Country recommendations for the unitiated.

June 7, 2009 3:41 AM

Get me interested in country music!

I'm one of those people who always hated country music. All the country music I heard was just so painfully cheesy. Then I started watching True Blood and I can't stop listening to the opening song "Bad Things" by Jace Everett. Could anyone recommend some more awesome, non-cheesy country music like that? Thanks!

posted by giggleknickers to media & arts (47 comments total)

Everything that Townes Van Zandt ever did. Start with this song.
Mary Gauthier, for something more contemporary (though not necessarily similar to Everett's music, she cranks out some amazing country music)
posted by bunglin jones at 4:24 AM on June 7

Rushed in to recommend Townes Van Zandt but someone got there first. Yeah, him.
posted by fire&wings at 5:15 AM on June 7

I came to alt-country music thanks to Steve Earle's "The Mountain," Earle's collaboration with the amazing Del McCoury Band, of bluegrass fame. (Earle is a protege of Townes Van Zandt and has just released an album of covers of Townes's songs.) Warning: NOT Nashville country. Just great, old-timey bluegrass rockers.
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:17 AM on June 7

Johnny Cash. Thank me later.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 5:28 AM on June 7 [4 favorites has favorites]

With cheese and pop included; Tom Russell, Hank Williams (definitely not the Jr.), The Flatlanders, Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, ... If you want to be exposed to a nice selection of alt country go give a listen to kpig.com
posted by rdr at 5:38 AM on June 7

Previously about similar music as Jace Everett's song.
posted by quodlibet at 5:54 AM on June 7

I found the rest of Jace Everett's album profoundly disappointing.

The quickest and easiest way to discover new-to-you country is to go to last.fm and ask it for artists similar to _______. When I'm cleaning house I usually ask it for artists similar to Buck Owens or Willie Nelson. You probably want newer alt-type country though because I suppose some of the older country might sound awfully cheesy to you.
posted by elsietheeel at 6:14 AM on June 7

Johnny Cash was my gateway drug...followed by a side of Patsy Cline.
posted by availablelight at 6:31 AM on June 7

You could go with Ramsay Midwood for some Austin, TX, well-written/bluesy country. Along the same lines, try the song "Choctaw Bingo" from James McMurtry, also from TX. Both could often times be considered "Americana".

If you like this style, you could always check out Hayes Carll.

As mentioned previously, you can't go wrong starting with Willie Nelson. Start with The Red Headed Stranger, then go for Yesterday's Wine and Phases & Stages. All 3 albums are conceptual and rewarding to me for Willie's wisdom.

As you've discovered, not all country is highly produced crap from Nashville (not to discount all the bad-ass players up there or Nashville, which has some awesome talent in itself).
posted by priested at 6:33 AM on June 7

I rebelled against "correct" tastes in indie and alternative music in college. That spirit drew me to country music. While I respect all the country artists you're supposed to love, listed here, there is something to be said for 1980's George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, and honky-tonk like Mark Chesnutt. My favorite is good old Willie Nelson. I also like one of Willie's biggest fans: Toby Keith. Especially his early work has a number of great tunes. An interest in Toby Keith is not the kind of thing one is supposed to disclose in polite company, but there you have it.
posted by vincele at 6:47 AM on June 7

Whiskeytown/Ryan Adams, Uncle Tupelo/Son Volt/Jay Farrar and Clem Snide are some of my favorite alt-country musicians that lean more towards country. Also, if you like folk music at all you should definitely check out the Mermaid Avenue albums by Billy Bragg and Wilco.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 6:58 AM on June 7

Lots of my favorites have already been listed but I can add Guy Clark.
posted by maurice at 6:59 AM on June 7 [1 favorite has favorites]

Yeah, I was the same guy until a couple years ago, I got a little obsessed with country.

My absolute favorites:
Willy Nelson
Waylon Jennings
Gram Parsons (including the Byrd's Sweetheart of the Rodeo, The International Submarine Band and Flying Burrito Brothers)
The Felice Brothers

Also:
Steve Earle
Johnny Cash
Uncle Tupelo/early Wilco
Robert Earl Keen
Robbie Fulks
Dwight Yoakam
Fred Neil
George Jones
Lefty Frizzell
Merle Haggard
Terry Allen
Townes Van Zandt
Billy Joe Shaver
Buck Owens
Guy Clark

anyway, I would recommend reading some lists of best of- I tend to lean towards alt-country, country rock and outlaw country.

