by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Harlan Howard wrote many of Buck Owens' biggest hits and best songs, including &I've Got A Tiger By the Tail,& &Above and Beyond,& &Excuse Me (I Think I've Got A Heartache),& and &Under the Influence of Love,& so it's only natural that Buck recorded an entire album of Howard's material. And it's also not surprising that it's a stunner, too. Owens sang Howard better than nearly anybody and Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard is full of wonderful songs and performances. Only &Foolin' Around& is regularly featured on Buck's hit compilations, which means there's a wealth of lesser-known gems --- including &Heartaches By the Number,& &Pick Me Up on Your Way Down,& &Keys in the Mailbox& and &Let's Agree to Disagree& -- that form the core of this record, one of Owens' most enjoyable LPs of the '60s.