Straight To Hell - Hank Williams III (2006)

So here’s the thing about Hank III: he could have happily lived off his father’s and his grandfather’s legacies, and had a comfortable life as a nostalgia-centric big label country star. But after he got disillusioned with Nashville’s attempts to cash in on his name, he used his formidable country songwriting and singing skills to subsidize his metalcore band, Assjack.

Eventually he found some synthesis, and created this punk AF country gem.

The songs are conventional country structures, and are good (if somewhat lyrically trite) in places. But a lot of the songs have a dark humor and a chaotic energy that makes the whole affair feel like a barfight about to happen.

It’s a rollicking good time.

Tracks I Liked

Country Heroes - A tribute to classic country

Pills I Took - a honky tonk account of too many drugs

My Drinkin’ Problem - The most conventional country song here, replete with pun-based lyrics and problematic amounts of alcohol consumption. It’s hilarious, tho