Viper of Melody

Personnel: Wayne Hancock (vocals, acoustic guitar); Izak Zaidman (electric guitar); Anthony Locke (steel guitar); Huckleberry Johnson (upright bass).
Audio Mixer: Pat Manske.
Recording information: The Zone Studio, Dripping Springs, TX.
Wayne Hancock's music isn't merely influenced by classic 1950s-style honky-tonk country; his records sound like they were actually plucked straight out of that era, and VIPER OF MELODY is no exception. For all the period-perfect touches, the thing that makes it work is Hancock's own artistic spark. So even though his Hank Williams-ish voice (Hank III has even covered Hancock's tunes) and Johnny Cash & the Tennessee Two-style arrangements bespeak a lifetime spent absorbing hard country, it's the quality of the tunes that puts it all over. Whether he's leaning in a country-boogie/near-rockabilly direction or jazzing it up with a touch of Western swing, Hancock knows how this stuff is supposed to work from the inside out, and that's exactly how this album DOES work.