As you
can see from the title, this post is two reviews in one. That’s because these
two albums were re-released in a single CD case. This artist does this a lot,
and I don’t mind one bit, because it takes up less space on the CD shelves.
Disc 1150 and 1151 are… Repossessed and Third World Warrior
Year of Release: 1986 (Repossessed)
and 1990 (Third World Warrior)
What’s up with the Cover? This is some special re-release
cover featuring the eyes of Kristofferson from “Third World Warrior” and some
random shot of him rocking out on a guitar. The actual covers are:
How I Came To Know It: I first bought “Repossessed” on
cassette at A&B sound in the late eighties. It was in a bargain bin at some
ridiculously low price like $3.95. At the time I mistakenly thought that the
song “What About Me?” was one I remembered
hearing on the AM radio when I was a kid. Turns out that version of “What About Me?” is by Moving
Pictures and as you can see very much NOT Kris Kristofferson. Epic music fail.
Fortunately,
I liked Kris Kristofferson anyway, so I was happy with what I ended up with,
albeit by accident.
As for
“Third World Warrior” I didn’t know that album until this “Special Re-Release”
double CD was released. I was keen to finally have “Repossessed” on CD and and
getting “Third World Warrior” as well was a bonus.
How They Stack Up: I have eight Kris Kristofferson albums I’ll
put “Repossessed” in at #4 and “Third World Warrior” right behind it at #5.
Repossessed:
What’s up with the Cover?: Kristofferson rocks out, showing off his middle-aged man muscles in a tight black t-shirt. I rock a similar look from time to time, minus the muscles.
Ratings: 3 stars
There is something to be said for obscurity. It
allows you the freedom to make whatever kind of music you want.
Kristofferson’s music through the late seventies and
early eighties was a mix of outlaw country and sexy grooves for men who take
their shirts off a lot in mixed company and the women who don’t mind.
“Repossessed” changes gears, keeping the mix of
country and contemporary rock but with a stronger focus on the slow wear of
years on the human heart. These are songs for the weary and the worn out, laced
with a thread of social activism and stoic resistance that has always been a
key part of Kristofferson’s sound.
The most heartbroken of all is “Shipwrecked in the Eighties” a song about one of Kristofferson’s
long-standing causes; the fate of Vietnam veterans. In 1986, it had only been
ten years since the end of that war and the horrors were still fresh in the
minds of those unfortunate to have fought in it. Through it all,
Kristofferson’s vocals meander with their gravelly truth:
“Well you fight
like the devil to just keep your head above water
Chained to whatever
you got that you can’t throw away
And you’re shooting
through space on this river of life that you’re riding
And it’s whirling
and sucking you deeper on down every day.”
The song is a mix of a guitar strum on the high
strings, with an organ providing the bass notes. The beat drags with a weary
doom, punctuated by a mournful harmonica that keeps the wound fresh.
Kristofferson likens post-traumatic stress with death by drowning, and it is
not a quick death.
On “Anthem ‘84”
Kristofferson sings from the perspective of a soldier who has kept himself
together, only to find his partner is losing herself. The soldier brings a
foxhole mentality to the situation, and maybe the kind of toughness and inner
strength needed to withstand it:
“If you’re looking
for a fighter who’ll defend you
And love you for
your freedom, I’m your man
I ain’t gonna leave
you for the crazy things you’re doin’
Don’t ask me to
lend a helping hand.”
Like “Shipwrecked
in the Eighties,” “Anthem ‘84’”
is buoyed by long lines of sprung rhythm that lilt along to Kristofferson’s
rough vocals. He sings like he’s just taken a shot of whiskey, with a homespun
truth that comes from having done it all, and lived to see the other side.
“Repossessed” has a lot of tough love about it, but
it is still very much about love. When on “The
Heart” Kristofferson sings “If they
deal you down and dirty in a way you don’t deserve/You’ll feel better if you
take it like a man” it may seem callous, but this brand of stoicism has
gotten me through more than a few bad patches. He’s like that rough and kindly
uncle that catches you crying out back but pretends he didn’t, and invites you
to come out back and shoot some cans. Feels good to shoot some cans, and if you
don’t want to talk about it, that’s OK. He’s just gonna be there in case you
do.