I'm excited for you!
posted by saul wright at 7:09 AM on June 7

Old country sometimes come off as cheesy because of it's simplicity and honesty (mostly real, but sometimes contrived). I would start off with a "best of" type of collection from Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn. Or maybe George Jones instead of Merle.

Also, pick up a copy of Dwight Yoakam's Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room. Dwight started his career back in the '80s and is the king of the new traditionalist school from that time. Unfortunately, that meant that there was no room for him during the crap-o-riffic urban cowboy era of Nashville. Dwight was just too damn redneck from the Ohio/Kentucky hills. He decided that the home of his heroes (Buck Owens and Merle Haggard) was the place to go, so he moved to Southern California. The funny thing is, only the punk clubs of LA would book him at first. He started a nice following that grew and grew, to the point where Nashville had to pay attention to him. Dwight didn't write the song, Streets of Bakersfield, but it sounds like it and it sounds like a nice little eff you to Nashville.

If none of those appeal to you, then maybe try digging a little deeper into the subgenres: the Texas swing sound of Bob Wills; the Texas outlaw sound of the '60s and late '70s of with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, etc.; the alternative country of the '90s with Uncle Tupelo, the Old 97s, the Backsliders, etc. and their main influences of Gram Parsons, Townes van Zandt, Stevel Earle, etc.
posted by NoMich at 7:10 AM on June 7

As noted above, alt-country (ugh--I'm not crazy about that term) like the No Depression and Bloodshot kind of folks is one popular entry point. Another is old-time stuff, whether you mean old-time like '70s outlaws (Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard), old-time like Patsy Cline or Hank Williams, or further back than that.
posted by box at 7:58 AM on June 7

Old country sometimes come off as cheesy because of it's simplicity and honesty

I dunno, to me it's the awful layers of slick, obnoxious production that have defined "cheesy" in country music. The simplicity and honesty are pure positives. Folks are all over the map here, but I think what you're looking for is the modern version of the rocking, sometimes bluesy Bakersfield sound (probably my fave country subgenre, so good for you).

Robbie Fulks will probably be right up your alley; he's sharp and pure, with awesome clean production, great lyrics and a punk heart. Try Country Love Songs or South Mouth.

2nding NoMich on Dwight Yoakam; his Guitars, Cadillacs, etc., etc. and Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room are near-perfect examples of what you're looking for.
posted by mediareport at 7:59 AM on June 7

Also, you might check out Nathan Rabin's Nashville or Bust project over at the AV Club.
posted by box at 7:59 AM on June 7

Tiny thought: Recommending specific albums instead of artists might be better in threads like this, given the ups and downs in the careers of many of the folks listed above.
posted by mediareport at 8:04 AM on June 7

If you like classic rock, the Rolling Stones can be a really good segue to country. Check out the album 'Let It Bleed'. As well, check out Bruce Springsteen's 'Nebraska' and Neil Young's 'Harvest'.

For more modern stuff Levon Helm's album 'Dirt Farmer', anything by the Sadies, Joseph Plunkett and The Weight, and the Drive-By Truckers (although DBT may be more Southern Rock than just country).

Also don't forget the great female voices in country. Loretta Lynn's album Van Lear Rose is one of my favourites, and if you like her than you'll love Neko Case.
posted by Midnight Rambler at 8:25 AM on June 7

The Drive By Truckers are an alt-country band with no discernible pretensions to ever becoming acceptable on a ClearChannel station. The Red Stick Ramblers do a blend of Cajun Swing that will have you dancing barefoot in the kitchen in no time. John Prine for a more folk feel.

Another approach would be to find something you like and create a station for it on Pandora.

Oops... someone beat me to DBT...
posted by EnsignLunchmeat at 8:29 AM on June 7

Absolutely yes to Dwight Yoakam... sooooo good.
Yes to Robbie Fulks. I have 13 Hillbilly Giants, an album of obscure-ish covers.

I don't know if you are interested in any female country singers, but Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose is excellent. As is Lucinda Williams Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. Also Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins Rabbit Fur Coat.
posted by ephemerista at 8:29 AM on June 7

I listen to a lot of stuff that is decidedly southern, though less decidedly country. This isn't exactly stuff that is related to the song "Bad Things." It's just me going through my music library and picking out the south.

