The All-Country Hair Metal Covers Album

I don't do country and everyone knows that. The fact that I came across Alex Willliams' upcoming album Space Brain was just a fluke of internet search results. So anyway, Williams is a country singer who apparently works in the "70s - Outlaw era" of the genre.

To his credit, Williams is a big fan of 80s metal and RATT's "Round and Round" is one of his favorite songs. It's featured on Space Brain along with covers from Cinderella, Motley Crue, Judas Priest, Tesla, Skid Row, Ozzy Osbourne and more. Regarding Cinderella, singer Tom Keifer himself makes an appearance on the cover of "Nobody's Fool."

Because I am fair, open-minded and like the source material, I gave this a shot. I listened to Williams' cover of "Round and Round" fully and it just felt like it took... forever. The tempo was slowed down so much - and Williams has such a deep voice - it all just threw me. Now, if this album of covers gets country folks more into rock, then great. Space Brain comes out July 18.

RATT cover:

Ozzy Osbourne cover:

Comments

[Him]

I am actually going to take the (sorta' kinda') opposite position.

I think that this sort of tribute makes more sense than when metal guys try to "go" country. When I listen to Ron(nie) Keel and Brett-hro Michaels go all corn pone it often comes off as more insincere and less enjoyable. And, yes, that is a huge hasty generalization and likely unfair, given that I bet both of them really do enjoy country music too. So, that's on me.

I am not a fan of most country music either (though I have mentioned the dalliances in my youth with Charlie Pride on several occasions). But I see Williams' doing more of an Americana take on metal here. And, while I won't be giving this endless rotations, I did preorder it. As an aside, I had the same sort of thinking I had when I ordered Fun Loving Criminals _Mimosa_ based off their spectacular cover of Ozzy's "Crazy Train." But, more to the genre-hybrid focus of the post, I also see this as akin to Sturgill Simpson's cover of When In Rome's "The Promise." It seems like an honest artistic take and not (and how could it be?) a cash grab, not that Allyson suggested it was.

Like Allyson notes (and didn't like), these sorts of covers take a lot longer. They let the lyrics roll. And therein lies the promise or the peril. If the lyrics can't keep you going, then maybe you were just into the music that accompanied them. And that's fair. But I tend to put lyrics above music, even if I still prefer metal music (flame me if you want, but I also like Erasure and The Pet Shop Boys, and the latter's cover of U2). And these sorts of experiments really, really focus me on what the lyrics do when the music is different. And, in this case and the others I have noted, they worked for me (at least on the level that I am willing to support the artist).

The other question: will this lead country fans to metal? Maybe. And that is good too. But even if it doesn't, it still means that some country fans got treated to some words from our side of the musical world (and the album also includes songs from all the other bands Allyson listed).

For the readers here, supporting Williams with a $10 purchase on Bandcamp isn't a big ask if you think this sort of thing is good enough. Or interesting enough. For me, again, it was.

Thanks for posting this, Allyson. And thanks for creating this Williams. Win-win for me!

[Jeff]

I also pre-ordered it. I think it sounds pretty good. Wont' be bad to throw on when you're in a chill mood or traveling. I think I may throw it on at my next party and see how my friends react when/if they start recognizing the tunes!