I suspect for a lot of people this record comes off
as a bit schmaltzy and there are places where Kristofferson probably crosses
that line, but overall his honesty wins through. If it sounds schmaltzy it’s
just because when manly vampire-killin’ real men like Kris Kristofferson show
their feels it can be a bit awkward. But it is all the more real for that
awkwardness. Because of this I forgive this record its excesses when they
happen.
For an album made in 1986, “Repossessed” is
surprisingly free of drum machine and synth fuzz and I was happy for their
absence. It is still a bit tinny in places, but overall this album has a
grounded feel that was missing from a lot of other artists of similar vintage
at the time.
Most of all, it is a reminder that being tough and
sensitive may seem like opposites, but really they’re yin and yang and you’ll
need both of them to stay upright on life’s long road. There are records that
do it better, but “Repossessed” a gruff charm to its delivery that is warm and
real.
Best
tracks - Repossessed: Shipwrecked in the Eighties, They Killed Him, What About Me, Anthem ’84,
The Heart
Third
World Warrior
What’s up with the Cover?: Kristofferson is a master of the Giant Head cover, and this could be his crowning achievement. This head is real big, and real haggard.
Ratings: 3 stars
The other great thing about obscurity is you can say
whatever you like, and on “Third World Warrior” Kris Kristofferson does just
that, launching into a politically charged album without hesitation or apology.
The album opens with “The Eagle and the Bear” where Kristofferson makes it clear that he doesn’t
care about either major superpower – his interest is in the regular folks who
suffer whenever nations clash:
“I will fight and I
will die for freedom
Up against an eagle
or a bear
I will help my
brother and we’ll sink or swim together
If you don’t like
it mister, I don’t care.”
The song is grounded in a solemn piano piece, but in
the background the snap of the snare is Kristofferson’s call to action.
Central America (particularly El Salvador and
Nicaragua) feature prominently throughout the record as does the apartheid
regime in South Africa and many of the songs have a protest sing-a-long quality
that calls to mind rallies and placards.
In many places on the album Kristofferson just talks
over the music, naming a wide mix of heroes (among them Gary Cooper, John
Kennedy, Martin Luther, Malcolm X and Jesus) or calling out various things he
wants fixed in the world. This was a bit jarring, because the songs are strong enough
on their own in making their point, and the spoken word sections feel more like
rhetoric than poetry.
Kristofferson dedicates an entire song to then-prominent
politician Jesse Jackson, who was fresh from pursuing a run for president back
in 1988. It is an upbeat celebration even though lines like “They ain’t ready for you yet, but it’s a
start” showcase Kristofferson’s disappointment that Jackson wasn’t chosen to
represent the Democrats (that was Michael Dukakis). It’s too bad Willie Nelson
gets a guest verse. Willie seems like a nice guy and all, but as I just noted
on my Rhiannon Giddens review, I’m not a fan of his voice.
The album has some beautiful background vocal work
in places and I regret that the combined efforts of the liner notes and internet
did not reveal specifically who it was. Whoever does those soulful shouts deep
in the mix – thank you!
As you might expect from an album with a lot of
songs about Central America, there are plenty of Spanish and Caribbean rhythms
and you can smell the beach and the blue seas of lands that have always been
luckier in their climate than their political stability. Sometimes these
rhythms worked, and other times they were too processed and artificial as
eighties production finally caught up with Kristofferson.
Whatever you think about any of the issues
Kristofferson raises, you have to admire him for his fearlessness. This album covers a lot of uncomfortable topics back in 1990 and much
of his traditional fan-base would have preferred he stuck to shaking ribbons
from pretty ladies hair and singing about hangovers. He doesn’t care. Kristofferson
pokes the bear, scoffs at the eagle and makes his points forcefully and without
apology.
Best
tracks – Third World Warrior: The Eagle and the Bear, Don’t let the Bastards (Get You Down), Jesse
Jackson (Sung with Willie Nelson)
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