Ray Wylie Hubbard is one of the elder statesmen of the Texas Music Revolution. From his success with Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother to his general failure from the mod 70’s to the 90’s he has remained true to his music. In the 90’s when the TMR was coming up his albums Lost Train Of Thought and Loco Gringo’s Lament have been on the shelves of every true fan of Texas Country. Cited as an influence by the likes of Pat Green and Robert Earl Keen he plays a slow driving groove with all the Texas flavor you can imagine. With a groove like SRV and lyrics like no-one else he has released 9 albums since ‘92 and 13 in all. With a Greatest Hits nowhere in site he continues to have tracks on every Texas Music complilation that comes out.

The gritty images painted in Choctaw Bingo and Dallas After Midnight will stay with you for days after a few times on the old turntable. And if you can manage to not sing along with Screw You, We’re From Texas then, well, you must not be from Texas. There is not a bad song in the discography although some stand out more than others. Missippi Flush, Bones, and Dust Of The Chase belong on any poker player’s collection. Without mainstream recognition, likely due to the full on Texas attitude in his music, Wylie continues to play to full houses all of the state of Texas and has a large following in Europe as well.

Snake farm has been out less than a full year. It his, of course, his latest offering. Snake Farm, the opening track, has a dirty groove and lyrics that will leave you with ears open and wanting more. Heartaches and Grease should be the theme song for just about every scumbag I know.

Young pups ask me what makes my kind
Shameless women and pork rinds
Desirable lips keep telling me lies
Biscuits and bacon and fried pies

And it’s heartaches and grease
That’s what it takes
Heartaches and grease
That’s my mistakes
Heartaches and grease
Whoa a little disgrace
It’s heartaches and grease boys
That’s what it takes

The whole album is journey through the winding backroads of Texas with the windows down at dusk. As far as guilty pleasures go this album musically takes the cake for me right now. It’s been in heavy rotation on the MP3 player and won’t be leaving the playlist anytime soon. I have to reccomend this with the highest of honors. Ray Wylie Hubbard has once again, and not suprisingly, done Texas Music Proud.

Here’s an old one and a new one for ya, just a taste, go out and pay for this album. Support Texas Music.

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Screw You We’re From Texas
Ray Wylie Hubbard - Heartaches and Grease