Rolling Country 2006 Thread

Anyway, I really like Jackson's record in a mild way, and I think he does aging about as well as Haggard. I don't think he sings as distinctively--something isn't *there* with Jackson, is the best way I can put it. But this is a cool pop record, full of somewhat magical touches of chord-progression, mainly, that sneak up on you. Mildly magical, you have to really listen. It seems like Krauss had some kind of strategy akin to what she does when she covers pop songs?

I have this Anne McCue record right here--I need to listen, I guess. I'm still into Tony Joe White--"Mama, Don't Let Your Cowboys Grow Up to Be Babies," with Waylon, from '80. "I Thought I Knew You Well," his most pop moment--his most American Studios-crafted song, sort of like a really good Box Tops record. Better, probably. And the strangest one, "Old Man Willis," where Old Man W. is a crazed redneck--bootlegger? white-slaver?--and ends up *killing* his entire family, in between driving too fast and drinking. (Anybody who wants a burn of this TJW comp, let me know--Tony Joe as Swamp-Monster Pervert.)

here is my review of the dixie chicks:

Dixie Chicks
Taking the Long Way Around
Columbia
2006

I have been listening to this pretty steady, for weeks, at least once a day, and have heard the singles and videos before that, and no opinion has come to dominate my thoughts. There is a lot here, and some listens I am willing to condemn it as pretentiously self absorbed and some listens it’s the album of the year, better than the album of the y ear, best protest album since Free Wheeling Bob Dylan. Obviously it is none of those things, or at least none of those things fully contain the albums difficult significance. Some of he difficulty comes with such lofty thoughts as the role of the artist in times of war, and sometimes I think, its been six years, why can’t these three just get over themselves.

It’s probably more productive to talk about what I love here, at least initially. Academically, I love that there is a major, non indie, non alternative country artist not only talking about the difficulties with the president but with the whole red state culture of viscous misogyny, hatred, and war mongering. There anti-romantic odes against small towns have a refreshing vitriol, the first lines of the first song, talk about how “my friends from high school, married their high school boyfriends, moved into houses, in the same ZIP codes where their parents live. But I could never follow.” That rebel yell of urban and nomadic tendencies is something that country needs to hear.

It also needs to hear Lubbock or Leave it where she rolls quick and angry saying that the bible belt never saved her, refusing the pressure to be a good Christian, and tearing about the hypocrisy of certain American religious practices. It’s the most anti jesus song ive heard with a bluegrass backing, especially when lines like “the secrets you hide behind your southern hospitality on the strip the kids get it, so they can have a real good time come Sunday they can just take their pick from the crucifix skyline…” spit nails.

Aside from the politics, there are moments of profound beauty. Sometimes Maine sings lower and darker then the material calls for and it has the effect of whispering in a din. People are forced to bend over, and listen to what is being said. Though they have been doing this for ages, especially in their cover of Landslide, they have perfected it in Lullaby. When she sings, “How long do you want to be loved? Is forever enough? Is forever enough? “, it gives off the same feeling as Brian Wilson singing “may not always love you/ But long as there are stars above you/ You never need to doubt it/Ill make you so sure about it” . There are other examples: the sharp wail of Silent House, the rueful mourning of Favorite Year, co-written by Sheryl Crow, post cancer and post Lance, the introductory notes of pedal steel, like a heart beat on I Like it, and the sultry, jazz tempos of the last song, I Hope, another about the hypocrisy of the south.

That said, there is much here that cannot be recommended. There is a core of self-righteousness here, a hectoring quality to the lyrics, like they know what is right for America, and the hectoring comes without the humor or self-deprecation or force of other writers who do this. If you are trying to tell the world how to live, whining about it is not the most effective way about it. The first single, Not Ready to Make Nice, claims to be “mad as hell”, but just sounds petulant. It is incredibly self absorbed in places, as well—for example in Easy Silence, an ode to a lover who’s only purpose is to provide refuge for all the mean people who haven’t been very nice to the Chicks. On Everybody Knows, they become paranoid to such a degree, it seems almost clinical, and on So Hard, they talk about how painful it is to be Cassandra’s.

Its been six years since they talked about being ashamed of the president, and in those 6 years, they have been threatened with death, rape, and losing careers. They have had their albums pulled from radio stations bull dozed, and boycotted. They have been slandered in the national press, and been slimed by people who refused their talent. They had to have recorded this album with all of this in mind, and part of me is glad that they replied to their critics with genuine emotion. Being self-absorbed is understandable under the current circumstances, if a little boring in places.

I think being so conflicted about the work in question is a good thing, it refuses easy and simple categorizations, cheap politics and cheaper theatrics. They have broken from the Nashville ghetto, and I’m excited what happens next, and that’s something I cannot say about many bands.

There's a feature by me on Anne McCue in the new ND. She can really play guitar and her songwriting is getting better. The album is too long and not the total breakthrough I was hoping for--but close. Grooves ala TJW or post-blues Fleetwood Mac are ace.

and I agree w/ roy, anthony--what's the nashville "ghetto"? they got too much money to call it a ghetto. plus, they made their bush comments in early '03.

So what do people here think of Chris Knight? Enough Rope sounds like I'd like it okay if a more lively singer was singing, which suggests to me the guy's got Steve Earle disease. (Also, I'm guessing they're both Clash fans, judging from Knight's title.) As is, it's real clunky. Xgau is a fan*. the Am i missing something?

