Can you help me navigate Loudon Wainwright III's discography?

August 2, 2010 4:56 PM

Which of Loudon Wainwright III's albums tend more to the lo-fi folk-y and less to the plugged in country sound? I'm not a huge fan of synth drums and choral backing, but I think he's an amazing songwriter and would love some help figuring out which of his many, many albums are to my taste. Any similar sounding recommendations would be awesome as well!

A highly specific question, but one that (so far as I can see) the internet-at-large has not yet attempted to answer. I love folk music, and was lucky enough to stumble across Loudon Wainwright III recently. His ouvre is so vast that I have no idea where to begin, and skipping around has so far yielded me some of that stripped-down folk I so long for, some poppy country I'm slightly less (but still fond) of, and some overproduced 80's stuff that I am really, really not that fond of. Can you direct me? Is this all chronological (i.e. should I try to track down the earlier albums only?), or is there later music of his that's still got the raw sound of "A live one"?

Everlasting thanks, hive mind!

posted by libertypie to media & arts (9 answers total)

The one that got me hooked was the BBC Sessions disc. It's a nice overview of his songwriting career, presented solo acoustic.

I seem to remember the Rhino Handmade disc of The Atlantic Recordings having the same feel as well, although I didn't find those songs nearly as compelling as the BBC sessions disc.
posted by rubbergutfranklin at 5:03 PM on August 2, 2010

Get his first album, which is self-titled but also known as "I" or "Album 1." The songs are almost entirely acoustic and contain, IMO, his best work. Essentially just him and his guitar and his divine, expressive, amazing voice and awesome lyrics. Album II is also great.
posted by ORthey at 5:15 PM on August 2, 2010

There's another live one called Career Moves that includes some great old stuff. I think my favorite studio album is History, which is from the '90s.
posted by wisekaren at 5:22 PM on August 2, 2010

His stuff is allll over the map, and the fans are likewise very opinionated about favorite albums. I really favor "Last Man on Earth" which was his one outing on Red House in the early 2000s.
posted by quarterframer at 5:31 PM on August 2, 2010

@rubbergutfranklin That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you so much!

And thank you to everyone else, as well! I'm getting the sense that earlier albums do tend to be the more folk-y ones, but I'm definitely going to give your later favorites a listen as well.
posted by libertypie at 5:37 PM on August 2, 2010

I came in here to say "History" and "Career Moves", so ditto to what wisekraken said. I am also fond of "More Love Songs", particularly the tracks "Overseas Call" and "The Back Nine".
posted by Lokheed at 6:17 PM on August 2, 2010

Definitely the first two albums, and 2nding Lokheed on 1986's More Love Songs, a brilliant collection of folk-based songs with Wainwright's voice front and center, produced by Richard Thompson. Some of the most achingly beautiful stuff I've heard from him is on that album.
posted by mediareport at 9:30 PM on August 2, 2010

Album I and II and Attempted Mustache. Also check out his newest release, Songs For the New Depression. Mostly real simple production.
posted by wemayfreeze at 2:40 AM on August 3, 2010

The second side of Unrequited is live and sounds lo-fi in terms of being just the man and his guitar.

I've been listening to this album so long it's practically part of my DNA.
posted by freya_lamb at 8:18 AM on August 3, 2010