CD of the Week – Damn Right Rebel Proud

I’ve been waiting for Damn Right Rebel Proud, the latest CD from Hank Williams III, ever since I heard a couple of early versions of the songs in concert almost exactly one year ago. III’s fourth solo studio album was finally released late last month and it’s exactly the kind of thing that we expect from young Hank…

That would be extremely well played, energetic, retro country with a not so metaphorical middle finger defiantly raised toward the Nashville pop country music machine. Like all Hank Williams III CD’s it took a few listens for me to get comfortable with it but I can honestly say that it’s a good CD - perhaps not his best and not particularly consistent – but good.

We also expect some songs about Hank’s chosen forms of debauchery – drinking, smoking, drugging, carousing and generally runnin’ around with a bad attitude looking for trouble. We get that… and then some. With a near constant stream of words not found in the Bible, Hank seems hell bent on offending just about anyone who will listen. Even my wife, who is almost unoffendable, nearly choked when she heard what Hank imagines Jimmy Martin telling the Grand Ol’ Opry to do with himself… Furthermore, Hank III seems to me just a bit too eager to prove to everyone that he is a crazed country rebel who hates everyone except his famous grandfather and doesn’t care if he lives or dies. I generally overlook this stuff and concentrate on the music but, I gotta tell you, it wears thin in a hurry on Damn Right Rebel Proud.

But the music itself is, as always, outstanding. It’s old fashioned honky tonk and western swing with a bit of punk and rock thrown in for good measure. Hank surrounds himeself with an ace band supplemented with some of the hottest session pickers in Nashville. It’s even more amazing when you consider that this CD and it’s predecessor were self recorded and produced on portable recording machines. This is good stuff!

Lyrically, on the other hand, Hank stumbles occasionally. The opener, “The Grand Ole Opry (Ain’t So Grand)” is a good song and I appreciate the sentiment but the verses sound downright amateurish. And ”Six Pack of Beer” is closer to the up tempo, mid century hokum of Grandpa Jones than to the hillbilly Shakespeare of Grandpa Williams. “Working Man”, with its guest vocals by songwriter Bob Wayne, is one of those things that probably sounded like a good idea while the obscenity laden ten minute long “P.F.F” with a screamed dedication to G.G. Allin, of all people, and the incomprehensible ”H8 Line” are low points of the album.

But if the low points of the CD are really low, the high points are equally high. So to speak. ”I Wish I knew” and “Stoned & Alone” are the kind of slow, depressingly thoughtful songs that III should do more often in my opinion. He can really write a good song when he puts his mind to it. “3 Shades of Black” has III in Cash mode, singing a dark, stark song for disaffected youth. A very good song as well.

“Candidate For Suicide” is my favorite song on the CD. It’s easily one of the best things Hank has ever done. Almost worthy of Grandpa Hank. It’s also the most disturbing thing I’ve ever heard from a guy who has built a good part of his career upon disturbing people. One hopes that it is a persona who sings,

I’m a candidate for suicide, the drugs have taken their toll…. I been busted up and beaten down, no self esteem to make me proud… antisocial, depressed and cursed. Well I hope I feel better when I’m ridin’ in that hearse and all my emotions have left me and I no longer hurt.

If you like authentic country music and can overlook the profanity and the disturbing themes, I would recommend this CD to you. If not, don’t even bother. From a music and attitude perspective, this is precisely what country music needs to knock it out of its navel gazing puerility.

Bottom line: a must have for die-hard Hank III fans. All others tread carefully.