Best Ever Albums

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 16:55:51 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 01/30/2018 21:55

Tenkiller by Marie/Lepanto

2018 starts off with this delightful surprise. Marie/Lepanto is Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster of Water Liars and Will Johnson of the late, great Centro-matic. The two bands toured together during Centro-matic's farewell tour a few years back. These two guys got into one another's music and now they've collaborated on this album.

The name of the duo is a reference to a highway sign in Arkansas and the album title references a lake in eastern Oklahoma. And those two facts are as good an indication as any of what this music sounds like; it would be the perfect soundtrack to driving around that general area. It's alt-country, sometimes more Centro-matic rocking, sometimes more Water Liars spare. I am loving the combination.

Link

Re: No Country for Young Men

Repo — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 17:29:11 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 01/11/2018 22:29

zdwyatt wrote:

I forgot about this little project and want to try to get back into it. How about a recap of 2017 country releases?

Awesome! Loving this diary as always. 😁

This will make an awesome side project when I'm done with 1991. The perfect detour to clear the palette.

Anyone else have recs for the best Country, alt country, bluegrass, blues, Americana, etc of 2017, please send it my way!!! I think my 2017 chart has like 5 albums in it if that. lol

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:44:18 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 01/11/2018 21:44

Purgatory by Tyler Childers

This was the hidden gem of 2017 for me. The song "Whitehouse Road" came up on a playlist and I said, "Hold the fuck up, who is this?" I have since learned his dad is in coal and his mom is a nurse, which is basically about as Kentucky as a kid can be. This is his second album, which he somehow got Sturgill Simpson to produce. Maybe he wants to help another Kentucky boy make good. Or maybe, like me, he just loves this dude's voice.

In addition to the previously mentioned song, I am loving "Feather Indians" and "Universal Sound."

Re: No Country for Young Men

drakonium — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 04:55:03 GMT

Author: drakonium

Posted: 01/11/2018 09:55

bobbyb5 wrote:

Who needs Neo-traditional or neo- bluegrass when you can still listen to the old ones?

Yeah, who needs innovation when you can just listen to the same things over and over again lol

... or was it ironic?

Awesome diary btw. I wasn't aware of its existence but it will certainly be of great help to me. Starting with this Stapleton guy when I get the time...

Re: No Country for Young Men

bobbyb5 — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 16:07:49 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 01/10/2018 21:07

I really don't like any of the current versions of all the genres of country music, but the older versions of genres like bluegrass, countrypolitan, Nashville, Western Swing and others were fantastic. But all the neo versions are rotten. Thankfully, the old records are still around. Who needs Neo-traditional or neo- bluegrass when you can still listen to the old ones?

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 10:58:50 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 01/10/2018 15:58

From A Room: Volume 1 by Chris Stapleton

From A Room: Volume 2 by Chris Stapleton

I don't totally understand why he felt the need to release two albums in the same year. I know Stapleton's been writing forever and has a huge catalog to pull from. But given how good the best songs on these two albums are, a single curated collection would have been insane. As a standalone album, I think Volume I is the stronger of the two. But I also haven't had Volume 2 for as long. It's definitely solid, but there aren't any major standouts for me yet. Meanwhile, Volume I has "I Was Wrong," "Second One to Know," and "Without Your Love," which are all fantastic. And, most importantly, it has "Either Way," which is hands down the best song of the year.

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 10:53:31 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 01/10/2018 15:53

Prisoner by Ryan Adams

In my opinion, even "alt-country" is a stretch for this one. But that seems to be how many people classify Ryan Adams, and I love this album, so I'll go with it. I have always been mixed on this guy. I liked Whiskeytown, which was definitely alt-country. I was less keen on his solo work immediately after and, honestly, the guy had a good run of acting like a jackass. Then he put out Jacksonville City Nights under the name Ryan Adams And The Cardinals, which I quite liked. I didn't really follow him after that.

But this album. Damn. So he got divorced and clearly poured that heartache into songwriting. And the result is just an amazing collection of sad bastard songs. What I think really clicked for me on this one is how it sounds. There's a pretty obvious Springsteen influence on many of the compositions. But there's also a lot of Johnny Marr coming through in his guitar sound. If you had told me "it's like Springsteen but with Marr on guitar," I don't know that I would have been eager to check it out. But I am telling you: it works!

