Maps of Music

This Old Road (2006)

Where the lyrics of This Old Road take you, and where it was really made.

It was Kristofferson's first album of new material since 1995, and it came out after an eleven-year gap, with three of its songs re-recorded from earlier versions.

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Album story

Overview

• This Old Road: album by Kris Kristofferson
• Released in 2006 on New West Records
• Underlying theme: a retrospective and reflective look at what Kristofferson considers important elements of his life
• Eleven songs, all written by Kristofferson
• Kristofferson re-recorded three of his songs for the album

Background

• First album of new material since 1995's A Moment of Forever
• A Moment of Forever was also produced by Don Was
• The original recording of "This Old Road" was released on Repossessed
• "The Final Attraction" had appeared on Music from Songwriter before this album
• The original version of "The Burden of Freedom" had appeared on Border Lord

Recording

• Kristofferson plays acoustic guitar and sings lead vocals on tracks 1 to 11
• He also plays harmonica on tracks 1, 3, 6, 7, 9 and 11
• Steve Bruton plays mandolin on track 1 and acoustic guitar on tracks 3, 7, 9 and 11, and sings backing vocals on several tracks
• Don Was plays acoustic bass on tracks 1, 3, 7 and 11, and piano on track 1
• Jim Keltner plays drums on tracks 1 and 7

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• American musician, songwriter and actor, born June 22, 1936 in Brownsville, Texas; died September 28, 2024 in Hana, Hawaii, aged 88.
• A pioneer of the 1970s outlaw country movement, moving away from the polished Nashville sound toward a rawer, introspective style.
• Signed to Monument Records in 1969 after one single for Epic Records; recorded ten albums for Monument.
• Songs such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and "Help Me Make It Through the Night" became hits for other artists.
• "Why Me" and "Highwayman" reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1973 and 1985.
• Member of the supergroup the Highwaymen (with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash) from 1985 to 1995.
• Acting career in films including A Star Is Born (1976, Golden Globe for Best Actor), Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), Heaven's Gate (1980) and the Blade trilogy.
• Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004; received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014; three Grammy wins from 13 nominations.
• Announced retirement from performing in January 2021; final performance at the Hollywood Bowl on April 29, 2023.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic's Thom Jurek gave the album three-and-a-half out of five stars
• Jurek called it a "welcome comeback" for Kristofferson
• Jurek felt Kristofferson had improved considerably as a singer
• Jurek praised Kristofferson's economical language and depth of insight
• Robert Christgau of The Village Voice graded the album a "dud"
• Christgau's grade signals a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought

Reappraisal

• The two critics reached opposite verdicts on the same record
• Jurek's praise centered on Kristofferson's singing and his insight
• Christgau's dismissal covered the record as a whole
• The contrast shows how sharply the album divided critics at release

Records

• Released 7 March 2006 according to the Italian Wikipedia entry
• Eleven tracks, all written by Kristofferson
• Three songs were re-recorded from earlier versions
• First album of new material since 1995

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Three songs on the album were re-recorded from earlier releases.
• The original "This Old Road" appeared on Repossessed, which is why the title track has an earlier history.
• "The Final Attraction" had earlier appeared on Music from Songwriter, and "The Burden of Freedom" on Border Lord.
• The track list has eleven songs, all credited to Kristofferson as writer.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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