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VARIOUS ARTISTS
Swing West (discs 1, 2 & 3) (Razor & Tie)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Doesn't much matter if you're a rookie or a life-long country fanatic; this 3-CD set is going make you mighty happy. The mix of classics and rarities guarantees there'll be plenty of new discoveries for all. The Bakersfield disc offers at least two tracks by most of the artists, sometimes three or four, giving you a chance to get a real feel for what these people did. A chance to hear Tommy Collins' ultra-cute "You Better Not Do That" is worth the sticker price alone, but by the time they pile on the other 19 tracks, by artists like Wynn Stewart, Rose Maddox, Jean Shepard, Ferlin Husky, and trucker number one Red Simpson, it's a no-brainer for fans of west coast country music. And because you're wondering... no, it doesn't sound like the first Mickey Mouse cartoon. It's crisp, clear and punchy.
Disc two, The Guitar Slingers, will appeal to anyone who appreciates great guitar work, and it'll downright thrill the hell out of guitarists. Jimmy Bryant, Speedy West, Merle Travis, Roy Clark, Les Paul, Joe Maphis, Roy Lanham, Glen Campbell, Ferlin Husky, James Burton, Tut Taylor and more, all packed into one of the finest guitar discs ever assembled, and that doesn't even begin to do it justice. It's also a great country disc, and that's what counts in the long run. Like the Bakersfield disc, the sound has been given top priority and it shows. With a lineup like this, the only problem is I can't think of any great country pickers OUTSIDE of California. Okay, Chet Atkins, but that was a gimme.
The final disc, Western Swing, is the party disc of the set. Every track rolls and swings and kicks up a fuss. Hard to argue with a lineup that includes Cliffie Stone, Merrill Moore, Merle Travis, Hank Thompson, Wade Ray, Deuce Spriggins and the great Bob Wills. The obvious question regarding how appropriate Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys are for this California collection comes with a simple answer. Wills and company moved to California and learned the secret of west coast swing. As with the other discs, the selections run from semi well known to obscure but absolutely perfect.
These three discs are sold separately, and as separate statements they work just fine. The real magic happens when this is treated as a 3-CD box set covering California's gigantic contributions to country music. The only thing missing is the obligatory 64-page booklet, but the liner notes with the individual discs give a lot of great details on the genres and the artists. When you get down to it, the music is what it's all about, and this is more than just great country music. It's exhibit 1A in the case of California versus Nashville.
© 1999 - DJ Johnson