My favorites are "Prisoner," "Shiver and Shake," and "Anything I Say To You Now."

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 10:44:32 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 01/10/2018 15:44

I forgot about this little project and want to try to get back into it. How about a recap of 2017 country releases? Let's start with everyone's favorite is-he-country-though critical darling, Jason Isbell!

The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit

Isbell is now in the unenviable place in his career where every release is scrutinized and people pass judgment on whether he deserves to be so beloved. I read many reviews that dismissed this album as somehow lacking, which I simply don't understand. I personally think it's better than the previous release, Something More Than Free, which I already think is a damn fine album. But this one just feels more cohesive somehow.

And the writing is spectacular! I am a sucker for a solid lyric, which is a big part of Isbell's appeal to me. Nearly every song on this one has a lyrical gem. My personal favorites are "Last of My Kind," "Cumberland Gap," and "If We Were Vampires" (which has to be one of the best songs he's ever written).

I will also make a plug for seeing these guys live. I have seen them several times, but on this tour, they have it locked in. The band is so tight; seeing them live is like listening to the album, but the album has been cranked to 11.

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Fri, 20 May 2016 14:12:47 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 05/20/2016 18:12

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Humble Folks by Flatland Cavalry

This a good album from a promising young band. Their Facebook page lists their genre as "Somewhere between John Mayer and country. 'MERICAna." I have no idea what they think that means, but I would call this country. And for the most part, it's good country. There is a song that contains the refrain "sippin' on a Shiner," which is maybe the most annoyingly Texas thing a songwriter could write. Setting aside that song, which was clearly meant to be their foot-stomping bar-band song, it's a really nice collection.

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 16:41:09 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 04/11/2016 20:41

Southern Family by Various Artists

Compilation albums feel like cheating, but this one is getting nonstop play at my house. It was put together by Dave Cobb, the producer behind Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, and Chris Stapleton. It's a nice collection of new and old artists contributing songs about what family means. The whole thing is solid (the weakest track for me is Zac Brown's "Grandma's Garden") with a couple of knockout tracks ("Sweet By and By" by Miranda Lambert and a surprisingly good version of "You Are My Sunshine" by Morgane and Chris Stapleton). This will be a top 10 record for me this year for sure.

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 12:39:16 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 03/29/2016 16:39

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Midwest Farmer's Daughter by Margo Price

This one was released to critical praise, with the consensus being that this a fresh, modern take on the classic country sound. I can't quibble with that, but I don't find the album especially striking. It's serviceable, the kind of thing I'd happily sit in a bar and listen to. But nothing in her voice or in the instrumentation compels me to return to it. There are a couple of standout tracks--"Tennessee Song" and "How the Mighty Have Fallen"--but the album mostly sounds like the loathsome lead single, "Hurtin (on the Bottle)."

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 16:33:05 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 02/15/2016 21:33

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You're Dreaming by The Cactus Blossoms

This album is straight out of the 50s. It's a couple of brothers playing guitar and singing in a vocal harmony that readily evokes the Everly Brothers. But this hews even closer to country than the Everlys did. This isn't the kind of thing I am likely to return to many times (a bit too precious for my tastes), but I sure respect them for producing something in 2016 that sounds like it came out of Sun Studio 65 years ago.

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 14:45:40 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 12/11/2015 19:45

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All A Man Should Do by Lucero

These guys get called a variety of things. Wikipedia says they're "country-punk rock" with a sound that's a "synthesis of soul, rock, and country [that] is distinctly Memphisian." For this album at least, I'd say they're alt-country, with intermittent horns. This particular album is a great example of one that will need more listens. On this first pass, it all sort of blends together, but I still really enjoyed the overall feeling it created. It's gritty, it's minor key, and judging from the excellent closer, "My Girl & Me in '93," these guys are around my age. That one is really speaking to me.

Look me in the eyes and tell me on more time / You love me you need me you'll always be mine
Just another screw up / Who meant well enough
Seems I never do what I'm supposed to do / Don't ask me why cause I couldn't tell you

It was 1993 / The Land of Opportunity / It was just my girl and me
Us against the world

I am sure there's more hidden in there that will grow on me.

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 14:34:38 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 12/11/2015 19:34

RepoMan wrote:

Yeah, this [Chris Stapleton] album is a total grower. I was nonplussed at first as well thinking what's the fuss this is pretty vanilla and yeah, over produced as you say. But boy these songs do grow on you after some prodding from this log and some best-off lists. I know I would just love these songs playing on the juke at a dive bar late night.

