Chicago Wind

Merle Haggard is responsible for some of the most potent and ambitious country music made over the last 40 years. That said, he’s also churned out his fair share of junk. His latest, unfortunately, is more of the latter. Slick and shallow where his recent albums have been gritty and profound, Chicago Wind feels like Merle on cruise control. Amid a few reasonable country weepers, there’s too much sub–Jimmy Buffett beach bar crap (“Mexico”) and knee-jerk political nonsense (“Rebuild America First”) that lacks both brains and heart. Get the hell out of Chicago, Merle.