Cracker is good clean fun.

The voice of the singer of Deer Tick is wicked (just pay attention to the audio at that one).

Harlan T. Bobo is an awesome Memphis rocker.

John Stewart (not the daily show guy) made some great music.

M. Ward makes folk interesting (at least half the time, anyway.)

Mason Jennings makes the list too.

Murder by Death--except for their album Like the Exorcist But More Breakdancing. It took them a while to come into their own.

I tend to think of Neutral Milk Hotel as southern as well.

O'Death has a good sound.

Old Crow Medicine Show is straight up a good thing. They are one of the few bands that has never released something I consider a dud.

She and Him is real good when they're good (about 2/3 of the album). M. Ward is the Him half.

If I could recommend just one band, it would have to be Songs: Ohia. To me, they sound like Neal Young done right. (Sorry Neal Young.)

(I'm assuming you know about Neal Young already, so I'm not going to post any links.)

One of the best Kinks albums is called Muswell Hillbillies, for obvious reasons.

About half of The Mountain Goats is genius. The other half has lyrics that sound like something a precocious 12 year old would think up. C'est la vie. When you see him live, he dances awesome. I tend to like the lusher arrangements on The Sunset Tree and We Shall All Be Healed, which may make me a bad person without any taste.

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band has a big sound that rocks damn hard.

Bonnie Prince Billy is worth checking out.

Finally, there's Wilco. My favorite Wilco is almost all from the album he did with Billy Bragg.

Seconding the Old 97s from above, Willie Nelson, a lot more good stuff up there, actually.
posted by Nonce at 8:41 AM on June 7

Nthing Dwight Yoakam and would like to mention that The Eagles produced the most mainstream/accessible country music ever made. Also Glenn Campbell, Roy Clark and Buck Owens (my Hee Haw roots are showing). Don't forget Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around will blow your mind.
posted by torquemaniac at 9:12 AM on June 7

Dale Watson — "the last of the true honky-tonk troubadours". Here's his song, "The Honkiest Tonkiest Beer Joint". And here's a live solo acoustic version of "Whiskey or God" from his latest album (annoying 30-second ad at the beginning).

In the Bakersfield vein, as mentioned above, there's the San Francisco Oakland-based (510, baby!) Red Meat. "I'm No Stranger". "Poverty Line". "Broken Up and Blue" (as heard on the Monster's Ball soundtrack). "Honky-Tonk Habit".

And a little towards the weird end of the spectrum, Stephen Yerkey ("complicated enough to make sense in San Francisco but country enough to follow Jimmie Dale Gilmore on stage at Austin open mike nights.") "Maker's Mark" and the rest of the Confidence, Man album.
posted by Lexica at 9:15 AM on June 7

There's nothing wrong with country as a genre, but what I hear played on the radio today is crap. Bland, indistinguishable, soulless, forgettable pap.

I would recommend Ms. Emmylou Harris, especially her later stuff, where she gets a little experimental, and not so traditional.

I also love Trisha Yearwood--I hear Linda Ronstadt in her (who also have adored for years).

No mention of Lyle Lovett?

I have the Ronstadt/Harris album Western Wall in my car CD player right now, to combine two favourites.
posted by Savannah at 9:22 AM on June 7

Since no one has mentioned her yet: Kathleen Edwards. She definitely runs towards the alt-country end of the gamut (but I'm assuming you're not asking for the kind of 'country' they play in boot stores.) The Avett Brothers are worth listening to, also, especially this. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Kim Richey, too; she wrote a string of hits for other people in the nineties, then came out with her own record and won a Grammy. Not a guarantee of enjoyability, to be sure, but she's a fantastic singer/songwriter who surrounds herself with good players and other good writers (like Ryan Adams). Start with 'Glimmer' and work your way back. Also agreeing whole-heartedly with anyone who mentioned Wilco.
posted by littlerobothead at 9:37 AM on June 7

Try Truckstop Honeymoon. The linked site has several free mp3's. I would recommend the songs Mama Cried, Capitol Hill, Walk of Shame to start.
posted by Sailormom at 9:42 AM on June 7

Sorry about the above link, the mp3's don't seem to be working. Here is a link to the Truckstop Honeymoon website instead with some free mp3's.
posted by Sailormom at 9:50 AM on June 7

maybe it is Alt Country, but check out Slim Cessna's Auto Club. A combo of Hank Williams, and Tent Revival.
posted by Gungho at 9:51 AM on June 7

I'm relatively new to country as well, but can't stop listening to a few things:

The Avett Brothers - they take acoustic folk to sort of a punk place

Whiskeytown's "Strangers Almanac" album (specifically the 2CD special edition) has some of the best song craft I've heard from the genre. "Houses on the Hill," "16 Days" and "Excuse My While I Break My Own Heart Tonight" are worth checking out.

