Country Music

[J~$$$$]

Slim Cessna's auto club.

[Gribbz]

I know the album came out in 1996 but Revival by Gillian Welch would likely keep you sane until you found yourself some actual old records. She has called her music "American primitive." She worked on (and sang a few songs for) that O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack, too. Her other albums are all fantastic (the Dave Rawlings Machine one too) but picking up what you're saying in this thread makes me thing Revival.

Nice. I'll check it out.

[shoegazer76]

Yonder Mountain's Gin & Juice cover is bad ass. In fact evrything they do is wickedly awesome.

[faxman75]

We can't have this discussion without this band being involved. They put the genre on the map. The band is Uncle Tupelo and if you ever see Jeff Tweedy do a solo gig, sometimes he dusts off those old UT tunes, I haven't seen Sunvolt or Jay Farrar solo but i'm sure he plays some of the songs he wrote from those days as well. They made some really amazing music together. You really only need the Anthology CD, that's what got me hooked.

From the very first listen to "No Depression", the first track on the Anthology, I was hooked. It's any excellent starting point for anyone new to the genre.



Another artist is one Tom mentioned. Neko Case. Her voice is rich, beautiful and nostalgic. Her lyrics can be downright chilling at times. I first heard of Neko on the Sound Opinions radio show back in 2002. I then saw her perform on the tour for this album at Nita's Hideaway in Phoenix, AZ. A tiny intimate venue that maybe held 150-200 people but I defer to John for exact figures. Unfortunately the show wasn't very good and she argued with the sound guy all night about not being able to hear herself in her monitor and stopped and started songs a couple of times. That didn't stop me from listening to her albums and would say it's mandatory to listen to Blacklisted at least once in your life.



Finally, the one thing I love about Beck is his diversity. His ability to be able to make relevant and fantastic music from many different genre's. One of those genre's he dedicated an entire album to and that's Sea Change. An absolutely beautiful arrangement of songwriting and music. This album received critical acclaim and it was deserved.

I never saw this video before now and i'm sorry for that because it's real good. Some might say this song isn't all that alt. country and they might be right.

[Hannahrain]

This is one of my favorite rootsier Beck songs:

[daxton]

Yonder Mountain's Gin & Juice cover is bad ass. In fact evrything they do is wickedly awesome.

Oh yeah! Of course! Yonder Mountain String Band.

[shoegazer76]

Ha that's an Emglio robot painted white in that last clip. I just sold one of those to a vintage toy store.

[buddy]

i'm sure you meant son volt, faxman. trace was my introduction to alt county, and a mighty fine album.

[donkey sex]

My Faves:

Billy “Mutha Fuckin” Briggs
Gram Parsons
Kitty Wells
Carl Smith
Skeets McDonald
Lefty Frizzell
Faron Young
Hank Williams
The Stones
Maddox Bros and Rose

Got a deep passion for dem folk. Could make a hell of a compilation CD. Let me know.

[tessalasset]

This thread damn near brings tears to my eyes. I had no idea this many people on the board liked this kind of music. Over the past few years I've developed a deep interest in bluegrass and classic country, folk and Americana and alt country. Patsy Cline and Avett Brothers started it all, and there is so much goodness out there. I recently Netflixed a fantastic documentary about a bluegrass festival in the south in the 70s, and through that became a fan of The Osborne Brothers and Roy Acuff, altho I know he was legendary way before that. I'm fascinated by these genres and can't wait to learn more in this thread. Thank you so much, Tom. I can't believe we hadn't done this yet.

[faxman75]

i'm sure you meant son volt, faxman. trace was my introduction to alt county, and a mighty fine album.

Oh hell yes. Tear Stained Eye!

[daxton]

This thread damn near brings tears to my eyes. I had no idea this many people on the board liked this kind of music. Over the past few years I've developed a deep interest in bluegrass and classic country, folk and Americana and alt country. Patsy Cline and Avett Brothers started it all, and there is so much goodness out there. I recently Netflixed a fantastic documentary about a bluegrass festival in the south in the 70s, and through that became a fan of The Osborne Brothers and Roy Acuff, altho I know he was legendary way before that. I'm fascinated by these genres and can't wait to learn more in this thread. Thank you so much, Tom. I can't believe we hadn't done this yet.

