The OFFICIAL Unofficial Achewood Message Board
Trivial Pursuits => Arts & Entertainment => Topic started by: theinevitable on January 13, 2007, 06:16:44 am
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So. I have been, for about half a year, obsessed with the live version of "Burning House of Love" on Beyond and Back (the X Anthology). This is a problem, as I do not know anything else with this kind of rock-ish twangy country guitar playing. Do you have any suggestions?
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I'm not familiar with that, but I'm a huge fan of alternative/rock/country...
Check out the alt-country stream on Last.fm. My favorite bands that I think you'll like are:
- Son Volt, my absolute favorite band ever. (the lead singer for this band, Jay Farrar, used to be in a band called Uncle Tupelo with Jeff Tweedy from Wilco)
If you have time to check out others...
- Uncle Tupelo
- Songs:Ohia (Jason Molina)
- Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue (they covered songs written by Woody Guthrie, and the Mermaid Ave. albums are just unfuck*ngbelievable)
- Robert Earl Keen
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I'm not familiar with that, but I'm a huge fan of alternative/rock/country...
Yeah, Son Volt is amazing, especially Trace. Also, you should get the Uncle Tupelo Anthology. Then, I recomend the Flatlanders, they are definately my favorite alt country band (more stoned country maybe, before "Alt-Country" was around). You should get Songs: Ohia and Bonnie Prince Billie for sure, although I don't know how country they are. I would argue folk, but I would also say they are good. If you like the Modern Lovers (and you definately should) Jonathan Richman has an album called Jonathan goes country, which is good. Also, The National is a pretty good kind of new band.
Also, last, but certainly not least, Big Star is an amazing band. They are who I would consider the start of Alt-rock0country, and personal heroes of Paul Westerberg. You probably already new that though. Oh yeah, Wilco- Summerteeth and Being There. Also again, the Ween country record is amazing.
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Yes, start with Wilco as your gateway drug and work backwards into their more-country-ish early work and side projects... you'll eventually discover how much country you can take in your rock and roll.
I love later career Wilco, possibly in my top ten bands, but I've discovered... I can't take very much country music. Wilco's first album, AM, is just too cornpone for this dude.
The borderline album in that mini-genre for me is Mermaid Avenue Volume One. Some of that album is awesome ("One By One" should be played at all weddings) and some of it is slightly grating deedle-deedle music.
Once you get through there, you should know how much you can take and go from there.
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yeah, one of my best friends (my best friend in St Louis) loves Wilco with a passion. So. I have heard them.
I downloaded (ie: Bought, Legally) some Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo.
... also Hank Williams, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Buck Owens.
also, Apparently some of The Court & Spark's stuff is pretty country-ish. Which I didn't remember.
... which reminds me of Carla Bozulich. Not country by any means, but GOOD LORD LISTEN TO HOW INTENSE THIS WOMAN'S VOICE IS.
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Check out Marty Robbins. Also Asleep at the Wheel.
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Yes, Asleep at the Wheel. I think I saw them at the Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah, OK. It also could have been ACL, or maybe even both. Very good band.
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Awesome thread. I love hearing about other alt-country bands that I should check out.
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This is kind of obvious so I'm a little hesitant to suggest it, but you have checked out the Dead and The Band, right?
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Yes, start with Wilco as your gateway drug and work backwards into their more-country-ish early work and side projects... you'll eventually discover how much country you can take in your rock and roll.
I love later career Wilco, possibly in my top ten bands, but I've discovered... I can't take very much country music. Wilco's first album, AM, is just too cornpone for this dude.
The borderline album in that mini-genre for me is Mermaid Avenue Volume One. Some of that album is awesome ("One By One" should be played at all weddings) and some of it is slightly grating deedle-deedle music.
Once you get through there, you should know how much you can take and go from there.
AM's problem isn't that it's too country. It just isn't that good. One By One was played at my wedding.
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Aug-- I have checked out neither of those. I have a bunch of the dead on my computer, though.
