Label
	Curb Records
	Release
	1994
	Artist
	Merle Haggard
	Rating

I knew sooner or later I’d review a Hag album on this site, and I can’t think of any better than 1994’s… 1994. An album with no real name and no cover artwork - the result of Merle rebelling against the lack of creativity and freedom allowed by record companies - made up for with songs of a quality that Merle rarely fails to produce.

As usual the lyrics are creative, the music seems more powerful than in other albums with heavy emphasis on electric guitar with songs like ‘Solid as a Rock’ and ‘What’s New in NYC’, adding a real rock sound to the album. Merle’s actually mixed a range of styles into this album including rock, rythm, blues and country which is what makes it pleasurable to listen to - a good variety of well-written songs. I do love the emotional songs such as ‘Way Back in the Mountains’ - the escapism that this song writes about is something that I can really connect with.

Troubadour is in my opinion one of Merle’s most well written songs and it’s undeniably catchy. “I’ll always be a minor-leaguer, probably never get no bigger, I just love to play my old guitar” says it all. ‘Ramblin Fever’ is one of my favourite songs of all time and I love the re-recorded for stereo version on this album, it’s got a great new rythm and beat to it.

The only low point of this album is ‘Set My Chickens Free’ which I don’t really enjoy listening to. Anyway, I think 1994 is one of Merle’s most underrated and overlooked albums and I’ve certainly never grown tired of it, even though it is already 14 years old!