by Stephen Thomas ErlewineA companion piece to his best-selling autobiography of the same name, I Lived to Tell It All is a surprising return to form by George Jones. Where The Bradley Barn Sessions tried to be an authentic release in the vein of a Hightone record and where High-Tech Redneck was clueless in its calculation, I Lived to Tell It All is an effortless encapsulation of Jones' gifts. There are honky tonk raveups, there are heart-tugging barroom weepers, and, best of all, there are several novelties that rank among the most clever and self-deprecating that Jones has ever recorded. Those that were seeking the pseudo-gritty production of The Bradley Barn Session may be discouraged by the slicker sound of I Lived to Tell It All, but there's no denying that Jones sounds recharged and energetic; he's getting a genuine kick singing these songs, which are all loosely auto-biographical. In terms of content and performance, it's his best record since I Am What I Am.