Search - Various Artists :: Swinging Hollywood Hillbilly Cowboys

Please Give This A Try

Tome Raider | California, United States | 02/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My conscience has been bothering me for a long time because this 4-disc set had been listed for over a year without a single review. I'm pleased to see two other people have now written reviews of this. I must still attempt to elaborate just a little on this hidden treasure. The people who created this music deserve it. This is highly special stuff, from a bygone era. It is happy, fun, sometimes a little risqué but always wholesome stuff. The musicianship is first-rate. You get four discs loaded full-up with great songs, and with great sound quality.



I hesitated to review this initially because of a lack of personal qualifications. Really, this music is old enough that someone who was alive during the era would be in a better position to review the songs and the musicians. But, perhaps, that person would lose some credibility as they might be perceived as caught up in the nostalgia of the time. I really didn't have time to read the nice little booklet which is included in this (and all) Proper Box Sets. So, I'm clueless as to the historical context of these songs. (Although I did look at the cool photos in the booklet.) I only know this is AWESOME music. I do feel, however, that someone who is highly familiar with this genre ought to write a comprehensive review so that more scrutinizing buyers have all the hard historical facts, the family-tree type of analysis. So, please take my review for what its worth: a totally awed music fan who is much more qualified to write a Metallica review than a review of cowboy music from Hollywood sung by some dapper cowboys. Cowboys who are apparently also hillbillies.



If you aren't familiar with these Proper Box Sets, you ought to explore them. They are incredible values. As I understand the concept, they've packaged up this first-rate vintage music which has lost copyright protection and then sell it at astoundingly reasonable prices. Proper has done an amazing service preserving this music and passing it along in the manner which they do. I'm also somewhat of a jazz-loving dilettante, and if you read the reviews of the Proper Box jazz titles (of which there are many) you will hear from serious jazz aficionados who claim that some of those sets are the best in the world for assorted jazz greats. All of them have fours discs and a nice little booklet. I really appreciate the efficient packaging because I'm really struggling nowadays to accommodate all my CD and DVD inventory. Anyway, I mention all this because this set is one of a handful of western or "cowboy" titles which Proper produces, and, yes, they do it quite Properly. There is a certain irony here, a disconcerting one: Proper is not an American label!! These dudes are our friends from across the pond. First they nail us with the British Invasion, and now they out do us with the packaging of our own American music! And we thought the Japanese were the clever ones.



Suffice it to say that I listened to one of these discs each night for four consecutive nights. My mood elevated. My young daughters started dancing around. My cats started playing cat-and-mouse with one another. I poured myself a slightly stronger drink than usual due to my festive mood. Each night was a rather robust little 70-minute-long house party. If you like Hank Williams, you'll love this stuff, although this is generally a little more upbeat. There are a few mournful songs, but they won't bring you down. There is lots of variance in style and vibe from song to song. As mentioned above, sound quality is excellent.



So, have at it. Really these discs are individually worth what they're asking for the entire Box. I think you'll be very pleased. And then consider exploring the other Proper box sets. I have about 25 of them, and there isn't a dud in the group.





"

Another Western Swing Winner From Proper

HardyBoys.us | Long Island USA | 02/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Swinging Hollywood Hillbilly Cowboys" mines the same western swing vein as Proper's other box sets: "Stompin' Singers & Western Swingers" and "Doughboys, Playboys and Cowboys".

If you have those other sets, you'll probably enjoy this set also (a few songs are duplicated.)

The sound is generally first rate and there is a very informative liner notes booklet included.

As always with Proper,this set offers great value for the price.

"

Wonderful Western Swing!

Mark B. Rohrer | Chestnut Hill, MA | 01/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A wonderful collection of Western swing, one of my favorite areas of country and western as it combines shades of rock, rockabilly, jazz and swing in a delightfully toe-tappin' blend. Fans of contemporary bands such as Asleep At The Wheel will love this one for the roots of this musical form.



Mark B. Rohrer, MD"