Hank Williams III - Rebel Within

Rebel Within finds Hank Williams III planting his boots firmly in hard country soil, a 2010 album that carries his family name and his own outlaw streak with equal pride.

As the grandson of Hank Williams and son of Hank Williams Jr., he could have coasted on the bloodline. Instead he spent his career splitting time between traditional country, punk and metal, and kept a famously uneasy relationship with his record label. Rebel Within leans firmly into the country side of that personality, with plenty of grit left under the fingernails.

"Gettin' Drunk and Fallin' Down" kicks things off like a rowdy barroom confession, and the title track lays out his worldview in no uncertain terms. "Lost in Oklahoma" and "Moonshiner's Life" dig into the drifting, hard-living themes he does best, sung in a high, lonesome voice that can sound eerily close to his grandfather's.

There is nothing polished or radio-friendly about it, and that is precisely the appeal. These songs sound like they were written for smoky rooms, long highway nights and crowds who know every word.

For fans of honky-tonk with a rough edge and a refusal to play nice, this LP is a strong reminder of why Hank III built such a loyal following outside the Nashville mainstream.