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Originally posted by LinnTate:
This probably belongs in the Power Pop thread, but what's your take on Bill Lloyd's latest, _Back To Even_. I've been listening to it for a little over a month now. The title track, "Dial Nine," and "Kissed Your Sister" are all good and "Me Against Me" has a surpisingly jazzy style that I've not heard him dabble in before and is very pleasing.

In all, though, it hasn't quite made my list of favorites for the year, though it's on the cusp. I kind of feel that it's the record I wish Marshall Crenshaw had made this year, but perhaps that is an unfair comparison based on the fact that they've been working together.

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I'm sad to say, I haven't picked up "Back to Even." I really liked "Set to Pop" and "Shoulders of Giants" but I haven't found a copy of the new one yet. There's also a compilation of his one-off tracks available. I can't recall the name, though. I can look at home if you're interested in it.

I'll keep an eye out for the new one.

I haven't really liked a whole Marshall Crenshaw record in quite awhile now. And he put on one of the most boring live shows I've ever seen in 2000/2001. But he was REALLY GOOD as the guitarist for the revived MC5 (the DKT) and even sang a tune quite admirably...

Hey, I don't want to break up a good thing, but does anybody consider the Knitters' "Poor Little Critter in the Road" good country? Whatever it is, it's definitely at least good.

I really wish I could help you! I just sort of had a bad a experience with country music which I shall bore you with...


I was taking Music merit badge at a camp and the instructors were all these young kids (young= 15+). I live in Alabama where peoples musical taste is not of the wide variety. My music teacher's name was Seth, but he had changed his name to "Country" in an act of love towards the genre. This would have been a terrific oppurtunity to learn the history of country music unfortuneately, "Country" had never heard of the likes of Loretta Lynn or Emmylou Harris only Shania Twain and Toby Keith. So for that week's exposure to sh*t music I havent touched a piece of country since...

Anyway, to answer your question-
It's probably silly to mention, for you most likely own it already, but "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou Soundtrack". Also, there's this guy that my dad listens to all the time. His name is Joe Nichols, hes all right just super mainstream. A sample of his lyrics-

"If some Hollywood producer made a movie that was sad
about some guy who lost the best thing he ever had
Hey, I could be a star
If it was cool to be a fool"

If you dont like that---dont bother.

I've got a few to suggest:

Anything by Alison Krauss-the woman has won 13 Grammy awards, and rightly so. I'm suprised no-one has mentioned her yet. Or maybe they did and I was skimming.

Dolly Parton's Greatest Hits and her recent bluegrass recordings "The Grass is Blue" and "Little Sparrow"

Rhonda Vincent's "One Step Ahead"

The Louvin Brothers tribute CD "Livin', Lovin', Losin"

Can you tell i'm a Kentucky hillbilly?

Thought i'd edit to add that for my current listens i'm vacillating between Alice Coltrane's "Journey in Satchidananda", Air's "Talkie Walkie", and a Charly Records compilation called "Kings of Western Swing"

It often bothers me that people don't realise how much incredible music is out there waiting for them to listen to and enjoy...but they'd prefer staying in their safe cocoons rather than having what could be a life changing experience for them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: transona5,

Those are great additions to the list, transona5, though that's a pretty challenging current playlist for a hillbilly!

Alison Krauss is great and Dolly Parton's return to bluegrass are some of my favorite recordings of the last decade.

When I was in Chicago several weeks ago, a friend spun the solo debut from Alison's brother Viktor for me. It's a bit hard to categorize, but very, very satisfying. Jerry Douglas and Bill Frisell guest along with Alison, who delivers vocals for a terrific cover of Robert Plant's "Big Log."

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Originally posted by transona5:
It often bothers me that people don't realise how much incredible music is out there waiting for them to listen to and enjoy...but they'd prefer staying in their safe cocoons rather than having what could be a life changing experience for them.

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Words to live by. It's great to have you here.

Now Playing: "Hygiene" Honey Dogs 10,000 Years (Tinderbox)

Three guys on a country-tinged tangent:

Bruce Robison
Charlie Robison
Jack Ingram

I saw the three on the "Lucky Dog" tour a few years back, and all three border the line between country/singer-songwriter, and folk. But the Robison Bros are top-notch in country. Charlie is married to Natalie Maines (of the Dixie Chicks), daughter of legendary country session man and producer Lloyd Maines. Bruce is married to the irrepressible Kelly Willis and wrote "Angry All the Time", a big hit for Tim McGraw.

