I Am a Pilgrim - Charlie Robison, Daniels, Charlie
Much-loved 1995 debut album of smokin' Texas barbeque by this now-acclaimed Austin musician, sounding like John Prine without the cigarettes, produced by Lloyd Maines (also playing steel & dobro), featuring David Griss... more »om, Ponty Bone, Rich Brotherton & Toni Price on acoustic/electric guitars & mandolin.« less
Much-loved 1995 debut album of smokin' Texas barbeque by this now-acclaimed Austin musician, sounding like John Prine without the cigarettes, produced by Lloyd Maines (also playing steel & dobro), featuring David Grissom, Ponty Bone, Rich Brotherton & Toni Price on acoustic/electric guitars & mandolin.
CD Reviews
OUTSTANDING! Best Austin country CD I've ever heard !
10/09/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Every review I saw about this CD was that it was just a great record-nothing but 'rave' comments. After buying it during a visit to see friends in Austin, I have to agree! I have never bought a record (out of hundreds over the years) that I can remember enjoying any more than this one, "Bandera". It is absolutely a superb album from start to finish. Lloyd Maines production is a strong plus. Do yourself a favor-if you like John Prine or Robert Earl Keen, you will flip over this CD. An absolute must for any true lover of original Austin progressive country. This guy is a great songwriter and singer-he even sounds like Prine on a few tracks. 5-stars!!"
I keep playing this one
Anne M Jensen | Barrow, AK United States | 10/23/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I happened to hear Charlie Robison on "Austin City Limits" one night, and promptly ordered all his CDs. It's true that "Bandera" is less polished than his later two CDs, which are also great. However, *this* is the one I keep popping in the CD player. "Desperate Times" is quite a song, "Red Letter Day" really sticks in my head .... In fact, there's not a bad track on it.If you like folks like Townes Van Zandt, Billy Joe Shaver, Guy Clark, Waylon Jennnings, Lucinda Williams, etc. you oughta like this one."
Good debut from a great songwriter!
Michael Curtis | Nashville, TN USA | 09/27/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)
"As another reviewer wrote, Charlie does have a different sound here than on his 2nd (& better, IMO) CD "Life Of The Party". The music & his voice are twangier. There are some awesome tunes here. My fave from this CD is the 4th track - "Desperate Times". It's a true story about one of his old high school buddies who "went bad". :-) Anyway, I would suggest that you get Charlie's "Life Of The Party" CD first. Then, go back & get this one."
Great modern honkytonk album
Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 11/22/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is probably Charlie Robison's best album to date... a great set of tuneful, tounge-in-cheek, wiseass honkytonk songs, chock full of great melodies and amiably snide humor. Thematically and vocally, this early, long-haired incarnation of Charlie Robison sounds a bit like what John Prine might have been like if he'd followed his hard country inclinations a bit further, rather than going the folkie route. At any rate, Robison has definitely got the goods, and this disc has one good song after another... Well worth tracking down a copy!"
His best record so far!!
Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | 05/14/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Five stars! What a fantastic cd! On return visits to austin a friend was always playing this at home and in the car, and i thought it was incredible and bought some copies to bring home to virginia. I later also liked 'life of the party' and 4 or 5 great songs on it, but as a whole i agree with the chicago writer and like this one even more. This 'bandera' cd is also one of my favorites ever (by anybody). I have turned many people in the d.c. area on to this cd. We like alot of austin artists here and this record is at the top of our list of the best, and that's pretty hard to beat. After reading all the reviews posted here, it is no surprise to see that the only non-5/star opinion is a guy from nashville (need i say more), who also lists on his favorite records one from kiss (hardly a source on real country or even having a clue in regard to how great this record really is). It makes sense that this guy would give such a great cd 3-stars. So, consider the source; if you prefer top-40 cookie-cutter music, most great austin cd's will never make it into your collection. But, if you want a cd that truly has the "right stuff", buy this one. You'll hear for yourself, and it will knock you out. There is a really nice mix of songs here, from great highway-cruising rockers to ballads, country & even a closing traditional bluegrass classic. The guitar by rich brotherton (for you r.e. keen fans) and david grissom (mellencamp, storyville, j. ely) is really superb, plus plenty of dobro, mandolin, piano, organ & fiddle throughout, and even banjo by charlie on one song. To top all that, you get lloyd maines on steel, one of my favorite musicians. Every record he plays on is upgraded, and this cd is no different. The best thing I can say about this cd is that it passes my hardest test; after playing it almost nonstop when I got it, I still pop it in the player several times a month, and after all those spins it more than holds water and only gets better. Unlike many other cd's that I have long ago sold to the used racks at our local stores, this one is special and reminds me of great visits down to Austin."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1