As strong as Joe Ely's self-titled solo debut was, his second album, 1978's Honky Tonk Masquerade, actually managed to top it, and the album remains one of the great creative triumphs of the Texas singer/songwriter community, as well as a high-water mark in Ely's career. Displaying a very Texan sense of eclecticism, Honky Tonk Masquerade's ten tunes run the gamut from beer-stained weepers (the title cut) and late-night declarations of loneliness ("Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown") to barrelhouse rock & roll ("Fingernails") and honky tonk dance numbers ("West Texas Waltz" and "Cornbread Moon"), and Ely's simple but expressive delivery makes the most of every song he sings. Ely's band deserves a special nod as well, especially steel guitarist Lloyd Maines and Ponty Bone on accordion, who can seemingly conjure up an orchestra or a horn section at will. And as strong as Ely's songs are, he has the good sense to also accept contributions from fellow ex-Flatlanders Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, whose more introspective lyrical approach makes for a satisfying contrast to Ely's more down to earth style. Smart without sounding pretentious, and musically ambitious without losing focus or drive, Honky Tonk Masquerade is a superb album that captures Ely and his band at their best.
Honky Tonk Masquerade
Joe Ely
Share on
Honky Tonk Masquerade Review
by Mark Deming
Track Listing
| Sample | Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Ely | 03:28 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 2 | Joe Ely | 04:01 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 3 | Joe Ely | 04:02 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 4 | Joe Ely | 02:53 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 5 | Joe Ely | 02:12 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 6 | Joe Ely | 03:46 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 7 | Joe Ely | 02:52 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 8 | Joe Ely | 02:12 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 9 | Joe Ely | 05:01 | SpotifyAmazon | ||||
| 10 | Joe Ely | 03:26 | SpotifyAmazon |
