- Audio CD (23 Dec 1999)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Esp
- ASIN: B00000JC6B
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Audio Cassette
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 166,666 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. Choices |
| 2. The Cold Hard Truth |
| 3. Sinners & Saints |
| 4. Day After Forever |
| 5. Ain't Love A Lot Like That |
| 6. Our Bed Of Roses |
| 7. Real Deal |
| 8. This Wanting You |
| 9. You Never Know Just How Good You've Got It |
| 10. When The Last Curtain Falls |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
He is the voice of experience, the voice of regret or simply the Voice. Though George Jones suffered a near-fatal collision while recording this album, Cold Hard Truth has the vocal command of an artist with a new lease of life. Highlights such as "Choices", "Our Bed of Roses" and the album-closing "When the Last Curtain Falls" (with harmonies from Vince Gill and Patty Loveless) extend his reign as the most heart-clenching singer of sob-song balladry in country music. Even comparative throwaways such as "Real Deal"--a title chorus in search of a song--benefit from Jones's patented swoops and leaps. With the mournful strains of fiddle and steel guitar providing the musical frame, the album avoids novelty fare in favour of a sound that echoes, if not equals, the classics of old. --Don McLeese
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I have been a George Jones fan since the early 1960s, when I first heard him sing songs like 'She thinks I still care' and 'It's a sin'. I have most of his early work on vinyl LPs and up until now, considered his best work was with Pappy Daily on the United Artists and Musicor labels, performing either solo or with Melba Montgomery. I didn't much care for George's later duets with Tammy Wynette or the way Billy Sherrill tried to change George's style and introduce string backings. It was George's stated intention in his book 'I lived to tell it all' to return to his original singing style and, in this album, he has achieved that and more. George's high notes are as good as ever but there's a richer, wonderful resonance in his lower register. Many of the songs too, deserve to stand with his classics - particularly the ballads 'Cold Hard Truth; 'Choices';'Our Bed of Roses'. The up-tempo numbers are fine too - I love the line 'one is forgiven and the other one ain't' in 'Sinners and Saints'. This is vintage George Jones in a brilliant bang-up-to-date recording and I have no hesitation in proclaiming it among the very best (and maybe the best) Possum recording I have heard in 35 years. Sing it George!
David King
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
While this album was nearing completion, George had an accident that almost killed him. He had intended re-recording some of the vocals but the accident prevented him from doing so. The record company decided to finish the album with the vocals as they had already been recorded, resulting in an album that may not be quite as good as it might have been although still of a very high quality. In any case, most George Jones fans will enjoy the album and will understand the circumstances. Despite being well into his sixties, George's voice sounds as good as ever.
The album is just what you expect from George Jones - a mix of up-tempo songs and ballads (mainly the latter) all delivered in the style that his fans are accustomed to. The up-tempo songs lighten up proceedings between the slower, often heartbreaking songs. Among the up-tempo songs, I particularly like Sinners and saints, in which George suggests that the only difference is that one group is forgiven and the other is not. Other great up-tempo songs are Ain't love a lot like that and You never know just how good you've got it. But as ever with George's albums, it is the slow songs that really show him at his best. Among these are Choices, The cold hard truth, Our bed of roses and the closing track, When the curtain falls.
The booklet contains some of George's favorite personal photos that show him as a marine and with various country stars. Underneath the one featuring Connie Smith, George says that Connie was always his favorite girl singer - rather surprising considering his great duets with Melba Montgomery and Tammy Wynette (both featured on other photos), not forgetting his marriage to Tammy. The best and most poignant among all the photos is the one featuring Patsy Cline, taken backstage at a show in Kansas City. Patsy looks really happy with life - but a few hours later, she was killed in a plane crash. Other photos feature Vince Gill, Patty Loveless (both of whom provide backing vocals for this album), Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard among others.
Despite the title of the closing track, this album was not George's last. He recovered from his injuries and eventually resumed his recording career. But if this had been his final album, it would have been a great way to finish.
If you enjoy George's music and want more than just the obvious hits, this album is worthy of a place in your collection.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Some of George Jones's 1980's and 1990's albums contained filler material and suffered from bland commercialised production. Although there are a couple of great tracks on every cd the quality during this period is patchy at best.
On this cd jones recaptures something of the raw emotional sound that charcterises his best work pre - 1980. The production is stripped down and he sounds more vocally involved than on anything else of late (very impressive for a 70 year old). The songs themselves are of a generally high quality and form a country album with a mainstream edge rather than a mainstream albums with a country edge (which is what Jones often produces) . Without resorting to cliche this album gives you a taste of why Jones has often been described as the greatest country singer around.
On this cd jones recaptures something of the raw emotional sound that charcterises his best work pre - 1980. The production is stripped down and he sounds more vocally involved than on anything else of late (very impressive for a 70 year old). The songs themselves are of a generally high quality and form a country album with a mainstream edge rather than a mainstream albums with a country edge (which is what Jones often produces) . Without resorting to cliche this album gives you a taste of why Jones has often been described as the greatest country singer around.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Love it !!
Some great ballads on this album. For all those who love George you won't be disappointed by this great album
Published 3 months ago by B. R. Hales
One of the best of the Possum's albums
I have been a George Jones fan since the early 1960s, when I first heard him sing songs like 'She thinks I still care' and 'It's a sin'. Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2009 by DJM King
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
![KEEPING IT IN THE COUNTRY FAMILY [PART ONE]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41KjUl4EtLL._AA60_.jpg)
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