I absolutely agree. I am so glad I returned to this one. I've been playing it a lot over the past couple of weeks and it keeps climbing up my chart.

Re: No Country for Young Men

Anonymous — Sat, 5 Dec 2015 05:25:59 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 12/05/2015 10:25

zdwyatt wrote:

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Traveller by Chris Stapleton

I listened to it back when it came out, thought it was good but not mind-blowing, and never revisited it. To quote samistake2ice:

Quote:

I think I want to like it more than I actually do... [T]here is something that doesn't quite resonate with me, and I fail to ever really connect emotionally.

But then I saw this performance on Wednesday, which has to be the best thing that's been on the CMA stage in years. I felt like I was hearing a totally different Stapleton than the one on the album.

I've now listened to it again and I am going to reluctantly suggest the problem is the much-celebrated producer, David Cobb. He's the go-to guy for Nashville outsiders, most notably Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson. But between them, I'm seeing a common problem: he fails to capture the raw energy those guys have when they play live. The albums are good, but they just lack something.

With that in mind, my opinion on this album has improved. Stapleton has had a long career as a songwriter and the positive response to his first solo album is much deserved. Whatever it lacks, I do think this is one of the strongest country releases this year. If nothing else, I am happy to see this style of country getting so much attention from within the Nashville bubble. Maybe there's hope for that struggling enterprise after all.

Yeah, this album is a total grower. I was nonplussed at first as well thinking what's the fuss this is pretty vanilla and yeah, over produced as you say. But boy these songs do grow on you after some prodding from this log and some best-off lists. I know I would just love these songs playing on the juke at a dive bar late night.

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 16:51:19 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 11/20/2015 21:51

BrandonMiaow wrote:

Just out of curiosity, are you from NC?

I'm originally from East Tennessee and I spent a lot of time in western North Carolina. Pisgah, Lake Lure, and of course the Smoky Mountains. Met my wife in Saluda (home of Coon Dog Days). Spent my fair share of time in Boone and Asheville, too.

Re: No Country for Young Men

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 16:39:09 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 11/20/2015 21:39

zdwyatt wrote:

Link

This is something really special, wow. I'll be looking into his music. Your music diary is already one of my favourites. Just out of curiosity, are you from NC?

Re: No Country for Young Men

RockyRaccoon — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 14:55:59 GMT

Author: RockyRaccoon

Posted: 11/20/2015 19:55

zdwyatt wrote:

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If I've Only One Time Askin' by Daniel Romano

This is classic country pop, like you'd hear back when men wore sequins on everything. I am to understand that this particular artist is hated as something of a hipster, loath as I am to use that word. It is his authenticity that is called into question, which is fair, if you care about that sort of thing. I don't, so long as you're not claiming a false heritage to give credibility to your lyrics. I don't think you have be from a certain place or brought up a certain way to know you like the sound of a style of music. If this guy is faking it, it's still better than most of what Nashville considers "real" country. It's a pleasant homage with a couple of standout tracks, most notably the title track.

I'm in love with this album, glad to hear you liked it.

Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 13:54:38 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 11/20/2015 18:54

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Re: No Country for Young Men

zdwyatt — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 11:03:43 GMT

Author: zdwyatt

Posted: 11/18/2015 16:03

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Nashville Obsolete by Dave Rawlings Machine

I love Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings plays a big part in that. His guitar playing has this meandering quality and old-time sound [1] that is immediately recognizable. Unfortunately, his songwriting is not always to my taste. This is a mixed collection overall, with half the length gobbled up by two unremarkable songs. The great guitar work is there, along with Rawlings' passable singing, though he too often does this Dylan-esque speak-singing thing. The good songs like "Bodysnatchers" are good enough that I am left feeling like he has a great album in him, if he could divorce himself of the need to do silly numbers like "Candy."

[1] Rawlings plays a 1935 Epiphone Olympic, which has led many players to assume that the vintage instrument is the key to his sound. But the last time I saw him playing with Gillian Welch, he was holding up the show dealing with some technical issue. So Welch picked up his Epiphone and played a bit of "Wildwood Flower." It sounded about the way any middling guitarist would sound on a loud old guitar, which is to say not that great. When she finished, she said, "Just in case you think it's the guitar..."