Book123

    Free register and download UseNet downloader, then you can FREE Download from UseNet.

    Download without Limit " Lyrics & Music Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade ( 1978) " from UseNet for FREE!

More Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade (1978)

& 8220;

As strong as Joe Ely's self-titled solo debut was, his second album, 1978's Honky Tonk Masquerade, actually managed to top it, and the album remains one of the great creative triumphs of the Texas singer/songwriter community, as well as a high-water mark in Ely's career. Displaying a very Texan sense of eclecticism, Honky Tonk Masquerade's ten tunes run the gamut from beer-stained weepers (the title cut) and late-night declarations of loneliness ("Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown") to barrelhouse rock & roll ("Fingernails") and honky tonk dance numbers ("West Texas Waltz" and "Cornbread Moon"), and Ely's simple but expressive delivery makes the most of every song he sings. Ely's band deserves a special nod as well, especially steel guitarist Lloyd Maines and Ponty Bone on accordion, who can seemingly conjure up an orchestra or a horn section at will. And as strong as Ely's songs are, he has the good sense to also accept contributions from fellow ex-Flatlanders Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, whose more introspective lyrical approach makes for a satisfying contrast to Ely's more down to earth style. Smart without sounding pretentious, and musically ambitious without losing focus or drive, Honky Tonk Masquerade is a superb album that captures Ely and his band at their best. Mark Deming, AMG

& 8221;

Tracks:

01. Cornbread Moon

02. Because Of The Wind

03. Boxcars

04. Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down)

05. Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown

06. Honky Tonk Masquerade

07. I'll Be Your Fool

08. Fingernails

09. West Texas Waltz

10. Honky Tonkin'

D/L Link:

Buy Book at Lowest Price on Amazon

Joe Ely was (and still is) a hugely talented singer and musician who always did things his way. In the late seventies, he recorded three classic country-rock albums. His debut album was untitled, while his third was Down on the drag. In between came this one, which was the best of the lot. Joe's music did not fit easily into any radio station's play list, being too country for rock and too rock for country, but he did visit the UK a few times during the late seventies and acquired a cult following, although it seems that the main interest lies in those first three albums and, to a lesser extent, the fourth album, Musta notta gotta lotta.

Joe Ely wrote many of his own songs but also recorded some fine covers. Often these covers were of songs by fellow country-rockers Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, both of whom have reciprocated by covering Joe's songs. Thus, this album is made up five songs by Joe, three by Butch, one by Jimmie and just one other song, the Hank Williams classic Honky tonkin', which is ideally suited to Joe's style.

The musicians are Joe Ely (acoustic guitar), Lloyd Maines (steel guitar), Steve Keeton (drums), Gregg Wright (bass), Ponty Bone (accordion and piano), Jess Taylor (electric and acoustic guitar), Chip Young (electric and acoustic guitar), Shane Keister (Moog and acoustic piano) and Farrell Morris (percussion). There aren't many singers who would use such a selection of instruments, but that's what makes Joe's music so distinctive.

Cornbread moon is a great up-tempo song to open the set. Because of the Wind is a beautiful ballad. Boxcars is a bluesy train song. Jericho (your walls must come tumbling down) is a great upbeat song with biblical metaphors. Tonight I'm gonna go Downtown is a wistful ballad. Honky Tonk Masquerade is a great cheating song. I'll be your Fool is a wonderful ballad. Fingernails is a great song about playing the piano. The brilliant blues-rocker and pianist, Marcia Ball, later covered Fingernails for her album, Blue house. West Texas waltz ,a lightweight, fun song, always reminds me of Lucille, the Kenny Rogers classic, because of some similarities in parts of the melodies. Play them back-to-back and you'll understand what I mean. Honky Tonkin' rounds off the album brilliantly.

If you only buy one Joe Ely album - indeed, if you only buy one country-rock album - make it this one.

:~ Amazon Customer

Biography by John Floyd

In the '70s, country & western was full of artists referred to as outlaws, mavericks who bucked the stodgy Nashville music establishment by writing their own songs, recording with their road bands, and producing their own records. The genre produced a slew of acts, but Amarillo, TX, native Joe Ely epitomized the form. Unlike most of that era's big names, Ely remained a viable artist. He got his start back in the early '70s, working with Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore in a group called the Flatlanders. Their only album didn't go far, and the group broke up. (Rounder reissued the album in 1990.) Around the mid-'70s, Ely formed an eclectic group that was able to swing from Cajun and western to honky tonk stomps and rockabilly; they were signed to MCA in 1977. Ely released an eponymous debut that year, using songs written by ex-Flatlanders Gilmore and Butch Hancock and throwing in some of his own road-worn, oddly poetic originals. The next year brought Honky Tonk Masquerade, the cornerstone of Ely's legacy and one of modern country's most ambitious albums. Further albums (especially Live Shots, recorded during his European tour with the Clash) brought Ely to the attention of rock fans and netted ecstatic reviews in country and pop magazines (but, mysteriously, produced no hits). MCA dropped Ely in 1983, and he woodshedded until 1987, when the independent Hightone label signed him and released Lord of the Highway. Another Hightone album followed before Ely (whose influence was being felt by the new breed of country neo-traditionalists) re-signed with MCA, releasing another live set and Love & Danger. Twistin' in the Wind followed in 1998, and Live at Antone's arrived two years later along with MCA Nashville's Best Of collection. Ely remained an energetic and passionate live performer and an occasionally inspired songwriter, releasing Streets of Sin in 2003 on Rounder Records and launching his own label, Rack'em Records, with 2007's Happy Songs from Rattlesnake Gulch.

Still Available: Joe Ely - Joe Ely (1977)

http://avaxhome.ws/music/rock/folk-rock_country-rock/joeely1977.html

Rating:
2.5 out of 5 by Book123