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Critic's Review
Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
Koch's Dance Ranch/Songs for Rounders combines two of Hank Thompson's greatest albums on one disc. Recorded in 1957, Dance Ranch is one of Thompson & the Brazos Valley Boys' best albums, filled with Western swing standards ("Bubbles in My Beer," "Drivin' Nails in My Coffin"), honky tonk ("Lawdy, What a Gal"), and originals by Thompson. The Brazos Valley Boys also contribute four instrumentals, including numbers associated with Bob Wills ("Beaumont Rag"), Artie Shaw ("Summit Ridge Drive"), and Woody Herman ("Woodchopper's Ball"). Released in 1959, Songs for Rounders may be Thompson's best LP, made up of songs about the rougher, raunchier sides of life, including "Cocaine Blues," "Little Blossom," "Deep Elem" (a real hot rocking number), and "Rovin' Gambler." This record was considered very controversial within conservative country music circles at the time, and in many ways broke a lot of ground within the field. This was also his first stereo album.
