Top 10: alt-country albums
May 29th, 2008 by Wade Tatangelo in News
I just went back and listened to The Old 97’s new disc Blame it on Gravity again and decided it’s the best entry in the band’s catalog, which means it’s one of the best alt-country albums of all time, which means I need to make a list. (For my four-star review of Blame it on Gravity click here and scroll down.) To simplify things, the CD had to come out after Uncle Tupelo’s 1990 debut No Depression — or else this tally would probably be all Gram Parsons’ bands, Townes Van Zandt and Outlaw Country classics. Anyway, her ya go:
Top 10: Alt-country albums
1. After Awhile (1991), Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Killer track: “Tonight I Think I’m Gonna Go Downtown”
2. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998), Lucinda Williams
Killer track: “Drunken Angel”
3. Human Remains (1996), Terry Allen
Killer track: “Back to Black” (w/Lucinda Williams)
4. Anodyne (1993), Uncle Tupelo
Killer track: “Give back the Key to My Heart” (w/Doug Sahm)
5. Train A-Comin’ (1995), Steve Earle
Killer track: “Goodbye”
6. The Houston Kid (2001), Rodney Crowell
Killer track: “Rock of My Soul”
7. Teatro (1998), Willie Nelson
Killer track: “I Never Cared for You”
8. The Way I Should (1996), Iris DeMent
Killer track” “Wasteland of the Free”
9. Wrecking Ball (1995), Emmylou Harris
Killer track: “Where Will I Be”
10. Blame it on Gravity (2008), The Old 97’s
Killer track: “The Fool”
WHAT DID I MISS?
May 30th, 2008 at 10:25 am
both of The Geraldine Fibbers’ proper albums “Lost Somewhere Between the Earth and My Home” (1995) and especially “Butch” (1997) should be on the list. the original fibbers guitarist was replaced by the incomparable Nels Cline on “Butch”. his guitar work coupled with the haunting voice of Carla Bozulich is one of my favorite pairings. find these albums that were under-promoted by virgin!
November 2nd, 2008 at 10:14 am
Neko Case, Alejendro, Escovedo,John Langford….Still a good though