cd or any EMI copy protected cd's if you want to put them on an Ipod Nano. I am pretty sure it is not possible. I would never have bought it if I had known. I am a more educated consumer now, at least. I hate it for Merle. I have listened to a few songs and they are solid good Merle Haggard. It is a shame here he is with a major label again with a great new recording on a worthless format. It may be compatible with non apple portable players."

With Hag, "Chicago Wind" May Not Be That Cold

T. Yap | Sydney, NSW, Australia | 11/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Prime Cuts: Chicago Wind, Honky Tonk Man, I Still Can't Say Goodbye



"Chicago Wind" explains why there are so many Merle Haggard clones in and around Music Row. On this sophomore CD that bears the Capitol Nashville logo this side of the new Millennium, Haggard does not just sings. But, with some deftly strokes of his vocal nuances, he paints a sonic magnum opus drawing upon a mélange of colorful emotions from his listeners. In short, Haggard personifies his music as it engages the listener on an emotional and spiritual level. A listen to the forlorn title cut "Chicago Wind," a newly penned Haggard original, proves the point. On this lonesome ballad, when this old Okie describes the razor-sharp freeze of the gust of the Windy City, there's an incumbent pain and loneliness producing a gush of spine chilling moments in seriatim.



This title cut sets the pace of this CD: Rather than a rough and rowdy honky-tonk record some have been hankering for, this new CD finds a reflective and warm Hag. Like Neil Young and John Prine's latest efforts, the backings accommodate rather than intrude, providing a sympathetic undercurrent for Hag's soft yet gruff deliveries. This is in part credited to co-helmsman Jimmy Bowen, who came out of an over a decade-long retirement to produce this set with Mike Post. Despite its title, "Honky Tonk Man" (one of four tracks not written by Hag) is an understated love ballad delivered with a seasoned devotional restrain that is tender and romantic. Roger Miller's lesser known "Leaving's Not the Only Way to Go" bespeaks to our times where marriage and relationships are often so flippantly resolved. A poignant ballad that calls for giving love a second consideration, lines such as "Maybe leaving's not the only way to go/People reach new understandings all the time/Take a second look, maybe change their minds" are therapuetic. Leaving romance aside for a moment, the James Moore and Robert Blinn "I Still Can't Say Goodbye" is a gentle tear-jerking love song from a child to his departing dad that offers sentiments so dear yet often suppressed. This superior paean ought to be a Father's Day anthem in years to come.



Amongst the Hag originals, "Some of Us Fly" finds the Hag teaming with Toby Keith on the much anticipated duet. Offering a philosophical treatise on Fate's right hand, this fiddle-laden ballad has a jazzy late night feel, though Keith sounds a little bored. Showing a tender side to this country legend, "What I've Been Meaning to Say" finds a regretful Hag laying his heart on the line on this insightful as well as heartfelt love song. Included also are two patriotic numbers: the debut single "America First" and the freedom of speech "Where's All the Freedom." With comments made about the public read of the Ten Commandments and the Iraqi War, though there's nothing as bellicose as pal Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," there's nothing watershed about these recycled political decries. Compared to Hag's previous "Me and the Crippled Soldier," these two patriotic numbers pale in terms of their messages and ingenuity.



Nevertheless, "Chicago Wind" finds the Okie leaving his rambling soul behind. Instead, this is an album filled with heart warming moments with Hag dealing with various issues of the heart. And with such thoughtful ruminations and carefully executed tunes (thanks in large to a cohort of A-list musicians including Billy Joe Walker, Jr, Herb Pederson, Reggie Young to list a few) the Chicago wind doesn't feel that cold and lonesome."

Merle, updated for 2005...

John Gervickas | Cape Coral, Florida United States | 11/08/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is Merle's first CD to be produced by someone other than himself since "1994". As with that CD, this one is much slicker and mainstream sounding than Hag's self-produced efforts. It's interesting to note that with Jimmy Bowen's previous collaborations with Merle, one ("Serving 190 Proof") wasn't slick at all, and may have been Merle's best album. The second, ("Back to the Barrooms"), was a bit "Nashville" slick - but didn't seem like it with all of the drinking songs. The result of this CD is uneven, but it certainly has more commercial potential than anything Merle has done since he left the Epic label in 1989. Here's a track by track review:



1. Chicago wind - My favorite cut on the disc. Jazzy guitars, good song - excellent vocal. Merle seems to always find something new and unique to try.



2. Where's all the freedom - I actually like this more than "America first". I agree with the sentiment, and it's a catchy tune.



3. White man singing the blues - Merle stretches this out more than the original version, and the guitar work is excellent. I still prefer the original version, however (1973 - "presents his 30th album").



4. Leavin's not the only way to go - Considering that it was written for a broadway show (Roger Miller's "Big river"), it's no suprise that it's a bit of a big production number. It's a really good song, however (although it's hard to figure how this song would apply to Huckleberry Finn!). Another good vocal by Hag.



5. What I've been meaning to say - Pretty good love song, but diminished by Jimmy Buffett-styled instrumentation.



6. Mexico - Lightweight (a rare comment for a Merle Haggard song), but you CAN tap your toe to it!



7. Honky tonk man - This was written for the Clint Eastwood movie, and sung by Clint in the film. Also recorded for the sountrack by Marty Robbins. I don't particularly care for the song, but Merle sings it nice.



8. (Rebuild) America first - The first single and video from the CD. The timing of this song is perfect, and if this one doesn't get played on the radio, it will be an awful shame. With airplay, this could be a big hit for Merle, considering that the majority of Americans probably agree with the message (in regards to the war and the hurricanes).



9. It always will be - A nice love song, this was recently the title song of a Willie Nelson CD (written by Willie). Merle's been doing this one live for a while, so he obviously likes it a lot.



10. I still can't say goodbye - Nice song, surely close to Merle's heart (about difficulty in dealing with the death of a father). This was done by Chet Atkins in the late 80's. The production is very Nashville, but still a good cut.



11. Some of us fly - (w/ Toby Keith) As with their duet on Toby's latest CD, the big guy shows that he can sing given the right material. Excellent philosophical lyric, terrific fiddle playing by Scott Joss. My second favorite cut on the disc.



Overall, this is a good (and different) CD for Merle. Clearly it was Merle's intent to make a contemporary sounding disc on his first new CD with Capitol ("Unforgettable" was recorded long before Merle re-signed with the label). Even though I prefer Merle recording with his own band, and the production on "If I could only fly", "Roots", and "Haggard like never before" was more to my taste - "Chicago wind" is a refreshing change. I think Merle (and Capitol) have made a full-out effort to appeal to a wider audience, and artistically he has succeeded. If this one doesn't catch on, I think there is no hope for mainstream country music!

Mon Nov 07, 2005 10:49 pm



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