Hey gang, who knew you were such Justin Timberlake fans! The Frames’ cover of “Cry Me A River handily won the T-dome. This week: Alt-Country.
update: I’ve been informed by multiple Gregs that the Mountain Goats aren’t alt-country. So, Whiskeytown’s “Waiting to Derail” has replaced the MG’s song. Votes have been reset, so vote again!
Poll’s at the top of the post. Every vote counts!!
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The winners thus far:
Elvis Costello - Allison
Jet - Look What You’ve Done
Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
Guns N Roses - Paradise City
Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze
Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
The New Pornographers - Letter From An Occupant
The Smiths - There is a Light that Never Goes Out
The Police - King of Pain
Violent Femmes - Kiss Off
Cat Stevens - Wild World
Aretha Franklin - River’s Invitation
Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride
Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
The Doors - L.A. Woman
The Carpenters - On Top of the World
Boston - More Than a Feeling
Prince - When Doves Cry
Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl
The Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be
U2 - I Will Follow
The Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies)
Coldplay - God Put a Smile on Your Face
The Shins - Caring is Creepy
Adam Ant - Goody Two-Shoes
REM - Man On The Moon
Barenaked Ladies/Sarah McLachlan - God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
The Beatles - She’s Leaving Home
Stevie Nicks - Edge of Seventeen
Public Enemy - Night of the Living Baseheads
The Who - Baba O’Riley
The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Led Zeppelin - Ramble On
Massive Attack - Teardrop
The Frames - Cry Me A River
Mountain Goats? Alt-Country? Hmmm…
For me, “New Madrid” represents the moment when Jeff Tweedy’s songwriting finally caught up with Jay Farrar’s. Terrific song.
Comment by Greg — February 27, 2006 @ 1:30 pm
Greg, if the Goats aren’t alt-country then what are they?
Comment by Supergenius — February 27, 2006 @ 1:41 pm
Can’t we replace the MG’s spot with Lucinda Williams or Son Volt or early Wilco or Whiskeytown (or Ryan Adams) or Steve Earle or Golden Smog or the Jayhawks or Palace Music/Will Oldham/Bonnie Prince Billy or (going further back) Gram Parsons or the Flying Burrito Brothers or the Byrds? Sad to see such a rich genre represented by two songs. It’s like have a punk Thunderdome with the Ramones, Fugazi, and the Cars. Curses, Thunderdome!
I have to mention that I saw Lucinda Williams in concert the night before last (opening for George Jones??) and she was absolutely brilliant. She played four new songs (three were “Jailhouse Tears,” “Tears of Joy,” and “Well, Well Well”), which showed that her new album will be yet another masterpiece.
Comment by Greg — February 27, 2006 @ 1:44 pm
Greg, those were all candidates, but the MGs just seemed to fit. They’re definitely country-influenced.
Comment by Supergenius — February 27, 2006 @ 1:53 pm
Supergenius: the Mountain Goats are almost a category unto themselves — maybe lo-fi, or indie rock, or anti-folk describes them best. But there’s nary a pedal steel, banjo, or harmonica in sight; plus TMG’s themes are distinctly contemporary, suburban and literary, not traditional, rural and earthy. (Though I will say that the “what-genre?” game is generally silly.)
Comment by Greg — February 27, 2006 @ 2:11 pm
Supergenious, I agree with the other Greg. The Mountain Goats aren’t alt-country.
Might as well just put Led Zep in there. Again.
Comment by BTD Greg — February 27, 2006 @ 2:25 pm
Also, “Just Like California” is an odd choice. Good song, but hardly the one that I’d pick if I were trying to represent the Old 97’s body of work.
Comment by BTD Greg — February 27, 2006 @ 2:26 pm
lol re: Zep, man.
ok, let me see what I can do. Where two Gregs have spoken, the world must kneel.
Comment by Supergenius — February 27, 2006 @ 2:43 pm
Huh. It’s not allowing me to vote again, despite the new choice.
Comment by Allison — February 27, 2006 @ 3:02 pm
…and is anyone else bothered by the italics?
I feel like the Little Red Hen today.
Comment by Allison — February 27, 2006 @ 3:03 pm
Fixed, and fixed, O complainer.
Comment by Supergenius — February 27, 2006 @ 3:11 pm
Thanks.
Comment by Allison — February 27, 2006 @ 3:13 pm
Hey, that Supergenius sure is responsive.
Comment by BTD Greg — February 27, 2006 @ 3:13 pm
In Lucinda Williams’ new songs, has she actually gone through with suicide yet?
Somebody made Lucinda very angry around the time she was making Essence and World Without Tears bore the full brunt.