Gram Parsons' "GP/Grievous Angel" double album. It's what I put on when I've had a bad day to cheer myself up.

Neko Case's "Blacklisted" and "Fox Confessor..." feature Case coming into her own as a singer-songwriter, and many of those tracks feature the backing support of Calexico, who's not exactly country but certainly worth checking out on their own.
posted by GamblingBlues at 9:52 AM on June 7

I can't believe no one has yet mentioned Jesse Dayton. RUN, don't walk, to check him out.
posted by polexxia at 10:07 AM on June 7

I like Sally Timms and Old 97's. That's about as close to country as I go.
posted by jfrancis at 10:50 AM on June 7

a couple months ago there was a thread "awesome country, easy on the country" which might be useful to you, check it out.
posted by radiomayonnaise at 11:10 AM on June 7

Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music and Austin Lucas of himself and did an amazing full-length split last year. Austin Lucas is a little more traditional country, but if you can track down his cover of Dolly Parton's "To Daddy" you will love the shit out of it.

Lucero are sort of the godfathers of country punk (cowpunk some say) genre. You might find it too cheesey, but lots of folks like 'em. Drag the River are in the same vein, but a little slower and with more complex vocals.

William Elliott Whitmore is a great singer with a great haunting voice.

The great Junior Brown is a more traditional country singer. He's also a former music professor, so you'll hear some great playing with him. He's also side-splittingly funny.
posted by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 11:16 AM on June 7

Hank Williams III.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:17 AM on June 7

For another gateway/crossover idea, look the Grateful Dead. Workingman's Dead is pretty much a country album.
posted by megatherium at 11:39 AM on June 7

Based on the song mentioned in the quesiton, I'd recommend Sixteen Horsepower (Low Estate, Sackcloth & Ashes or the EP Haw, though all their records are good). They're more country-rock, but have that "country with added grrrrr feel.

And agree on Townes Van Zandt, BS's Nebraska, and NY's Harvest are essential for any collection, although all are pretty mellow. Gillian Welch is brilliant (Revival and Time the Revelator being livelier than her second more-praised album). If good mellow, non-cheese country pleases, there's also Opal's Early Recordings album (OOP, easily found to illicitly download, all tracks on the MySpace page are from it).
posted by K.P. at 2:12 PM on June 7

I never really liked country-style music until I discovered WNCW.
posted by rikschell at 5:43 PM on June 7

OK, just got done watching episode two of True Blood. Based on that, go with:
- Old 97s: Wreck Your Life
- Backsliders: Throwin' Rocks At The Moon
- Drive-By Truckers: everything they put out
- The late '60s-early '70s outlaw country movement.
There's more, but start here.
posted by NoMich at 6:01 PM on June 7

Dear God -

Why hath you cursed me with seeing this thread develop only NOW, instead of say, 50 comments ago?

Okay, here's some more pics:

- Kitty Wells
- Vern Gosdin
- Lefty Frizzell
- Kris Kristofferson
- Jimmie Gilmore
- Jimmy Rodgers
- George Strait
- n-thing the Levon Helm
- Ramblin' Jack Elliott (his new one The Stranger is unbelievably amazing)
- Kristen Hersh (kind of a left-field choice, but she has a lot of old-timey/alt-country sounds in some of her solo work - the best example of this being Murder, Misery and then Goodnight)
- Caroline Herring (if you can't get into her latest, Lantana, maybe this thread won't help you much)
- n-thing the Mary Gauthier
- The Flat Mountain Girls
- Magnolia Electric Company/Songs:Ohia
- Great Lake Swimmers (very much in the folksy Neil Young in full-warble mode type music, but you may like it...)
- Murry Hammond - I Don't Where I'm Going But I'm On My Way (bassist for the Old 97's, and this solo release is unbelievably gorgeous music. YOU WILL THANK ME LATER. )
- n-thing the Merle Haggard
- Ralph Stanley
- Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs
- The Osborne Brothers
- The Louvin Brothers
- Sweethearts of the Rodeo
- The Byrds releases with Gram Parsons, esp. Sweetheart of the Rodeo
- The Flying Burrito Brothers
- New Riders of the Purple Sage
- The Carter Family
- June Carter Cash
- Eliza Gilkyson
- Patty Griffin

Should I stop now? HELL NO!

