Review:

on 2006-09-26 patchen Said:

Maybe it is because country, like the blues and jazz, is a music that lends itself to the long haul, that we have records like this, a raw, poetic slab of the mystic from a man in his 60's. Sure, Dylan still has a lot to say, and Paul Simon is not-quite done. But outside of Neil Young, no rocker worth the white in his hair has been able to stay not only relevant, but capable of blowing away the competition. Does rock only have a few things worth saying, and none of them matter at 60? This is not to say that Kristofferson, or the late Cash, hasn't put out shit over the last couple decades. But the level of genius here erases all images of him in Blade or the Highwaymen in a heartbeat. This is the real deal, which channels Woody Guthrie and not only immediately makes Kristofferson relevant, but NEEDED The openers, "This Old Road" and "Pilgrim's Progress" are the two best songs of the year in any genre. Likewise, "The Last Thing To Go" and "The Burden Of Freedom" are electrified by the lessons and losses of a long life lived with awareness and mistakes. The sins of rock & roll, sex and drugs, are just the tip of the icebergs here. Kristofferson is a Virgil leading us through a hell and back up top to redemption. There are throwaways, like "Wild American" or "the Show Goes On", which seem like attempts at getting on generic country radio. But this ought to earn the man a little statue in the Lincoln Memorial, with everyone else that fought and died for personal freedom over and overt until they got it right.
Rating: 10/10