Country for Country Haters

Posted by Laura on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 at 12:54 PM EDT
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Simon Cowell “doesn’t get” country music (or he didn’t for the past six seasons… this year he’s had a sudden change of heart). Perhaps Cowell and others who "don't get" country should talk to my Texan friend Jess, who gets misty-eyed listening to ballads on the country station. Or my father, who after a long day at work goes to his study and quietly plucks folksy melodies on his acoustic guitar.

Too often, country music is lauded and not celebrated for its evocative, simple strums about the human experience. Below are three songs that just might elicit admiration from those who claim to "hate country."

"Lou Reed" by The Little Willies:

"We were driving through West Texas. Behind a broke-down shack we saw a figure dressed in black. And we don't mean to sound like we're trippin', but we swear to God we saw Lou Reed----"

I won't ruin the punchline of what exactly Lou Reed is doing in that pasture in West Texas, but it's pretty hilarious.

The track is from the Little Willies' self-titled debut, a fun ode to the classic country music of Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, and others of that ilk. The Little Willies are a "loose-knit collective:" Richard Julian, Jim Campilongo, Lee Alexander, Dan Rieser, and Norah Jones (yes, that Norah Jones). For the duration of the track, Richard and Norah back and forth about their backwoods adventure with Lou Reed. An old-timey piano and twangy guitars enhance the playful arrangement. The song once again proves that music with a sense of humor is appealing across genres.

"In the House of Tom Bombadil" by Nickel Creek

By popular demand, I give you Nickel Creek! The band is Chris Thile and brother-sister duo Sara and Sean Watkins. Nickel Creek recently went on hiatus, but not before I caught them live at Lollapalooza 2006 and with Fiona Apple for their Farewell (For Now) tour last summer. This after six years of adoring their self-titled album, which was produced by Alison Krauss and features plenty of instrumental bluegrass songs, among them “In the House of Tom Bombadil.” The track spotlights Chris’s quick-fire mandolin, Sean’s acoustic skills, and Sara’s fast fiddling.

Nickel Creek has won and been nominated for numerous Grammys and CMA Awards, and they are perfect inductee music for country haters; “Helena” from Why Should the Fire Die and a number of tracks from This Side are pure pop-indie rock. But the band has hardcore roots in bluegrass music, as showcased in their earliest work. Even their most pop-rockin' tracks have an undeniably folksy flavor.

VERY, VERY close second: “Emma” by one of my favorite artists, Richard Buckner. I almost vetoed Nickel Creek in favor of Richard, who is among music’s most expressive songwriters. From the opening verse of Bloomed’s “Emma” you’ll be captured by this sad tale of a girl who marries an evil city man. It’s an oft’ sung story in country music, but rarely is it told with such poetic, heart-wrenching grace.

"Sounds of Loneliness" by Patty Loveless

Patty is a country superstar. However, this song makes my list not for the artist who sings it but for the LP it comes from: the astounding Songcatcher Soundtrack. The album features traditional mountain ballads as sung by modern artists. This music reminds us of the profound roots of a genre brought over by Irish and Scottish immigrants. “Sounds of Loneliness” opens with a single somber fiddle, then builds into layers that invoke images of the rolling green Appalachians at dawn.

It's a gorgeous soundtrack. Well-known songs like “Barbara Allen” appear next to largely forgotten tunes like “Pretty Saro.” Even Miss Dolly contributed to the soundtrack; she does a duet ditty, “When Love Is New,” with the then unknown, now-Oscar-nominated starlet, Emmy Rossum. Even the worst of country haters should come to appreciate the unfussy beauty in these time-tested songs.

After this introductory taste of the genre, move on to advanced-level country with Songcatcher II. The second album features the songs as they were meant to be heard: performed by traditional mountain folksingers.

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Got any ideas for upcoming Good Music Corners? Convince me at CaricaturesByLaura@yahoo.com.

