Like Never Before is the fifty-fifth studio album by American recording artist Merle Haggard. It was released in 2004 on his own label, Hag Records.
| Like Never Before | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 23, 2003 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 31:38 | |||
| Label | Hag | |||
| Producer | Merle Haggard, Lou Bradley | |||
| Merle Haggard chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editAfter several gospel and roots music albums, this collection boasts a more diverse musical landscape than his critically acclaimed comeback album If I Could Only Fly, ranging from the western swing of "Garbage Man" and "Lonesome Day" to the jazz-inflected "Because of Your Eyes" and the mariachi-infused "Return to San Francisco". Haggard duets with friend Willie Nelson on "Reno Blues". The album is perhaps best remembered for the song "That's the News", a scathing indictment of media culture and the Bush administration's handling of the war in Iraq in the early 2000s. In a 2006 interview the notoriously patriotic Haggard defended the Dixie Chicks, after they were lambasted for their criticism of President George W. Bush.[1]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Robert Christgau | ** [3] |
Thom Jurek of Allmusic praises the album, calling it "meticulously crafted and arranged, full of beautiful charts and striking vocal and instrumental performances."[2] In his review, music critic Robert Christgau only wrote "Rebel, patriot, musician, legend, populist, sentimentalist, small businessman."[3]
Track listing
edit- "Haggard (Like I've Never Been Before)" (Merle Haggard, Doug Colosio) – 3:22
- "That's the News" (Haggard) – 2:33
- "Garbage Man" – 2:56
- "Reno Blues (Philadelphia Lawyer)" (with Willie Nelson) – 3:33
- "The Downside" (Haggard) – 1:59
- "Because of Your Eyes" (Haggard) – 3:48
- "Lonesome Day" (Haggard, Colosio) – 2:06
- "I Dreamed You Didn't Love Me" (Haggard) – 3:04
- "Yellow Ribbons" (Haggard) – 2:59
- "I Hated to See You Go" (Haggard) – 2:53
- "Return to San Francisco" (Haggard) – 2:25
Personnel
edit- Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar
- Norm Hamlet – pedal steel guitar
- Don Markham – saxophone, trumpet
- Clint Strong – guitar
- Red Lane – guitar
- Doug Colosio – keyboards
- Andy Kaulkin – piano
- Mike Martin – harmonica
- Willie Nelson – vocals, guitar
- Norman Stevens – guitar
- Kevin Williams – bass
- Jeff Ingraham – drums
- Kenny Malone – drums
- Scott Joss – fiddle, guitar, background vocals
- Theresa Lane Haggard – background vocals
References
edit- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ a b Jurek, Tom. "Like Never Before > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Like Never Before > Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved March 5, 2015.