I can't either. Best idea. Anyone into Langhorne Slim? The Felice Brothers? Ian Thomas?

[miscorrections]

Yeah man, I really like Langhorne Slim. I was pleased to see him on your last mix.

[Hannahrain]

[Hannahrain]

Not that she hasn't been plenty mentioned, but.

[Hannahrain]

[daxton]

Yeah man, I really like Langhorne Slim. I was pleased to see him on your last mix.

Sweet. I'm unimpressed by his latest album, but the first two are great. He's so much fun live. Have you seen him? He invites people up on stage to dance/jump around for a whole song.

[TomAz]

I'm not much into country, but I saw Steve Earle at Hardly Strictly last year. Must say his performance was a delight. Which of his albums is a good starting point?

I Feel Alright is where I would recommend you start. It's stellar, and it's stylistically very consistent with what you probably heard him do live.

His first two albums, Guitar Town and Exit 0, are also highly recommended, although the sound is more pure country and less country-rock. Also, El Corazon, released just after I Feel Alright, is outstanding. Train a-Comin' is an album of old-timey string band style music (though mostly songs he wrote, not actual old songs) rounds out the basic canon.

[TomAz]

i hadn't heard of Joe Ely, either, of those you mentioned. i will now do some downloading.

Live Shots, which was recorded while he was on tour with The Clash, is nearly perfect.

here's part of a song with that band from that era.

[TomAz]

We can't have this discussion without this band being involved. They put the genre on the map. The band is Uncle Tupelo

now Mark you know I love Uncle Tupelo as much as anyone. But I think your characterization that they "put the genre on the map" is off base. Rank & File, Lone Justice, the Beat Farmers, the first few Jayhawks albums, and especially Jason & the Scorchers were doing much the same thing that UT did, only they did it in the 80s.

[Hannahrain]

[JustSteve]

anyone here ever been out to the stagecoach festival the week after coach? good times can be had there, too. went the first few years when it was still kinda mellow and saw some great stuff in the retrofitted sahara(tended to stay far, far away from the mane stage).

just look at the palomino and appaloosa stages that first year:

[JustSteve]

Joe Ely was the first country(ish) act I ever listened to. Because Joe Strummer was talking about how great he was and in 1980 Joe's recommendation was gold to me.

you ever listen to the "london calling" shows he did for the bbc? mr. strummer had the most diverse tastes in music i have possibly ever heard. oh to have been able to spend an afternoon perusing vinyl with him. those shows have brought so many amazing artists into my life. they are available to download for free on itunes, by the way.

[fiyahhh!]

you ever listen to the "london calling" shows he did for the bbc? mr. strummer had the most diverse tastes in music i have possibly ever heard. oh to have been able to spend an afternoon perusing vinyl with him. those shows have brought so many amazing artists into my life. they are available to download for free on itunes, by the way.

I'll have to check these out. Thanks for the tip!

[OnlyNonStranger]

I think belongs in this thread.

[J~$$$$]

TARANTELLA, Wovenhand also great bands that deserve a look.

[BlackSwan]

I enjoy some music that could technically be considered country in small doses.

[zenidogx]

I Feel Alright is where I would recommend you start. It's stellar, and it's stylistically very consistent with what you probably heard him do live.

His first two albums, Guitar Town and Exit 0, are also highly recommended, although the sound is more pure country and less country-rock. Also, El Corazon, released just after I Feel Alright, is outstanding. Train a-Comin' is an album of old-timey string band style music (though mostly songs he wrote, not actual old songs) rounds out the basic canon.

Thanks. Will try it out.

[tessalasset]

I worked at Stagecoach this year but I did get to see Avett Brothers and Trampled by Turtles, who were pretty fun. And I agree, stay as far away from the Mane Stage as possible. I can't believe how many people go to that thing and never venture into any of the other tents.

[tessalasset]

Here's a vid from that 70s bluegrass movie I watched. I REALLY wish I could have been at that. At night, people would camp out in their cars and the artists would just walk around looking for people with instruments and jam at their campsites.