CD-Charts Position 1
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All I Intended to Be

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: Emmylou Harris

Release Date June 09, 2008
Not rubbish. How could any Emmy Lou Harris album ever be, but be returning to producer Brian Ahern, she has effectively gone back to the sound if her 1976 album "Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town", and that's one step too far back to the future. After the progressive nature of her last three albums, Emmylou has obviously decided she doesn't want her rock fans any more, and to say the same thing again,she's gone backwards.

Make no mistake though, this album is beautifully played and exquisitely sung (who would have expected anything else) but after a few listens, I can't remember any of the songs.

A huge disappointment, and if in any doubt buy "Quarter Moon", it's fabulous.

They say there's ne progress in ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Evil Urges

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: My Morning Jacket

Release Date June 09, 2008
Other My Morning Jacket albums have hinted at the bands eclectic approach to their music and influences, but none of their studio albums have ventured this far into new territory.Evil Urges is the sound of a band at its most playfully creative, and the results are a joyous mix of the expected and the slightly surreal.Like the Flaming Lips before them My Morning Jacket are not afraid to take chances and hope their audience keeps up.

Perhaps the most controversial track is "Highly Suspicious" which steals from Prince, with added oddness in its chorus.However this is just one surprise as Evil Urges builds to the climatic modern space rock epic "Good Intentions" that closes this uplifting, but mind boggling set of songs.It takes guts to break ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Lookout Mountain Lookout Sea

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: Silver Jews

Release Date June 02, 2008
Hearing the Silver Jews have a new album out always leads to a short and dangerous drive to the nearest record shop for me. I can get from work to Avalanche records in Edinburgh in about 40 minutes if I push it: they close at 6...

I thought I had got passed this stuff now. Good God, my 'co-workers' give me funny looks as I try to tell them about David Berman's band - how funny and memorable his words are and how he puts them sleekly in such great tunes.
This is always going to be not so mainstream: unfair but true.

This one is pretty upbeat in comparison to the earlier records. David Berman is feeling better now. Whew!
:-)

CD-Charts Position 4
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Copperhead Road

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: Steve Earle

Release Date March 20, 1999
Steve Earle music is best described as country-rock. The skull and cross bones that form the cover of Copperhead Road album warn of what is to come, a heavy mix of potent music shot through with the reflections of an wild young man who is older than his years. Inserts show a relaxed Earle, fag in mouth, black shades and dressed in denim.

A strong start with 'Copperhead Road' on which you can apparently 'smell the whisky burnin'; 'The Devil's Right Hand' refers to a pistol and though the song has a strange lyrical resonace it isn't until 'Johnny Come Lately' (on which the Pogues play) when the album begins to rock..

'Johnny Come Lately' tells the story of a soldier off to Vietnam who hopes to return to his girl in London and take her home to the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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IV

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: Chatham County Line

Release Date March 03, 2008
Saw these guys at the recent Rhythm and Roots festival in Kilkenny and they brought the house down with their swoonsome harmonies and killer string picking.
Whilst sitting firmly in the bluegrass tradition CCL show in their leadoff track 'Chip of a star' that they are capable of poppy sensibilities anathema maybe to bluegrass purists but it works a treat here.
My favourite tracks are however the country soul ballad 'Sweet Eviction'and the catchy 'The Carolinian'.Unlike their previous three albums plenty of sublime steel guitar in evidence as CCL continue to expand the bluegrass horizon and along with the Avett Brothers and King Wilkie remain in the vanguard of the progressive bluegrass movement.
Highly recommended for all roots music fans.

CD-Charts Position 6
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Heavier Things

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: John Mayer

Release Date October 13, 2003
"Heavier Things" is John Mayer's second studio album which was released on September 9th of 2003. The style on this album is soft-rock, as this comes from a period before he transitioned into blues. The album consists of 10 tracks, including the Grammy award winning "Daughters". The title of the album appears to be an answer for those who criticized Mayer's music as being too light.

The album opens with "Clarity", a song for which the meaning is not all that clear, but in general it seems to be about Mayer's self-perception. The second track is "Bigger than My Body" which is about the frustration of not being able to accomplish in reality what one wants to do in their mind, and in particular relates to John Mayer's desire to write more meaningful music. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
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Asking For Flowers

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: Kathleen Edwards

Release Date April 28, 2008
After Failer and its follow-up Back to Me, Canada's finest has truly delivered with an exceptional and varied offering. Edwards has been likened to Lucinda Williams and Flowers compares favourably with the classic Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. With such an unusual voice, excellent backing musicians and an ability to write clever, accessible story songs, she hits the mark again and again on the album. Everyone will have their own favourites but the opener, Buffalo, showcases Edwards' unique voice backed by piano and strings. Oh Canada, a scathing attack on her own people as they bury their collective heads in the sand faced with the world's problems, rocks out with more than a cap doffed to Neil Young, whilst I Make the Dough is the most 'country' track but transcends the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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Heartaches and Highways - The Very Best of Emmylou Harris

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: Emmylou Harris

Release Date July 18, 2005
I always had a problem with Country as a youngster, growing up as I did in a working class English town and hooked on Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Sabbath. Though I could listen to Johnny Cash, some of the female country stars of the time (Tammy Wynette etc) really grated on me.

I bought this collection on a whim while working out in California a couple of years ago. This was the first time I really listened to her as a recording artist in her own right, though I was familiar with her work with Gram Parsons and her excellent backing vocals on Dylan's Desire.

I must say that this album blew me away. Her voice is totally exquisite and it is little wonder that her talents been in such demand over the years. Though The Grateful Dead first introduced ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
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Copperhead Road

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: Steve Earle

Release Date June 02, 2008
With two good albums under his belt, "Guitar Town" from 1986 and "Exit O" from 1987, "Copperhead Road" was Steve Earle's 3rd record for the MCA stable and he had clearly hit his song-writing stride. I remember when I bought it at the time that it sounded just HUGE - and although he was considered a `country' artist, "Copperhead Road" was a really a blasting rock 'n' roll beast of a thing with some country tinges thrown in for good measure. Even the front cover and picture of him on the rear smacked of `attitude' - a snot-nosed punk on a Harley eyeing up your underage daughter with less than moral intent. From the opening track it reeked of bar-drenched alcohol and chemical substances that weren't exactly Milk of Magnesia and Aspirin. In other words, it was a great big ball ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
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Fire Songs

CD-Charts > Music > Alt. Country
by: Watson Twins

Release Date June 30, 2008
Loved the Watson Twins on Jenny Lewis' record, and have been waiting for their own record with anticipation. Caught them at the 12 Bar recently and loved them live too. Fire Songs is a great debut full length album. My favourite tracks have got to be the opener "How Am I To Be" and the brilliant Cure cover "Just Like Heaven". I hope they come back to tour soon.