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Aug-- I have checked out neither of those. I have a bunch of the dead on my computer, though.
sigh
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American Beauty, Anthem of the Sun, The Grateful Dead, Workingman's Dead
are those good places to start?
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From a Country Rock perspective, Workingman's Dead. Keep in mind that the Dead are far (faaaaaar) better live than in the studio. The commercial album I always recommend as an introduction is Europe '72. Reckoning is also great -- two or three nights of acoustic shows. If you're into bluegrass at all you should check out "Old and In the Way" (band name and eponymous album) -- with Jerry Garcia, David Grisman and Vassar Clemens it's hard to go wrong.
As far as The Band goes, it's hard to go wrong. "The Band" is one of my top five albums (maybe #1). Music from the Big Pink and The Last Waltz are also fuck*ng great. The Last Waltz is also the best concert movie evar. You could also check out Blonde on Blonde to get an idea of what The Band is capable of.
Also, John Prine.
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Yes, yes yes. DEFINATELY get Blonde on Blonde. For the band I would recommend Big Pink, but that is really all I have heard (and Last Waltz, but that is live, so?). Bob Dylan is my hero. John Prine- John Prine has such classic tracks as Illegal Smile and Your Flag Decal won't Get You into Heaven anymore... Classic.
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John Prine's "Paradise" made me get all teary-eyed when I was in junior high. so I will pursue his music, certainly.
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AM's problem isn't that it's too country.
To be honest? I was raised with such a knee-jerk unfair antipathy to all things "country" where I was in the middle of farmland and kids whose dream weekend involves hard liquor and an ATV that... I probably can't tell the difference between "too country" and "bad".
I have been wired to see these two states as the same thing.
I admit and accept this unfair bias but... I just can't get over it.
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Have you Dead fans ever listened to them when you were not stoned? Because you'd pretty much have to be stoned to enjoy the Dead, I think.
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Yea, I can say that I do not understand the Dead at all. My neighbor is a huge dead fan, and while I can kind of like String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band I do not understand the majority of jam band music. Also, I am hell of stoned when listening to it. In fact, two days ago I was at a party that was dying down. I went ahead and made way to the smoking room with one of my friends who shares the love of herb and music and the inability to understand the dead. We were sitting in there when one of the guys was said "oh man, this transition coming up is just seamless". My friends said "Ah, I heard some seams" but I guess no one understood the joke but me. Either that, or some of these cats take their dead with a heavy dose of douchebaggery.
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Have you Dead fans ever listened to them when you were not stoned? Because you'd pretty much have to be stoned to enjoy the Dead, I think.
My, what an original sentiment.
I haven't been stoned for over 10 years, but I still love the Dead. Have you ever listened to the Dead or are you basing that comment on what you think they are?
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Actually, in a turn of events, I started disliking the Dead after I stopped smoking. I will freely admit that most of this has to do with not wanting to be some high school dead head stereotype. However, I had American Beauty and loved it, then bought Terrapin Station after I started smoking (American Beauty= before). After that album it became hard for me to respect the Dead from that point on. To further complicate things, I have listened to both of those albums at my neighbors house recently and don't really hate it anymore. However, I can never cross that mental barricade I put on the Dead, even though it was my fault for buying an album that is apparently not for amatuer Dead-Heads.
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Whoa, the Dead are country?
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(O)ne of my friends who shares the love of herb and music and the inability to understand the dead. We were sitting in there when one of the guys was said "oh man, this transition coming up is just seamless". My friends said "Ah, I heard some seams"
I quite enjoyed that.
I like the Dead, and always have, and I haven't been high in 15 years or so. However, before I ever listened to them and only knew them from seeing album covers in my older brother's collection, I so looked forward to them sounding like Black Sabbath. I think I would have been happier if the whole skull motif had panned out in more of a metal manner. Oh well, at least both Jerry and Tony shared that whole finger thing, so that's good I guess.
I like Whiskeytown, but they probably are too trendy. Also, Supersuckers "Must've Been High" and Cracker's "Kerosene Hat" are slightly country sounding. I'm not super good at this, because I mostly just listen to George Jones and Johnny Cash and Hank when it comes to the country stuff.
