Help me find more music like Tara Nevin's version of "Stars Fell on Alabama"

September 13, 2011 11:27 AM

I'm particularly fond of Tara Nevin's rendition of "Stars Fell on Alabama" from the (terrible) film 20 Years After. (It's the only thing that made the film worth watching). It feels like something that could be played at a funeral march in the deep south. How would you categorize this particular piece of music? Dark bluegrass? Help me find more music in this dark and moody style. Slow, fiddle driven is a plus. Somber and dirge-like (musical rather than lyrical), double plus.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

The Dirty Three come to mind.
posted by box at 11:39 AM on September 13, 2011

O'death call themselves "an American Gothic Country band." Start with Bugs, then Only Daughter and Angeline. You won't like all of their stuff -- it gets very energetic -- but those songs are a good start. You may also like Jay Munly's work.
posted by runningwithscissors at 11:41 AM on September 13, 2011

Here are the gothic americana artists on last.fm.
posted by runningwithscissors at 11:43 AM on September 13, 2011

Best favorite southern dirge ever.

Okay but seriously. To varying degrees of accuracy, here's a few bands you might want to check out:

16 Horsepower
Reverend Glasseye

Slim Cessna's AutoClub
Jay Munly
posted by Stagger Lee at 11:51 AM on September 13, 2011

I don't know what I meant by "Best favorite." But it works.
posted by Stagger Lee at 11:51 AM on September 13, 2011

Sarah Jarosz might fit the bill:

Annabelle Lee
Left Home
posted by millions of peaches at 1:56 PM on September 13, 2011

Buy Greil Marcus' The Old, Weird America: The World of Bob Dylan's Basement Tapes and follow his recommendations. My favorite discovery form that was Oh Death, done by Dock Boggs
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 5:00 PM on September 13, 2011

I like the soundtrack from "Oh Brother Where Art Thou".
posted by PJMoore at 10:56 AM on September 14, 2011