Jared DuBach
Daily Egyptian
It's hard to live in the shadow of a country music legend and struggle to keep tradition alive in an ever-changing genre. But Hank Williams III is doing just fine on both counts.
William's second release on Curb Records, "Lovesick, Broke & Driftin'," revives the country music of yesteryear. Instead of jumping on the country bandwagon and going pop, Williams implements his vocal twang, a trait inherited from his grandfather, the legendary Hank Williams. And like his grandfather, Williams can yodel with the best of them.
The Damn Band, Williams' group, makes use of instruments that are becoming harder to find in country music. Several musicians have gathered together who have expertise in the fiddle, upright bass, harmonica and steel guitar.
The lyrics on this album range from being dark and personal to just being about having a good time. To best describe the tone of the album, Williams uses similar themes to those of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard.
There are almost always references to drinking and the loneliness of the road. It just wouldn't be true country without it. The first song, "7 months, 39 Days," is written from the perspective of a truck driver, and tells about some of the hardships of life on the road. "Cecil Brown" is a somber autobiography of growing up in a turbulent family and being ridiculed because of who he was. Only the name has been changed.
"I never understood why they thought I was no good / This is how it seems / The feelings of this worn-out cowboy / Would make you feel so cold." If Williams is anything, it's sincere.
"Trashville" is a song that ridicules the country music industry for its alienation of artists attempting to bring back the classic sound of country. The lyrics: "Today's country music / It ain't like it used to be / I'm so tired of this new stuff, they're tryin' to get me to sing / It ain't no country music to me."
Hank Williams III's style has been labeled as hard twang, punkabilly, cowpunk and even alternacountry. Call it what you will, but by most standards, Williams is producing music that is more country than one would think would come out of a man raised on punk rock and heavy metal.
For many years, 26-year-old Shelton "Hank" Williams was busy as a drummer for numerous punk rock bands in the Southeast, one of which was called Buzzkill.
"I listened to my grandfather's music when I was 4 years old, but at the same time, by the time I got to 10, I was listening to KISS, Black Sabbath, AC/DC and Ted Nugent too," Williams said in his press release. "I didn't really start listening to country from a singer/songwriter's point of view until I was 20 or 21. Back then, I was just screaming my head off and playing drums. I was into anger and chaos. I'd never tapped into melodies, touching people's souls and making them cry."
Hank Williams III and the Damn Band have opened for Beck and Reverend Horton Heat, performed on "The Conan O'Brien Show," and have had a jaunt on the 2001 Warped Tour. Yet they've managed to fall just short of stardom.
Williams remains undaunted and determined to get national attention for his revamped style of country music. With the release of "Lovesick, Broke & Driftin'," and a tour slated in the fall, things are looking positive.
"We're hoping. We'll just keep plugging away."
For more information on Hank Williams III, go to www.hankthree.com.
Reporter Jared DuBach can be reached at jdubach@dailyegyptian.com.
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