Did you try the Eagles?
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I like Whiskeytown, but they probably are too trendy.
I've not heard Whiskeytown, but I *love* Ryan Adams. For a long time I was prejudiced against him because I had him lumped in with Bryan Adams -- nothing could be further from the truth! Ryan Adams is fantastic. "My Winding Wheel" is one of my favorite songs. I'll have to try Whiskeytown.
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Whoa, the Dead are country?
Among many other things. But Johnny Cash/Buck Owens/Marty Robbins country. Not Garth Brooks/Vince Gill/Insert latest countrypop singer with good hair.
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... an album that is apparently not for amatuer Dead-Heads.
The problem is that you were buying albums at all. Get some shows.
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I've not heard Whiskeytown, but I *love* Ryan Adams. For a long time I was prejudiced against him because I had him lumped in with Bryan Adams -- nothing could be further from the truth! Ryan Adams is fantastic. "My Winding Wheel" is one of my favorite songs. I'll have to try Whiskeytown.
Ryan gets a lot of bad press for sort of being a dick, but it's ok because he absolutely doesn't give a fuck. You should check out his homepage. (http://www.ryan-adams.com/RyanAdams.html) Let me know what you think. (Check out Cardinals Radio there.) It's always like that - I've never gone there and actually come away with the idea that it was his homepage. Whereas many folks use their homepage as a tool to generate more interest, Ryan seems to just put up whatever occurs to him. Once I went there and the sum total of information being sent out was a recording of him talking with his agent. It seemed to have been inadvertantly recorded on his answering machine. All parties clearly agreed that Ryan was desperately high. His agent was attempting to convince him that he should not release as his next album a double album of covers of some metal band (I think), although it may have been the rumored all-Strokes cover album.
Critical, critical edit in bold above.
Sorry to add to this, but it turns out you can stream all of his albums at that site. Including his album Hillbilly Joel, with such timeless classics as "Passed Out in AA - FUCK" and "Drunk as a Pile of Fuck". Enjoy!
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To be honest? I was raised with such a knee-jerk unfair antipathy to all things "country" where I was in the middle of farmland and kids whose dream weekend involves hard liquor and an ATV that... I probably can't tell the difference between "too country" and "bad".
I have been wired to see these two states as the same thing.
I admit and accept this unfair bias but... I just can't get over it.
Do you like any of the Uncle Tupelo stuff? A lot of that is better than AM and more country. The prevailing aesthetic on AM is pop, in my opinion. They're just fun little pop songs.
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The Eagels are country?
Man, am I confused.
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Not Garth Brooks/Vince Gill/Insert latest countrypop singer with good hair.
I am not sure I have ever heard any of these, but I assume they are what a student of mine once described in a paper as, the only way you know it's country music is that the singers have Southern accents?
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Garth Brooks lived in my town.
I drive through Toby Keith Blvd. between my parents house and my apartment.
Good ole Oklahoma.
(We also have Wayne Coyne and the Starlight Mints, so that is good.)
The problem is that you were buying albums at all. Get some shows.
That is what I hear.
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I am not sure I have ever heard any of these, but I assume they are what a student of mine once described in a paper as, the only way you know it's country music is that the singers have Southern accents?
Imagine Bon Jovi... except with steel guitars... and even worse.
This is what is being talked about.
Whether something could ACTUALLY be worse than Bon Jovi or not is really a question for philosophers, once they get past whether God could make a burrito so big He Himself could not finish it, but for the sake of practical arguement, we'll hold with that statement.
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Yes, I've heard the Dead, but only when I wasn't stoned (which is pretty much always).
They suck. Sorry to be the one to tell you.
And yes, I guess the Eagles are kinda countryish - Peaceful Easy Feeling, Desperado, Take It Easy (I have to say I really liked the Travis Tritt cover), Lyin' Eyes, Already Gone, Tequila Sunrise, Heartache Tonight - yeah, very country. Life in the Fast Lane, Hotel California, Those Shoes - not so much.
