Published on May 4, 1999
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not the world’s biggest
country music fan. There are a few country artists whose work I
like a lot, but I just haven’t developed a big appetite for this
genre of music. (If anything, doing this site has expanded my
palate for country music; I’ve heard many artists over the last two
years whose work I have enjoyed immensely.)
Then, along comes Billy Joe Shaver and his son Eddy. I swear,
these two are hell-bent on converting me to a country music
afficionado. Their last album
Victory, was an acoustical country wonder that surprised me
last year.
It is rare when I say of any artist that they’ve done it again.
This is one of those times: Shaver have done it again with
Electric Shaver, an album that is a merge of folk,
country… and even a little rock and roll. Simply put, it’s a
masterpiece.
Where
Victory was a folk-country religious revival tale of a man
who had been in the lowest depths of his life and is given one more
chance,
Electric Shaver is a celebration from note one to the very
end of life and its highs and lows. From the inspirational (“Try
And Try Again”) to the more cynical (“You Wouldn’t Know Love (If
You Fell In It)”, Billy Joe and Eddy Shaver – along with the rest
of the band – capture the listener fro the start and refuse to let
go until the final note has faded out.
Let’s assume, for a moment, that I worked at a country radio
station. Let’s also assume that I had the courage to pick
Electric Shaver up from the inbox and give it a spin. Let’s
finally assume that I heard the track “People And Their Problems,”
decided this could be the next “Friends In Low Places”, and gave it
serious airplay. What’s my point? Simple: This particular track is
a helluva lot of fun to listen to, and has all the makings of a
“hit single”… that is, if it were given a fair chance. I’m
challenging all country radio stations right now: Put this song on
in at least medium rotation, and watch the boards light up. You’ll
thank me later.
For that matter, “Leanin’ Toward The Blues” is a number that
erases all the boundaries between country, rock and blues, and is a
rollicking good time that I didn’t want to end.
But country is still the heart of Shaver, and they don’t
disappoint in the least. “Heart To Heart,” “I’ll Be Here” and
“Slave At The Feet Of The Queen” all shine, occasionally reminding
me of the style of Hank Williams, Sr. If you were to ask me if
there was a weak track on this album, I’d answer, “No.”
Electric Shaver is an album that did one thing that I didn’t
think was quite possible: it turned out to be a better album than
Victory. You might have to search this album out, but it’s
well worth the hassle. Rip off the shrinkwrap, put the phone on
hold for 45 minutes, and kick back with one of the best country
albums I’ve ever listened to.