Hi everyone. This is my first post here. I've been lurking around the site for a while and thought I would get in on some of the conversation.

A few americana albums that haven't been mentioned yet that I think are great are:

Calexico - Feast of wire (really any of the tucson bands, this is just my favorite)

Neko case - blacklisted (one of my favorite albums of the 00s)

Pretty much anything by lambchop, my favorite current band alongside Wilco. I was happy to see someone else list them, but I have to say that Nixon is probably my least favorite album of theirs. I'll take How I quit smoking and Is a woman as the essentials, although I don't think I'd ever give any of them up.

Well, hope this doesn't offend anyone. I like this board better than any I have seen in a while.

A friend of mine lent me Feast of Wire right around the time it came out and it did nothing for me, klt. Last year I heard their excellent cover of Love's "Alone Again Or" and I had one of those, "Whatever was I thinking" moments. Now I love 'em.

You mention the Tuscon scene. Who else should I be checking out?

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quote:

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Originally posted by LinnTate:


You mention the Tuscon scene. Who else should I be checking out?

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I'm not sure what's coming out of Tucson currently, but I've always dug the Sand Rubies/Sidewinders. And Roger Clyne/the Refreshments are (I think) from Tucson.

A couple of Tucson recommendations

The obvious one is Giant Sand, they are the big one. Try Love Songs, it's very good.

Friends of Dean Martinez are also quite good. These two, along with Calexico are pretty incestuous, but they each have their own sound.]

Also, check out a local favorite of mine from Phoenix who are very much in the style of the Tucson stuff, Rum Tenor.

Speaking of Calexico, they’ve served as the backing band for a couple of modern day Americana classics not yet mentioned:

Richard Buckner – The Hill (2000): Edgar Lee Masters’ dark, violent prose as sung by one of the greatest vocalists around, set to Calexico’s spare and haunting instrumentation. “The Hill” brings 19th Century alcoholic backwoods murderers alive, and it’s the album Nick Cave only wishes he could make. It’s Buckner’s masterpiece, and the best “late night album” ever made.

Neko Case - Blacklisted (2002) A beautiful collection of sad songs that sends tingles up Megatron’s spine, wonderfully executed by Calexico and The Sadies. It's the perfect soundtrack for a drive in the country or an intergalactic flight.

Apparently the newest Calexico rumor is that they will serve as the rhythm section Iron and Wine's next album. Man is that awesome if it ends up being true. Also glad to see another fan of Neko Case, Blacklisted is amazing.

ahhh love this subject!!!, i think trace by son volt is the best alt country/ americana record hands down. i cant even imagine any record being better at least in that genre, i mean i stopped listening to country for a long time and i didnt even knew son volt was alt country. the song i heard on the radio sounded like ccr or something similar, but after hearing that it really really got me interested in alt country and trad country , p.s does anyone else here think car wheels on the gravel road was just slightly overrated? not saying i hated it but it wasnt as good as the critics thought it was ....

If not Tuscon, I recall Roger Clyne is at least from the neighborhood, pE. I appreciate your recommendation of him in 2004. He's become a favorite of mine since. I've not checked out The Refreshments, but I'll be seeking them out along with the Sand Rubies and Sidewinders.

I've hear a bit of Friends of Dean Martinez and liked them, but it's been some time. Giant Sand and Rum Tenor are news to me. Thanks for the recommendations, klt.

Calexico wasn't on my radar when I last listened to the Buckner and Case albums, so those move back to the top of the playist. Thanks for the insight Lord Megatron.

The San Francisco Bay Guardian has an article this week describing a bunch of up-and-coming bands and declares, "country is the new punk."

Yeah. I know. It kind of forgets about Rank & File, et al, but most of the names are news to me. Has anybody checked any of them out?

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Matthew Ryan is one of my favorites. His first CD "Mayday' is amazing. Especially "Guilty" and "Irrelevent".

I can't believe you guys haven't mentioned ANY OF THESE BANDS...

Slim Cessna's Auto Club- Check out Bloody Tenant Truth Peace

16 Horsepower-Folkore, and Secret South are great albums. Rest of their catalog is great too.

Munly-His newest CD "Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots" is a pure masterpiece...

Reverend Glasseye and His Wooden Legs:
Not really alt-country, but alt-country fans will still love this band.

Well if we HAD mentioned them, Stray Fox, then what would you have had to post about?!!

Of the lot you mention, I've only heard OF 16 Horsepower, but haven't actually heard any of their albums.

Thanks for the tips. I'll check them out.

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good call of 16 horsepower. Folklore is a great album. Much better than the rest of their albums as far as I'm concerned.

As far as 16 Horsepower goes, I have Low Estate and Secret South, but I prefer the former because it has a more Roky Erickson feel. I can't explain why I haven't kept up with them since you guys are saying they only got better; I'll look into catching up.

The lead singer of 16 HP has also released albums under the name of "Woven Hand."

Slim Cessna's Auto Club is my favorite out of all alt-country bands. Here is their site. Often hailed as the BEST COUNTRY band out there today...

Here is the site. Download "This is How We Do Things in the Country" or "Pinebox." Both great tunes..

Slim Cessna's Auto Club

Here is the link for Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots CD. My top CD of 2004. Absolutely amazing. It has 3 MP3's you can download on this page, but I they are not indicative of the album as a whole. Most of the songs are 5-7 minutes, were lushly orchestrated, and told with great narration.

MUNLY

i know people are reluctant to call a modern country record a classic, but anyone who shrugged off the jack white hype behind loretta lynn's "van lear rose" was rewarded with one of the best country albums i can think of. not surprisingly, it was ignored in the fake world of new country, but glad it was vindicated with a grammy so the record didn't completely go unnoticed.

Robert Pete Williams - Free Again (Country prison blues and the best of its kind!)
Lancaster Country Prison - Death Waltz 2000 (on Coolidge Records)
Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II
Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Emmylou Harris - Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town
The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy and the Lash
Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (had to be there)
Hank Williams Sr. - Singles collection
Flying Burritto Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin
any Patsy Cline compilation

quote:

Originally posted by Malkmus or Astro-malkmus?:
i know people are reluctant to call a modern country record a classic, but anyone who shrugged off the jack white hype behind loretta lynn's "van lear rose" was rewarded with one of the best country albums i can think of. not surprisingly, it was ignored in the fake world of new country, but glad it was vindicated with a grammy so the record didn't completely go unnoticed.

Well that an the near universal critical acclaim and prominent position on nearly every 2004 year end list not to mention a coveted tie for all-time high score from Metacritic.

There's a fair chat about it here including what I still think is one of the strangest exchanges I've ever had on these forums.

Oh, that's another great list, Hemorrhoids. Thanks!

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I've really been digging a new record by Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers (self-titled) which is loosely Americana-ish. It's a little bit on the AOR side (I could imagine someone likening it to stuff on pop radio like Train or the Counting Crows) but the songwriting is good and the twangy edge is there.