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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Koch Records
Salesrank: 74825
Released: June 24, 2003 |
| Our Price: $15.79 |
| Used Price: $3.22 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Population Me Track Listing:
1. The Late Great Golden State
2. No Such Thing
3. Fair to Midland
4. An Exception To The Rule
5. Population Me
6. Stayin' Up Late (Thinkin' About It)
7. Trains And Boats And Planes
8. If Teardrops Were Diamonds
9. I'd Avoid Me Too
10. The Back Of Your Hand
Editorial Review:
The honky-tonk rebel again manages to cover a surprising expanse of musical territory on the first new release for his Electrodisc imprint. Highlights range from a poetic duet with Willie Nelson on "If Teardrops Were Diamonds" to the Dixieland brass of the title track, from the folkie lilt of "An Exception to the Rule" to a revival of Burt Bacharach's "Trains and Boats and Planes" (a 1960s hit for Billy J. Kramer), driven by the banjo of Earl Scruggs. Such eclecticism shows Yoakam and producer/guitarist Pete Anderson in playful spirits, with even the downbeat lyrics of "The Late Great Golden State" and "Stayin' Up Late (Thinkin' About It)" set to upbeat arrangements. Even the brooding balladry of "Fair to Midland" has more wordplay than angst, while "I'd Avoid Me Too" presents the singer as such a sad sack he'd have to laugh to keep from crying. No major statements or artistic progressions on this summer breeze of an album--its 10 songs barely lasting half an hour--just a whole lot of fun as Yoakam stretches his trademark twang in all sorts of different directions. --Don McLeese
Population Me Reviews:
Some great standout songs 
2009-11-01 - Its not my favorite Dwight Yoakam CD, but its right up there. I really like songs like "Late Great Golden State," "Trains and Boats and Planes," and "Back of Your Hand." They are classic country and are not to be dismissed. I think the arrangements are a little toned down on this one, going for a more raw sound than he's had on other albums, but overall its really good and is one of my favorite CD's to listen to. Its really a refreshing CD, and I'd recommend it to any fan of country or rock, along with other classics of his like This Time and Guitars, Cadillacs. Very inspirational musicianship, stellar playing, and wonderful singing by an understated icon of the country genre. Don't miss out.
Outstanding Work, One of the Best Country Albums of 03 
2009-05-29 - One of my personal favorites from 03, and one of the best Dwight albums. He does tear-in-my-beer country better than nearly anyone. The songwriting and production on this album are outstanding.
One and Only
2008-09-07 - One of a kind stage presence, screenwriter, director, actor, and one of the most unique and versatile voices in the business. Renaissance man Dwight Yoakam's 2003 album was generally considered his best since 1995's Gone (in my opinion, this does not include is fantastic Come On Christmas or his all acoustic album that was a special treat for fans). This set may not be as consistently superb as the '95 CD or it's predecessors 1990's If There Was a Way and '93's This Time, but there is something that makes this kick harder than two albums of his in particular, 2000's Tomorrow's Sounds Today and despite the great title track, 1998's A Long Way Home. My least favorite of Yoakam's influences is the Bakersfield sound, and Population Me does not suffer from the steel guitars (which had been used tastefully in Yoakam's past work) that dominated most of the songs on the '98 and 2000 albums. To me, that steel guitar drenched sound stripped away the edge that Yoakam has and that separates him from the Nashville artists that dominate Country radio.
Well, I concur with the critics who felt that "edge" was back here. On top of his game lyrically, Yoakam's full of self deprecating humor with the Honky Tonk burners "I'd Avoid Me Too" and "Stayin' Up Late (Thinkin' About It)", and Willie Nelson duets on the old school Western weeper "If Teardrops Were Diamonds". Yoakam has entered legend territory himself which unfortunately and bizarrely means, like Nelson, less air play and smaller concert venues to go along with gained respect of peers and critics. He also hits a homerun with a Bluegrass arrangement of the Bacharach/David "Trains and Boats and Planes" (a 1966 hit for Dionne Warrick). It works great. This album, and this is of major note to long time Dwight fans, was the last produced and arranged by the great guitarist Pete Anderson - Yoakam's right hand man since the early '80s.
Almost every Dwight Yoakam album contains at least one masterpiece. The title cut, the song "Population Me" is, in my opinion, his ultimate masterpiece, a true work of genius. Everything about it, from Yoakam's haunting Kentucky yodel to the almost New Orleans style percussion to Lee Thornburg's great trumpet solo; throw in fiddles mixed with a distinct Celtic feel, and it all shouldn't work, but it is a definitive example of Dwight Yoakam being one of the most important songwriters and recording artists of the last hundred years. Population Me. A title has never said so much.
I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!
2007-09-05 - I've been a Dwight fan since I was 9-years-old and heard Honky-Tonk Man. So that's 21 years (you do the math) of this AMAZING and completely UNDERRATED musician. He can do no wrong. I love everything the man has ever done, but after the mid-90's, I resigned myself to the fact that "If There Was A Way" & "This Time" were going to be the best albums of his career. Boy, was I wrong! "Population Me" is right up there with the best and I think that lyrically, it might be his best album. Population Me is my favorite song on the CD, but it also includes the heartbreaking Back of Your Hand and the cleverly penned Stayin' Up Late which is my favorite to sing along with. Dwight sings: "I swore to never get caught lookin' at a single picture that was tookin' of use of us or anywhere we ever went of ever even seen. I don't dare watch the news 'cause the wrecks and the crashes can remind me to that I used to ride around and
go places in cars with you." All that with nary a breath!!! It's just awesome! Even though I am a Gen-Xer and my CD collection consists mostly of hard and alternative rock, there will never be any artist that I put higher than Mr. Dwight David Yoakam. I have every single CD he has put out and let me assure you, if you're a true Dwight fan, this one is a must have.
One of his best ...if not THE BEST
2006-08-31 - Such a great album from the incomparable Mr. Dwight Yoakam. "If Teardrops Were Diamonds" is especially beautiful.Please buy this and savour every note and twang.
