Merle Haggard LONESOME FUGITIVE/BR

2 LPs on 1 CD: I'M A LONESOME FUGITIVE (1967)/BRANDED MAN (1967).
Audio Remasterer: Randy LeRoy.
There is country and then there is country, and Merle Haggard is the good kind. In fact, Haggard's discography is so packed with fine albums, each of which are filled with such wonderful songs and performances, that few other artists can match his track record. Fortunately for the universe, Capitol reissued a bundle of Hag's early albums on too-good-to-be-true twofer packages in early 2006.
BRANDED MAN and I'M A LONESOME FUGITIVE, both from 1967, are classic Hag. Both represent his no-frills, honky tonk-tinged Bakersfield sound, while being rounded out with hints of blues, western swing, and straightforward balladry. What really impresses here, in addition to Haggard's beautifully lilting voice, is the quality of the tunes, which never flags, from the two title tracks (both definitive outlaw country standards) to broken-hearted laments such as "I Threw Away the Rose" and "House of Memories." This is a sure bet for anyone remotely interested in country music, and a perfect place to start with this genre legend.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Country