"A very stylish project, great arrangements and top quality performances. A logical progression from Was (Not Was) but lacking the humour and spark which characterised that band. In an age of so much "formula" music, this unlikely mix of Black American popular rhythms and the songs of Hank Williams deserves to sell much better than it does. Like all of the Was (Not Was) material, this stuff is just too good to be popular. I guess that we should be glad that just about every American Icon cant get enough of David Was ( or Daniel Lanois for that matter ) to produce them and boost their later careers, but it is more than a shame that the music of such creative and talented individuals is not more more widely applauded."
Brilliant and neglected
ksj@webanswers.com | Santa Cruz, CA | 04/22/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I do a search every now and then in hopes that there is a follow-up cd to this fantastic album - alas, no. I agree completely with the previous review and can only add that it takes nerves of steel and incredible vision to combine such diverse talents as Sweet Pea Atkinson, Sheila E, Merle Haggard, Terence Blanchard, Herbie Hancock, etc. into a cohesive outburst of pure crush groove..."
ONE OF THE ALL TIME MASTERPIECES THAT WAS OVERLOOKED
Dennis R. Goodwin | United States | 09/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"THIS CD IS MADE UP OF HANK WILLIAMS SR. ORINGINALS THAT ARE LITTLEY KNOW BY THE PUBLIC.THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN A MAINLY JAZZ APPROACH,A LITTLE COUNTRY, AND SOME BLUES. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST CD'S OF ALL TIME . TRY IT YOU WILL LOVE IT"
Was (minus one was)
Sam | Not here, not there. | 02/04/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"after a falling out with fellow was-ser david, don created perhaps the most fascinating of all the WAS projects.
.
look at the line up: herbie hancock, sheila e., terrance blanchard, was (not was) vocalists sweet pea atkinson and sir harry bowens, wayne kramer and ...merle haggard.
.
then consider the material: totally revamped versions of little known ditties from the hank williams sr. songbook that would sound just fine next to the spacier tracks from electric miles (seque into the spacier parts of 'tribute to jack johnson')
one of the great ones that fell through the cracks.
"
Blowing My Mind Here
Tomato Pie | West Chester, PA USA | 04/28/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Not sure how I stumbled on this, 10 years after its release. I was drawn to it for its basis in Hank Williams Sr tunes, but I'm loving it for its brilliant soul/jazz groove. It may be grounded in country tunes, but the music is completely citified. Some of it sounds like Steely Dan with a better vocalist (high praise, indeed). I also get a Quincy Jones vibe here, but it's less slick, less pop than Quincy. Sweet Pea Atkinson suits his name, because his classic soul voice is surely sweet. Great sax and horn arrangements throughout.
This is difficult music to describe; it's not wierd at all or hard to approach. It has elements, as noted, of Quincy and Steely Dan, as well as some Tom Waits and Tom Scott, and maybe just a touch of Gnarls. I love it."