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for me, the Eagles reside with James Taylor and Fleetwood Mac as "Dad Bands." I can never really hear their music as anything other than "goddamnit, why can't my dad listen to cool music! fuck!" from the past 18 years of life.
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"goddamnit, why can't my dad listen to cool music! fuck!"
Because anything he listened to would by definition be uncool? You should be glad he didn't ruin anything good for you.
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Cracker's "Kerosene Hat"
I also think that "The Golden Age" and "Gentleman's Blues" by Cracker don't get the respect they deserve. (Gentleman's Blues in particular).
These may veer a bit too far into folk, but how about The Be Good Tanyas or Jolie Holland?
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Ronnie.
James.
Dio.
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Ronnie.
James.
Dio.
He has songs of wildebeasts and danger
He has soared on the wings of a demon.
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Don't forget the thrilling defeat of animatronic laser spiders with ultra-powerfull guitar blasts during concert.
(He's really a good dude, times I met him)
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If you have time to check out others...
I've always enjoyed Robert Earl Keen. My mom (who purports not to like any any country music whatsoever) is friends with Rich Brotherton's best-friend-since-the-first-grade. "Free concert tickets" kind of friends more so than "backstage pass" kind of friends, but he did also give us a huge crate full of mix tapes once.
Ramsay Midwood is another good artist, although I had always thought of him as more bluesy than country until Last.fm informed me otherwise.
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Everyone's already listening to Neko Case, right? RIGHT?
Neko live set from Austin City Limits up on eMusic. I haven't downloaded it yet, but as soon as I get my next set of credits, I'm there.
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Every time I see this thread title I parse it as "rock which is a little bit country but also a little bit country", which is obviously confusing.
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I've always enjoyed Robert Earl Keen. My mom (who purports not to like any any country music whatsoever) is friends with Rich Brotherton's best-friend-since-the-first-grade. "Free concert tickets" kind of friends more so than "backstage pass" kind of friends, but he did also give us a huge crate full of mix tapes once.
Ramsay Midwood is another good artist, although I had always thought of him as more bluesy than country until Last.fm informed me otherwise.
Oh shit yes. You get a tiny can for liking Robert Earl. He's so rad. I was introduced to him by an old flame who pointed out when we were young that Robert Earl has a song called "Oh Somebody nice". Word is that he was inspired to write it about the Grizzly Rose, a country-western bar in Denver. I was born and raised in Denver. Hence, I really love that song.
Everyone's already listening to Neko Case, right? RIGHT?
Neko live set from Austin City Limits up on eMusic. I haven't downloaded it yet, but as soon as I get my next set of credits, I'm there.
I don't like Neko Case very much, but I fuck*ng love Austin City Limits. I'm in the ACL group on last.fm. Tiny cann'd.
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I like the Dead, and always have, and I haven't been high in 15 years or so. However, before I ever listened to them and only knew them from seeing album covers in my older brother's collection, I so looked forward to them sounding like Black Sabbath. I think I would have been happier if the whole skull motif had panned out in more of a metal manner. Oh well, at least both Jerry and Tony shared that whole finger thing, so that's good I guess.
This is exactly what I thought as a child. My dad hates the Dead, so for a long time when I was growing up I would only see their logo as a sticker on the backs of people's cars. For a while I thought it was some sort of gang insignia. Very recently I was also reminded of the first time I saw the cover of Avalon and put it on thinking it was a heavy metal album.
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Can'd for your avatar felix - that's great.
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Can'd for your avatar felix - that's great.
Thanks! It's meant to be an old-school metal paperweight (a literal "iron Felix") but I think this particular one is made of ceramics or something.
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I've been listening to these downloads (http://www.wunderkammern27.com/2006/12/new_wilco_songs.html) of new Wilco songs performed over the course of 2006. It's good stuff.
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man. I love the amount of music in the world.
So much.
Right now it's kind of... I am kind of enjoying Hip Hop. A lot.
I never thought it would happen. It helps to have people whose taste in music I respect a lot to give me tracks.
also, dancing to it extensively at parties. After a few drinks. dancing helps a lot.