*: http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=255&name=Chris+Knight

Enjoying the new Redhill album, which stretches out their EP nicely. And I'm finding more stuff than I expected to like on the new Trace Adkins -- "Ladies Love Country Boys," "I Came Here To Live," and especially "The Stubbon One" have good (if sometimes predictable) specifics in their lyrics, and he sure sings better than Knight does.

i have given it a couple of listens, its slippery, and i dont think ive given it enough space

just thought I'd mention this LP I got: Jerry Reed and Chet Akins, "Me and Jerry," from '70. Covers of shit like "MacArthur Park" and "Wreck of the John B." as well as the really good stuff, Jerry 'n' Chester just hangin' out on some jazzy instrumentals (the whole thang is instrumental, but the covers are weird) like "Stump Water" and "Cannonball Rag." I mean I like the Duhks but this is really world music. Plus, on the cover, Chet is sitting back waiting for Jerry to change the tire on his convertible.

I was very pleased to find a version on a Waylon 2-for-1 I bought cheap the other week. The quality surprised me, I'd never paid much attention to WJ before.

And the "...after all the loves of my life, you'll still be the one" bit is heartbreaking in every version I've heard.

So, I think Alan Jackson's record is just so sly; what it reminds me of, strangely enough, is John Cale's "Paris 1919." The slide guitar and the air of things recollected at a distance; in fact, Cale seemed peripheral to Europe or whatever the fuck he was singing about then, and so does Jackson to the South, somehow. Myth, which puts him into Haggard territory. What I really like about the record are the musical details, the singing is fine but I have to concentrate more to get what his relationship to his wild youth. It's mythical, so when he sings about the devil sitting there with a grin, that registers, sure, but it's the little guitar figure you remember.

The Glen Campbell - Jimmy Webb LP is magnificent, yes, and yes it's art countrypop: JW's writing at its best is this odd mixture of smart and dumb which I find enormously charming. The country is more of a flavour than a foundation stone, but it is there. An interesting point of comparison is "Watermark" the LP Art Garfunkel made arond the same time, using mostly Webb songs. "Watermark" is also a brilliant record, but much more of a yachtpop proposition than the Campbell. It also has the distinction of being extremely easy to find in the £1 bins, always a bonus.

Even close followers of Glen tend to admit that his LPs in the late 70s and early 80s tended to have only the odd gem, and often the gem turned out to be a Jimmy Webb tune: "Highwayman", "Cristiaan, No", marvellous stuff there.

As for Jimmy's solo LPs, their success depends fairly heavily on your ability to acquire the taste for his voice. Probably, your best bet is to get the "Archive" best of (esp the new expanded version with the Live At The Albert Hall CD, which may be UK-only, I'm not sure). It's really well-compiled and covers most of the goodies from the albums.

I dunno, Gary Bennett's record is nice, but it's the singing that drags me a bit. R.S. Field's production is ace, however. I like it fine, wish he'd gotten a bit more down and dirty.

And shit, I never thought I'd say this, but Alan Jackson really made something like a great album, his new one. Or Alison Krauss did. It kinda got stuck in my head and I have to hear the first 5-6 songs daily--"Fire Flys"especially is just ingenious. Operates in the realm of the everyday uncanny or something like that--Alan Jackson don't even have to try but he's trying here to do something he perceives he needs to try to do, and almost not tries and succeeds. "Sometimes less is more," he sings. I'm impressed.

The song is so over wrought and over the top, and camp theatrical...

Carlene Carter
Charlie Louvin
Tony Joe White
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Joy Lynn White
Hacienda Bros.
Abigail Washburn
Amy LaVere
Dale Watson
The Duhks
James McMurtry
James Hunter

(Any tips for good shows Saturday - Tuesday much appreciated btw, though I don't have any idea of how my time there's going to work.)

http://www.deadog.com/page/DDR/PROD/dwva/PCD-7019a

http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE67818DE4EAD7E20C79A3A40CDAD67FD1BFE5AFB86112F0456D3B82D40AF1844C34FA39A81B8E574B266ADFF2EA2160ED1C0EC57F6D8612D5DF0&sql=10:pr1ibk09fakz

http://billboard.com/bbcom/reviews/album_review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003122625

http://harpmagazine.com/guides/contributors/detail.cfm?id=527

I've pre-ordered that Alan Jackson Cd. I'm very happy to hear he's made a great album, I loved "Drive".

"tragedy of you," last track on the otherwise blues-punk EP by the bones (from louisiana), is on now and is calling you an asshole and dickhead and reminding me of shooter jennings. here's their page:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=7483383

nah, actually, the bones guy is even worse singer. probably reminds me more of some long-lost proto-alt-country cowpunk band i can place right now. but i like it okay. the band's blues-punk gunk is better, partly because it pushes harder. weird how much a sucker i still am for silly ancient backwoods birthday party/gun club shtick when i've never been all that big a fan of those two bands. (honestly, i don't own a single album by either of them, haven't in years, though once upon a time i did.) also "bulge" on the bones EP reminds me of one of those sub-fall late '80s british art-punk bands i used to like so much: three johns or janitors or membranes or somebody of that ilk.