 


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jawajedi
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 2:00 PM Reply with quote
Will ideate for food Location: Golden Arches

Simon finally noticed that country is big business and fans are loyal and BUY albums.
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drtyolman
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 2:16 PM Reply with quote
Location: Idaho

There's Lot's of money in country. And a good song, sung right, is gold: no matter what the genre. To bad we'll never see that on AI.
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badmammerjammer
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 2:25 PM Reply with quote
Location: LETS GO PENS

Every blog you post songs or people I don't know, so thanks for exposing me to new and exciting stuff.
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TRP
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 4:24 PM Reply with quote
Location: Philadelphia

In general country music is associated with dentist offices. I won't ever like it. Except Dolly, but she I mostly like for her personality. Other than that, it really sucks.
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gaziza
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 5:17 PM Reply with quote
Randy is fat

My only real nominee for this exercise would be Bobby Bare Jr., but I have heard a lot of stuff I like. I also enjoyed seeing Sarah Lee Guthrie &; Johnny Irion when I was last in NYC.

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Scott Baio
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 5:27 PM Reply with quote

See, here's the thing (and yes, I know that this is not exactly a revelation). What is being marketed and sold as country music these days is not country at all. You take a pop song, slap on some fiddles and a steel guitar, and all of a sudden you're country. The trend began with Garth Brooks, and the final nail was hammered into true country music's coffin by the emergence of Shania Twain and her husband, producer Mutt Lange.

Yes, there is still real country music out there, but you have to dig to find it. And no, you will most likely not find most of it at your local WalMart. Along with traditional country, there are also groups out there that are taking country music in new directions. Do some digging and you may be surprised at what you find. Here are some good country and alt-country acts that are out there right now:

Hank Williams III - Sounds like his grandaddy, parties like his daddy, and completely blows the doors off the Nashville pop establishment with his middle finger raised. His live shows are split between his two bands: the first set features his country music, and the second set features his hardcore punk band, Assjack. Like it or don't, Hank III don't care.

Shooter Jennings - Another progeny of country music royalty, Shooter's voice recalls that of his daddy, and his music walks that same tough outlaw line that Waylon and Wilie made famous. Between Shooter and Hank III, the rebirth of the classic country outlaw has begun.

Reckless Kelly - It's damn close to country, but that's not all it is. This Texas band bends genre lines while keeping one foot firmly in the country tradition they are rooted in.

Neko Case - Already mentioned in a previous blog of Laura's, Neko is pushing the boundaries of country music into a different arena, with abstract, fragmented, highly metaphorical lyrics and that big booming Patsy Cline voice, Neko is at the top of her game.

Old 97's - This Texas band has been rockin' and rollin' for over a decade, and here's your chance to get on the train. Their mix of country Telecaster twang and pop/punk rock can make a believer out of the toughest country hating hearts.

Allison Krauss - Whether performing bluegrass pop with Union Station or pushing into experimental blues/folk/rock with Robert Plant, this artist and her crytstal clear voice and beautiful fiddle playing brings both something new and something old into all of her music.

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TC_man
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 5:45 PM Reply with quote

Mainstream CMT country sucks. There are sub-genres of country worth listening too. Country music has many talented instrumentalists, singers, and songwriters who bring something new to the industry– replacing other atrocities like Toby Keith. Ugh.
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Aggrieved
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 6:36 PM Reply with quote
Location: Flying the coop

Good call on Patty Loveless, as she's one of the last pure country singers around. Unlike a lot of the so-called "Country" singers out there now (I'm looking at you, Underwood), she's never strayed from her roots and is actually a cousin of Loretta Lynn. Anyone who's impressed by Dolly Parton would do well to check her out.

Scott Baio above posted a lot of great recommendations, but I'll add a couple too.

Robbie Fulks: A lot of his songs are pretty hard-core country, but he ventures into rock and experimental stuff too. What I like about him is that he can write an absolutely chilling song about murder or love gone wrong and turn around and bang out a song that showcases his rather demented sense of humor. And he's great live, throwing out covers of "Dancing Queen" and "Billie Jean" (way before David Cook or Chris Cornell).

Kevin Welch, Kieran Kane: Individually, they are very talented singer/songwriters who have released some great, melodic, low-key CDs over the years. They've started a record label together and have mostly been performing as a duo lately, or as a trio with instrumentalist Fats Kaplin. Their voices are very rough around the edges, but they write some great songs and know just how to put the right amount of emotion into them.
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Ravenbomb
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 6:43 PM Reply with quote
Location: Home is where you're happy

I <3 Nickel Creek. Their live 9 minute version of A Lighthouse's Tale is breathtaking stuff. That one song was worth the whole price of the ticket to the concert. Glad to see they're so popular.
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drtyolman
Posted: 4/2/2008 at 6:58 PM Reply with quote
Location: Idaho

Cool post...Thanks for bring'n this out...
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