- The Jayhawks
- John Doe
- Two Gallants
- Mason Profitt
- some of Nick Lowe's more recent stuff has some neat alt-country twinges to it
- Jonathan Edwards
- Slaid Cleaves
- John Prine
- Redbird
- Grandaddy

Okay, I'll rest now. These rec's run the gamut from straight-up trad country to more folksy, or alt-country/indie music. But you'll love them all, guaranteed.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 7:28 PM on June 7 [2 favorites has favorites]

More votes for the Flatlanders, "More A Legend Than a Band." Thank me later, etc.
posted by Beardman at 10:04 PM on June 7

George Jones is one of the greatest musicians to ever walk the planet. If you don't like his music, you have no soul.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:41 AM on June 8

The album that got me into country music was Wrecking Ball by Emmylou Harris. She calls it her "weird album", and it's a really haunting and beautiful work. (Daniel Lanois produced it.)

Her earliest albums and her latest albums are my favorites. Check out Pieces of the Sky, Luxury Liner and Bluebird from her early era, then Stumble Into Grace and All I Intended to Be from her later period.

The Trio album with Dolly Parton and Linda Rondstadt is also good.
posted by NemesisVex at 1:28 PM on June 8

1. Get an account at Lala.com. It will let you listen to any song in their vast catalog once, for free. Then, if I remember correctly, you can either (a) do nothing, (b) pay 10 cents to be able to stream it forever, on any computer, or (c) pay 79 cents or something like that to download the MP3.

2. Try the following songs:

Allison Moorer: Up this high
Bellamy Brothers: Old Hippie
Carlene Carter: Every Little Thing
Chely Wright: Picket Fences
Clint Black: Killin' Time
Crystal Gayle: What About You
Dan Seals: Everything That Glitters
Bambi Lee Savage: Darlin'
Del McCoury: 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
Delbert McClinton: Old Weakness
Dwight Yoakam: Thinking About Leaving
Emmylou Harris: Yikes, where to begin. Seriously, trying to put together a list of her great songs is beyond me. Maybe start with Ballad of a Runaway Horse, Prayer in Open D, One of These Days, If I could Only win Your Love, Before Believing, Queen of the Silver Dollar, Two More Bottles of Wine, Orphan Girl, In My Dreams, etc. etc. etc.
Trio (E Harris, L Ronstadt & D Parton): Wildflowers, The Pain Of Loving You
George Jones: He Stopped Loving Her Today, Golden Ring
Gram Parsons: In My Hour of Darkness, Return of the Grievous Angel
Hank Williams Jr: Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound, Country State of Mind
Highway 101: I'll Paint the Town, The Bed You Made For Me
John Denver: Rocky Mountain High, Leaving on a Jet Plane (he wrote it), I'd Rather Be A Cowboy
Johnny Cash: All of Live at Folsom Prison and Live at San Quentin

Well, that's up through the Js. Should get you started.

- AJ
posted by Alaska Jack at 10:43 PM on June 9

Also try Tejano, Conjunto and Zydeco. Not well known outside of Texas (where the first two dominates the radio dials) and Louisiana, but it's fun music and worth listening to. I bet you can easily find a station that plays one of these genres.
posted by vincele at 1:29 AM on June 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

I forgot to say that as for gateway music, don't restrict yourself to white guys. Country has had a huge impact on the music of Mexico, and Cajun Louisiana, people as far as you can get from John Denver and the Grateful Dead, culturally speaking.
posted by vincele at 1:33 AM on June 10

I second Hayes Carll, specifically his newest album, Trouble in Mind. I don't care what kind of music you like, that album is just fun.
posted by waldo at 7:51 PM on June 12