I've been on Robison Bros kick lately...sorry for the interruption!

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Originally posted by mark f:
Hey, I don't want to break up a good thing, but does anybody consider the Knitters' "Poor Little Critter in the Road" good country? Whatever it is, it's definitely at least good.

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The great L.A. band X in cowpunk mode !

John Doe and Exene Cervenka's vocals are superb.

It's a great album !

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Originally posted by Member 27:
Ive recently discovered that I really like country music (we dont really get much of it here though) and I am looking to boost the size of my country record CD selection. Any suggestions?

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Please excuse the lateness of this reply. A C&W thread isn't the first one I'd read, so I'm seeing this for the first time.

Nobody's mentioned Lucinda Williams' sublime "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road" album.The song "Drunken Angel" will send a delicious shiver down your spine.

Well, all of Lucinda Williams' albums border on great; it just matters what you think she is doing. The last one, "World Without Tears", seemed 1/3 country, 1/3 blues and 1/3 classic Stones rock. A friend of mine, who doesn't really listen that much to my music, said it was definitely country, although I almost took that as an insult. It is a VERY good album, no matter how much time you waste trying to classify it.

Car Wheels On A Gravel Road is such a great album, Rigel Seven. I tend to think of Lucinda Williams as an alt-country artist rather than a country artist, which is sort of my parking lot for all of the great musicians that are contributing so much to the music, but can't find a home in its mainstream.

Now Playing: Raiders of the Lost Ark on USA, I can never resist.

The one I always go back to is Dwight Yoakam's "If there was a way".

Blanche - If We Can't Trust The Doctors
I can't stand cheesy country but this is one of the best albums of the year for sure. It'll be on my list anyway. I haven't heard of anything else by Cass Records, though.

Not really country, but more country punk...
Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon-Prairie Home Invasion
The Vandals-Play Really Bad Original Country Tunes

I have always loved Mike Nesmiths contribution to this genre, and I think that he is massively under-rated in this regard.

know it all get dwight yoakems a "thousand miles from nowhere" its got enough of the traditional country plus some rock covers to please just about anyone i cant stop listening to it since i got it

I went through this whole thread looking to see if someone had mentioned Blanche and just at the end someone did.

This is an album that is walking that line between country and alt... but in order to appreciate it, someone would definitely have to be open to country music.

its the most current review on my site if anyone is review interested. a decent album, but nowhere near a top 10 album for the year in my opinion.

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Originally posted by Twowaymonologues:
I went through this whole thread looking to see if someone had mentioned Blanche and just at the end someone did.

This is an album that is walking that line between country and alt... but in order to appreciate it, someone would definitely have to be open to country music.

its the most current review on my site if anyone is http://twowaymonologues.blogspot.com/2005/01/blanche-if-we-cant-trust-doctors.html#comments interested. a decent album, but nowhere near a top 10 album for the year in my opinion.

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Sounds interesting. I'll check it out.

It sounds akin to a record I enjoyed this year, Bad Pennies by the Have-Nots. They're a UK band whose debut was issued over here on Chris Mills' Powerless Pop label, and it's quite good. It reminds me of early Whiskeytown at points, particularly the male-female vox...

New Member here:

I was waiting for someone to mention Dwight.

One of my favorite country albums is dwightyoakamacoustic.net. Well pretty much anything by him.

And I am suprised no one mentioned Tom T. Hall.

I would really like to mention John Stewart, one of the great forgotten artists of country music.

This man deserves to be listened to, especially his earlier works such as "The lonesome picker rides again","Cannons in the rain" and "California bloodlines".

Also, Gene Clarkes solo works are a must. Check out "No other" and "White light" and his work with Dillard.

Oh, that reminds me, The Dillards have a great double package "Roots and branches" coupled with " A tribute to the American duck".

Then there's early Poco, and of course I would be remiss if I didn't mention Michael Nesmith and the First and second national bands.

Jim White deserves a listen, too.

And country aint even my favorite genre.

Where's Willie

Definatley spin redheaded stranger & stardust at the very least. Also cool in that classic western way is nelson & waylon jennings outlaws cd. As for other essentials gp/grievous angel by gram parsons, kansas greatest hits and nashville skyline & john wesley harding by Dylan.

As for contemorary I'm loving world without tears from Lucinda Williams, van lear rose, and everything by alison krause.

I realize that all of this more countrish than country but I still think it counts because its true to the spirit of country music, more so in my opinion than the crap coming out of nashville these days.

Sound off.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: and the results are in.....were undecide,