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That Lonesome Song is a testament to raw and real, right down to open studio mics catching stray commentary and static from a bad input.
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The strength of That Lonesome Song lies not in its relation to past country classics, but in how well Johnson draws from that same river of human sadness and puts those dark feelings and experiences into song, without pulling any punches.
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Country has no shortage of wanna-be outlaw neotraditionalists, but Johnson's songs are crisper and more tuneful than most.
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That Lonesome Song has the point of view, style and sheer quality of craft to kick off such a movement; even if that doesn't happen, it's one of the best, purest country albums to come out of Nashville in ages.
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By the end, when Johnson stakes a place vocally, geographically, and alphabetically "somewhere between [Waylon] Jennings and [George] Jones," you're relieved he still has his wits about him.
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When he’s not thinking about the ruined marriage, he’s equally sullen about the state of country music. An open admirer of Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson, Mr. Johnson favors older styles. He sings more than one waltz and uses lean, subdued band arrangements that ooze pedal steel guitar into the empty spaces.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 13 out of 15
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Mixed: 1 out of 15
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Negative: 1 out of 15
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AndyOJun 6, 2009
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NickM.May 24, 2009
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LisaMFeb 4, 2009