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I knew jack shit about Country when I bought this on a whim. I mean, all I’d heard was a song here and there, but I’d never had any interest in finding out more. Not my cup of tea, I thought. Boring stuff. And then came along Hank Williams III with his newest album, Straight To Hell and changed it all. Bastard.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is simply the best album of 2006 (along with Pandelirium). Out of the main album (disc 1) and the thirteen tracks on it, only one isn’t gob-smackingly amazing. Apart from Angel Of Sin, the weaker song, it doesn’t matter if Hank III plays it fast, slow, angry or melancholic, whether he covers someone else or plays his own songs… it’s outstanding. I like his style of singing, a combination of unpolished roughness and obvious talent, and his songwriting skills are notable as well. Check out Country Heroes and D Ray White if you don’t believe me. Another aspect I like is the wide scope of emotions covered on the album, everything from the melancholy of Country Heroes to the hateful and aggressive Dick In Dixie.

The second disc includes something that sounds like demos and ex-tempore recordings, and some really weird stuff as well. There’s not that much to say about it… it’s a nice bonus to go with the excellent disc one, but ultimately more of a trivial oddity than a really integral part of the whole. It takes a few listens to get into it and on the whole it feels a bit like a bizarre joke, but there’s good stuff in there as well. It just needs some time.

There’s not really a whole lot more I have to say about this album, save for that this is indeed one of the most positive surprises I’ve had in a long, long time. I hadn’t heard anything by Hank III nor did I know what to expect when I bought this CD… but I’ve never regretted spending money on it. Straight To Hell is one of those albums that manage to impress people over genre-boundaries, its high quality transcending niches and genres. Just give it a chance, and you’ll see.