Hank Williams III-Ghost to a Ghost/Guttertown album review by John M. Ellison IV

On January 1st 2011 Hank Williams III was released Curb Records. His time on Curb was a frustrating one and closer to a prison sentence than a record deal. After his release, he started his own label called “Hank3 Records.” On September 6th, 2011 Hank Williams III released four albums. One being a traditional double country album with a zydeco/Cajun disc, one in a genre he calls cattlecore and a doom metal album. In this case, I’m going to focus on his two disc country album Ghost of a Ghost/Guttertown.

Riding the Wave

This is a banjo, fiddle, guitar and accordion driven song with lyrics that paint a picture of a crew of rowdy outcasts.

Don’t Ya Wanna

There’s not really a way to sugar coat it, it’s pretty much a song about trying to get laid. The language of “Don’t Ya Wanna” might be offensive to more traditional country fans who abhor swearing but it shouldn’t offend anyone that has a copy of the “18 X-Rated Hits” album by David Allan Coe.

The Devil’s Movin’ In

It isn’t a country album without at least one heartfelt, melancholy tune about a lost love.

Cunt of a Bitch

This is a hard driving outlaw tale that involves stolen cocaine that would probably offend more prudish listeners. If Hank III was a rapper, he’d be considered gangsta.

Ghost to a Ghost

With an all star cast of Tom Waits, Les Claypool, Alan King, Dave Sherman and Troy Medlin. “Ghost to a Ghost” is a song that shifts from traditional tango to a double kick hard driving tango from Hell. Aside from what I could call “demonic tango”, the dual gravel vocals from Dave Sherman of metal bands such as Wretched and Earthride to Tom Waits really caught my interest. If you ever wondered what Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead would sound like if he did Tango…this could be the closest example.

Guttertown disc

This is the second disc that’s rooted more in zydeco. Hank Williams III is singing in a Cajun patois as homage to the people of Louisiana and Cajun music.

Fadin’ Moon

A Cajun duet with Hank Williams III and Tom Waits that will make you pine for New Orleans…even if you’ve never been.

With the Ship

A sparse almost a capella number with Hank Williams III and Les Claypool that kind of sounds like a barbarian war song.

In closing, if you’re a fan of pop driven southern minivan music style of modern country, you would enjoy hate this. But, if you’re looking to get more into outlaw and more traditional country, this should be of interest to you.