Hank III does sound like his famous grandfather, but at the same time he has a very unique delivery and knows how to tell a story in a song. The songs on this CD range from mellow, old-timey numbers like the title track, "Atlantic City", "One Horse Town" and "5 Shots of Whiskey" to the rollicking good time "Nighttime Ramblin' Man" (which has some incredible instrumental work!). My favorite songs are "Cecil Brown" with its great bass, the angst-filled "Walkin' With Sorrow" and "Trashville" is also a standout as a f-you kind of song. Hank III does it his way and can never be accused of hiding behind his name.


semi-lost highway   March 6, 2002
 9 out of 14 found this review helpful

Compared to nearly everything else that's coming out of Nashville these days, this is a masterpiece. Compared to what a performer of this obvious talent could be capable of -- and compared, for that matter, to his first CD -- Lovesick, Broke & Driftin' is something of a disappointment. First time around, Hank III had the good sense to be judicious in his use of original material and to rely in good part on other writers (notably Wayne "The Train" Hancock, a more direct influence on Hank III than Hank I). The current disc shows that Hank III is not yet sufficiently sure-footed as a writer to be relying almost solely on original material. Not that there aren't some fine songs. Anybody would be proud of "Cecil Brown" and "Mississippi Mud," both of which sound so rooted that they almost have the feeling, even if not the sound, of Alan Lomax field recordings. On the other hand, though there's only one real flop here (a clumsy reimagining of Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City"), too many of the songs sound like some of Hank I's lesser efforts.

The production -- spare, raw, tub-thumping honkytonk and rockabilly -- is perfect. Now if only Hank III would put it behind a CD's worth of better songs.... His is a career to watch. I even suspect he may have it in him someday to give his grandfather some competition. He is not, however, there yet.