Strangers ; Swinging Doors And The Bottle Let Me Down (+ 5 Bonus Tracks) (1966)

"This CD pairs Merle's first two solo albums, originally released in 1965 and 1966. "Strangers" shows all the hallmarks of being a debut: it's largely comprised of previously released singles and finds Haggard in debt to his influences. It also is heavy on covers. But the album is thoroughly entertaining, highlighted by Merle's original "I'm Gonna Break Every Heart I Can" and the immortal title track. If Hag was merely finding his voice on "Strangers", he comes into his own on "Swinging Doors...". He had assembled his backing band, the Strangers, and developed his signature lean, tough Bakersfield sound. The two songs mentioned in the title are hardly the only bright spots on the album. It also finds him coming into his own as a songwriter, penning 10 of the 12 songs, and while not all of the tunes are quite at the level of the title tracks, most of them illustrate the depth and range of Haggard's writing and suggest the richness of the music that was just around the corner." (S.T. Erlewine, Allmusic)