Alternative country - General

Well, I guess I'll start with a summary. Alternative country is pretty much a response to the right-wing and overproduced direction country was going going during the Reagan years. But instead of going for that old country music, they pulled in influences from a lot of other genres, from roots rock and jam bands to punk rock and made a really special sound, starting in the late 80's. Like punk rock was a response to the overproduction of rock music, alternative country was pretty much the same response to where country music was heading. From Wikipedia: [QUOTE=Wikipedia]Alternative country (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, or Americana) is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music. It has been used to describe country music bands and artists that have incorporated influences ranging from roots rock, bluegrass, rockabilly, honky-tonk, alternative rock, folk rock, and particularly punk. In the 1990s the term alternative country, paralleling alternative rock, began to be used to describe a diverse group of musicians and singers operating outside the traditions and industry of mainstream country music. Many eschewed the increasingly high production values and pop outlook of the Nashville-dominated industry for a more lo-fi sound, frequently infused with a strong punk and rock & roll aesthetic. Lyrics may be bleak, gothic, or socially aware, but also more heartfelt and less-often follow the clichés sometimes used by mainstream country musicians. In other respects, the musical styles of artists that fall within this genre often have little in common, ranging from traditional American folk music and bluegrass, through rockabilly and honky-tonk, to music that is indistinguishable from mainstream rock or country. This already broad labeling has been further confused by alternative country artists disavowing the movement, mainstream artists declaring they are part of it, and retroactive claims that past or veteran musicians are alternative country. No Depression, the best-known magazine dedicated to the genre, declared that it covered "alternative-country music (whatever that is)". [b]History:[/b] Despite this confusion, it is generally agreed that alternative country drew on traditional American country music, the music of working people, preserved and celebrated by practitioners such as Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, and The Carter Family, often cited as major influences. Another major influence was country rock, the result of fusing country music with an aggressive rock & roll sound. The artist most commonly thought to have originated country rock is Gram Parsons (who referred to his sound as "Cosmic American Music"), although Michael Nesmith, and Steve Earle are frequently identified as important innovators. The third factor was punk rock, which supplied an energy and DIY attitude. Attempts to combine punk and country had been pioneered in the 1980s Southern Californian cowpunk scene with bands like Jason and the Scorchers, but these styles merged fully in Uncle Tupelo's 1990 LP No Depression, which is widely credited as being the first "alt-country" album, and gave its name to the online notice board and eventually magazine that underpinned the movement. They released three more influential albums, signing to a major label, before they broke up in 1994, with members and figures associated with them going on to form three major bands in the genre: Wilco, Son Volt and Bottle Rockets. Bottle Rockets signed, along with acts like Freakwater, The Old 97's and Robbie Fulks, to the Chicago-based indie label, Bloodshot, who pioneered a version of the genre under the name insurgent country. The bands Blue Mountain, Whiskeytown, Blood Oranges and Drive-By Truckers further developed this tradition before most began to move more in the direction of rock music in the 2000s.[/quote] One of my favorite genres of music. I'm just gonna post a few of my favorite songs here, nothing too fancy. [b]Uncle Tupelo - Moonshiner[/b] [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppiol9oetOk[/MEDIA] Uncle Tupelo - I Got Drunk [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5fmR-Tf2Gw[/MEDIA] [b]Son Volt - Drown[/b] [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpcB2xsXRv4[/MEDIA] [b]Drive-by Truckers - Where the Devil Don't Stay[/b] [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU7H4ot7WIs[/MEDIA]The Jayhawks - Blue [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fs-5L6E8pE[/MEDIA] [b]Ryan Adams - Nobody Girl[/b] [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMfQOEZ-WAw[/MEDIA] [b]Golden Smog - Radio King[/b] [MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2so10Q9d6s[/MEDIA]

William Elliot Whitmore - Mutiny [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9axGUdvV2c[/media] [editline]07:19PM[/editline] Bonnie Prince Billy - I am Goodbye [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxQuH910xc4[/media] [editline]07:24PM[/editline] The Builders And The Butchers - Golden and Green [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CirGCKj5ZGw[/media]

come one we can't be the only two who love alt country

I like Wilco. Their earlier stuff was alt country. And Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. I have I See a Darkness. Does Lucinda Williams count as alt country?

Yeah I think so

[QUOTE=Lambeth;24372847]come one we can't be the only two who love alt country[/QUOTE] I like (older) regular country, that count? :v:

I fucking love Ryan Adam's album Heart breaker. It does what it does, and it does it well.

what is twang?

[QUOTE=Reaver1991;24382375]I fucking love Ryan Adam's album Heart breaker. It does what it does, and it does it well.[/QUOTE] Gold is pretty good too. I dunno about his new stuff though. It's pretty weird. Some of this stuff with Whiskeytown is pretty awesome too. [editline]11:11PM[/editline] [QUOTE=pie_is_good;24372926]I like Wilco. Their earlier stuff was alt country. And Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. I have I See a Darkness. Does Lucinda Williams count as alt country?[/QUOTE] If you like Wilco you should check out Golden Smog. They're a supergroup made up of members from Wilco, The Jayhawks, Big Star, Soul Asylum, The Replacements and a few other bands.

so they're like some sort of musical Frankenstein's monster?

[QUOTE=DamagePoint;24400303]Gold is pretty good too. I dunno about his new stuff though. It's pretty weird. Some of this stuff with Whiskeytown is pretty awesome too. [editline]11:11PM[/editline] If you like Wilco you should check out Golden Smog. They're a supergroup made up of members from Wilco, The Jayhawks, Big Star, Soul Asylum, The Replacements and a few other bands.[/QUOTE] Big Star [I]and[/I] the 'mats! I have to check that out

[QUOTE=Lambeth;24400524]so they're like some sort of musical Frankenstein's monster?[/QUOTE] Yes, except it's a beautiful thing.

Ryan Adams is amazing, just sayin'. Listen to the albums Heartbreaker and Gold, seriously. Those are some fucking good albums.

You should check out State Champion. They came out with an album this year, Stale Champagne.

[QUOTE=Lambeth;25412542]You should check out State Champion. They came out with an album this year, Stale Champagne.[/QUOTE] I checked out their stuff on myspace, it's pretty sweet. It sounds kinda like DBT mixed with The Dead Milkmen. I couldn't find their album anywhere online though.