Comment by Matt Barr — February 28, 2006 @ 9:26 am
Matt Barr:
One new song “Jailhouse Tears,” is an angry, bluesy song about a junkie ex-boyfriend who’s “all f**ked up,” but she explained that the even-newer song “Tears of Joy,” is about her new man, and how happy she is with him. But anyway, she’s been singing sad, bitter songs (and happy ones) since long before Essence.
Comment by Greg — February 28, 2006 @ 10:06 am
Am I the only one who has never even heard of these bands, or these songs? I fear the answer to that question is yes.
Comment by Elisabeth — February 28, 2006 @ 10:20 am
Elisabeth, I really doubt it. But if you feel bad about it, I’ll send you a Best of Old 97s mix. We’re pretty obnoxious proselyters, so we keep lots of blank CDs and padded envelopes with our personal testimonies of banjo use tucked inside.
Comment by Allison — February 28, 2006 @ 12:22 pm
Elisabeth,
Most definitely not. And thank you for your brave comment. I’m always a fraidy-cat who thinks it but doesn’t say it.
(I don’t know how much having me in your corner helps you, though. Steve already thinks that my musical taste epitomizes everything that is wrong with the world. So it’s relatively certain that any show of solidarity on my part actually hurts your credibility. But in any case, I had to thank you for your comment.
Now let’s get out of this place, go listen to some Bon Jovi together, and revel in our pedestrian taste.)
(Currently listening to: Journey, Don’t Stop Believing. Recently-played on Yahoo launchcast: Scorpions, Duran Duran, U2, GnR, and Axel F. Recently played on iTunes: Enya. Hoping for Launchcast to bring me: some Roxette).
Comment by Kaimi — February 28, 2006 @ 1:37 pm
Launchcast brought me some John Denver, which is definitely good enough for me. (He’s one of a handful of artists who are 4-starred as artists on my preferences). Woohoo!
Comment by Kaimi — February 28, 2006 @ 1:39 pm
I’m living proof it’s possible to love super-cheese and alt country at the same time.
Comment by Susan M — February 28, 2006 @ 2:07 pm
Elizabeth and Kaimi are in the same never-heard-of-these-guys boat as about 98% of Americans, which is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s just that those of us that make up the other 2% are way cooler than the rest of you.
And, Susan, it is possible to love super-cheese and alt country at the same time. But is it advisable? You run certain risks when you contort your brain into so many different configurations. I mean, it could get stuck like that.
……..
[To be honest, this is the first Whiskeytown song I've heard. But I have heard of them, so I am still cool.]
Comment by Tom — February 28, 2006 @ 2:19 pm
Amen, Tom. If everyone were cool, then being cool would be meaningless.
Comment by Supergenius — February 28, 2006 @ 3:20 pm
Um, I really like the Old 97’s (I even have a track of Johnny Cash singing the Crash of the Old 97, somewhere). However, I am pretty sure that I am not cool.
I found out that I liked alt-country long after it had come and gone.
Comment by John C. — February 28, 2006 @ 3:34 pm
Steve,
How bout a shout-out to the unwashed masses, buddy? Give us a choice between Roxette versus Journey versus . . . I don’t know, maybe some Def Leppard. Get in touch with your inner Philistine, Supergenius. You know you want to.
Comment by Kaimi — February 28, 2006 @ 7:08 pm
Hey, Allison - that would be great! I’ll email you my address. Thanks! I’m always looking for new music. Typically, it takes me about 10 years to catch up with everyone else - I just recently fell in love with Radiohead’s CD, “The Bends”.
Kaimi- LOL
Add some Poison and Cinderella to the mix (Whitesnake?), and you’ve got some good ’80s action. And Roxette’s song from Pretty Woman is one of my all-time favorite ’80s tunes.
Comment by Elisabeth — February 28, 2006 @ 8:29 pm
I’ve never heard of them.
I’m not used to being in the bottom 98%. This is depressing.
Comment by meems — February 28, 2006 @ 9:00 pm
Elisabeth, congratulations on discovering The Bends! I haven’t heard a more perfect guitar rock album.
Be prepared to be blown away in 2010 when you get around to KidA.
Comment by Tom — February 28, 2006 @ 9:40 pm
Tom, damn straight once more. If she’s 10 years behind then just wait until OK Computer hits.
Comment by Supergenius — February 28, 2006 @ 9:44 pm
You guys are all such hipsters.
But that’s okay. One day you’ll really get into the groove when you catch on to weird Japanese girl noise rock like afrirampo and Mr. Busaichedelic-san.
Comment by meems — February 28, 2006 @ 10:47 pm
No, meems, this is snobishness, not hipsterism. There’s a difference. I’m surprised you didn’t know that.
Comment by Tom — March 1, 2006 @ 9:12 am