Early Years, Vol. 2 contains material released just prior to
Hank Williams, Jr.'s breakthrough onto the country charts. The ten tracks are pulled from two of his earliest sessions for Elektra Records,
One Night Stands and
New South. Both albums utilized modern Southern rock arrangements, a direction that would lead
Hank Jr. to the top of the country charts in the '80s. Most of the material on this compilation still sounds great, especially
Steve Young's "Montgomery in the Rain" and
Gordon Lightfoot's "Looking at the Rain." The one dud here is an awful cover version of
Jackson Browne's "You Love the Thunder." ~ Al Campbell