Butch Hancock Album Review:
Songs missing at 2001-09-17
This is the Blonde On Blonde of West Texas. It includes some of Hancocks finest material, like the terrific title track, Row of Dominoes, Smokin In The Rain, Personal Rendition Of The Blues and Wild Horses Chase The Wind. I would only like to make you aware of the fact that for this cd release two tracks have been omitted - a second, acoustic version of the title track, and the long and wonderful talkin blues song Split and Slide. There is no information about these omissions on the record and that always irritates me. I know this because I was lucky enough to stumble across the extremely hard-to-find original vinyl Double-Lp at a record fair. (At an incredibly low price....)
Butch Hancock Album Review:
ESSENTIAL BUTCH HANCOCK at 2000-06-11
Butch Hancock is one of the best Texan songwriters alive and has provided songs for amongst others the TEXAS TORNADOS and EMMYLOU HARRIS. It is a crying shame that he is largely ignored by the record buying public and this fact is evidenced by the quality of The winds dominion. If youre not familiar with Hancock, just take a look at the two black and white photographs (barren earth, tractors, dust, wind) in the supplied booklet and youll have a good idea of the kind of music that awaits you - Texan country/blues/rock at its best. Originally released in 1979 the CD consists of 15 songs, 14 of which were written by Hancock himself. Guest musicians include Joe Ely and Jimmy Dale Gilmore who, together with Hancock, were the influential FLATLANDERS. Although there is hardly a bad track on the CD, highlights include the title track, Capture...fracture...and the rapture, the guitar and accordion accompanied, seven and a half minute Eternal triangles as well as Row of dominoes. As always, the lyrics are outstanding - follow the semi-sad ballad of MARIO Y MARIA and youll be a Butch Hancock fan for life.

Butch Hancock Album Review:
new folk music at 1999-12-19
this is a wise and whimsical collection of songs from a man who has been around and is happy with who and where he is.lovingly crafted and resonant,these are songs of depth and beauty that light up the horizon like a desert sunset.
Butch Hancock Album Review:
An obscure masterpiece at 1999-09-11
I find myself putting on this CD when I have insomnia. I figure if I cant sleep, I might as well savor some great music. Even in Texas, this small-label CD is hard to find at a music store. Its the least commercial Butch Hancock Ive heard, and thats quite a feat for someone few people have heard of. Its also his most introspective. Its just a man and his guitar in Terlingua, singing about barefoot prints on the desert sand, chasing God and leaving your car behind for a little walk around the planet. Butchs relentless word-play is in fine form but less manic than usual (Butch is the only songwriter I know with the audacity to rhyme surgery with purgery.) After a long career based on sheer exuberance and imagination, Butch Hancock has revealed another side of himself - a philosopher, a craftsman and a damned fine poet.
Butch Hancock Album Review:
Top-Shelf TX Songwriter/Well-Kept Secret/National Treasure at 2003-01-04
Relatively unknown in the U.S. outside Texas, singer-songwriter Butch Hancock is one of the best-kept secrets of our time (by his choice). He is far better known in Europe and Australia than his native country. Many of his songs have been recorded by others, especially by Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.You Coulda Walked Around The World is his most recent release, and its essential stuff. For me, each song stands alone as a masterpiece. This one is worth the price for the title track alone. Plus it includes his original artwork and photography.Start with this one or with his previous classics....the music is timeless.
Butch Hancock Album Review:
Stan Laurel meets Socrates at 2001-05-06
It was a shock hearing this album at first. Even by Butchs normal low-fi production standards this albums single guitar and vocals sound is really stripped down to the bone. Repeated listenings pay dividends though and this is another fine collection of songs with Butch sounding ever-happy with his own low-key way of doing things.The albums opener, Chase and the closing title track are my particular favourites in an album that conjures up impressions of Butchs quiet part of Texas.The photo on the albums back cover shows Butch standing beside statues of Stan Laurel and Socrates, and its strikes me that half way between these two greats may be as close as it is possible to get to describing Butch and his wonderful music.

Butch Hancock Album Review:
The Texas bard with a band at 2001-09-17
Hancock is often heard in minimal, acoustic settings (West Texas Waltzes, I Coulda Walked Around The World). This is probably mostly due to the fact that he cant afford to tour and record with a band. However, he did so on some of his earlier records like this, the third one. Steel guitar, fiddle and even a brass section makes these songs come alive. This is the closest hes ever come to sounding like your typical honky tonk country artist. The songs are also more focused than usual and my favourites are Some Folks Call It Style, Her Lover Of The Hour, Golden Hearted Ways and Corona Del Mar, which adds a nice mexican flavour. Highly recommended, especially if you find his purely acoustic stuff a bit hard to swallow.