Merle Haggard reviewed
Merle Haggard
The Bluegrass Sessions
(McCoury)
Back-to-basics country music has been ubiquitous ever since Rick Rubin convinced Johnny Cash to have a seat. Merle Haggard, who has been releasing albums this year like the format’s going out of style (which it is), is going so far back he has come upon something he has never really tried before.
The Bluegrass Sessions is Hag’s first-ever issuance dealing specifically with bluegrass. And while he doesn’t hold the Bill Monroe text tight to his chest (“Jimmie Rodgers Blues” and “Blues Stay Away From Me” are — ahem — bluesy; “Momma’s Prayers” and others are just plain country), his voice embeds itself warmly and feels freakishly natural. The musicians — including Marty Stuart on mandolin — avoid flashy runs and create a front-porch aesthetic that seems a country mile away from hits like “Pancho & Lefty.” It would almost be worth it for Haggard to take another pass at bluegrass, just to see what he could conjure now that he’s so comfortable (except for the album cover — what the?). But it’s probably too late, and a bebop record should arrive any day now.
— Steve Forstneger
