Hacienda Brothers "Hacienda Brothers" (Koch, 2005)
Hands down, one of the finest, funnest alt-country/Americana albums of recent years... Mixings bits and pieces of Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Dave Dudley, with a hint of Link Wray and Deke Dickerson as well, this duo of songwriter Chris Gaffney and guitarist Dave Gonzalez (of the Paladins) crank out some first-rate honkytonk heartbreak and surfy twang, covering classics like Mel Tillis' "Mental Revenge" while introducing a bunch of swell new tunes into the alt-country canon. Some of the slower, more lethargic singer/songwriter-y material in the second half -- songs such as "The Years Got Away" -- starts to drag a little bit, leading into the album's slowed-down, sedate end, where Gaffney starts to sound like Tim Hardin or Fred McNeil.. But, hey, who am I to begrudge a band that kicks up a wicked little dust storm like the start of this album? All in all, this is mighty nice stuff -- definitely worth checking out!

Hacienda Brothers "What's Wrong With Right" (Proper, 2006)

Hacienda Brothers "Arizona Motel" (Proper, 2008)

Hadacol "Better Than This" (Checkered Past, 1998)
It took me a while to track this one down (having heard their second album first) but I'm glad I found it. These Missouri lads play really clever, catchy, smartass alt.country tunes with real emotional depth and a slight cowpunky edge that doesn't drag down or demean their funny, thoughtful lyrics. Recommended!

Hadacol "All In Your Head" (Slewfoot, 2001)
For a '90s-style alt.country band whose name pays homage to an antique, lethally stupefying patent medicine, these guys show an admirable devotion to solid musicianship and catchy songwriting. There's an exaggerated devotion to twangy, forceful guitars, almost southern rock-ish in its simplistic appeal, combined with a deftness with melody that has become a bit too rare in the current twangcore scene. No lame white trash stereotypes here, just one good song after another, all written by the Kansas City-area Wickham Brothers, who also plug away admirably on piano and guitar. Next time I'm in the Midwest, I'll be sure to catch one of their shows... in the meantime, I'm sure I'll listen to the disc a time or two! Recommended.

Charlie Haden "Ramblin' Boy" (Decca, 2008)
(Produced by Charlie Haden & Ruth Cameron)
Now here's a record with a real story behind it! It seems that Charlie Haden, one of modern jazz's best known bassists, got his start in the music business as a child performer in a Carter Family-style harmony-oriented country-bluegrass band, playing old-time country and gospel. Yep -- it turns out that this icon of the free jazz and post-bop scenes has country roots that run miles deep. Haden returns to those roots here, with a joyful, classy homage to the music he grew up on, with plenty of friends and family to help out. Haden himself rarely sings because of throat damage from a childhood bout with polio, but the harmony tradition lives on in his children, who sing several songs here as The Haden Triplets... Other guest performers include Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and Dan Tyminski, as well as Haden's old cohort, Pat Metheny and actor Jack Black who, as it turns out, is married to one of Haden's daughters... Black wails away on a wild, wonderful version of "Old Joe Clark," which perfectly captures the unruly spirit of true, blue old-timey music. The album even includes a brief archival recording of Haden singing onstage -- in 1939, at the age of two -- as part of the Old Haden Family Show, and ends with the present-day Haden singing a warm version of "Oh Shenandoah." This track, like the whole project, evokes a warmth and sincerity that makes plain Haden's love of the material and taps into the emotional depths and nostalgia that made this old folk music so compelling to begin with. It's really pretty nice! Check it out.

Hail The Size "I Can't Die In LA" (Good Drummer, 2009)
(Produced by Matt North)
An odd, idiosyncratic indie-twang album, featuring ex-Lone Justice lead singer Maria McKee, mostly singing harmony alongside guitarist Charles Ezell and drummer Matt North. I'm not sure which of the boys sings lead, but regardless, this is a nice album. Gotta love that title track: sweet melody in addition to a theme I can get behind. There's sort of a Mark Olson/Steve Forbert vibe at work here -- clever, a little kooky, buoyed by some sweet picking... This is pretty far off the radar, but worth giving a spin!

Murry Hammond "I Don't Know Where I'm Going But I'm On My Way" (Humminbird, 2008)
Solo album from a member of the Old 97s...

Butch Hancock- see artist discography

Wayne Hancock- see artist discography

James Hand "Evil Things" (Cold Spring, 1999)
Throaty, hiccupping, and sandpaper rough, Texan James Hand taps into the deep tradition of for-real hard-country hick crooners with hearts of gold and voices of lead... This disc is a treat for those of us who have dug through stacks of raspy hillbilly music from the late 1940s and early '50s, listening to fellas who wrote great songs while working at tough jobs, and sang with all their heart when they finally got the chance. Hand is definitely in that category: his voice isn't pretty, but his songs are pure country, and with guitar whiz/album producer Dave Biller playing lead, and Dale Watson picking on about half the tunes, this album has a real thump and twang to it that's sweet to hear. Not everyone's gonna be able to sit through this one, but for folks who like great heartfelt heartbreak songs, this is a goldmine.

James Hand "The Truth Will Set You Free" (Rounder, 2006)
Yeah, hoss, this is an album you oughta pick up. As on his previous recordings, Texas old-timer James Hand taps into the deep tradition of for-real, hard-country hick crooners with hearts of gold and voices of lead... and a bottomless supply of beer-soaked misery and self-pity. Largely due to the tenuous vocals, not everyone's gonna be able to sit through this one, but for folks who appreciate heartfelt heartbreak songs, this disc is a goldmine. There's a rueful tone and deep sense of defeat that makes every song on here ring true, particularly on stingers like "Just An Old Man (With An Old Song)" and "When You Stopped Loving Me, So Did I." Then there's the musical backup -- tight and compact, a no-nonsense dose of good, old-fashioned honkytonk, courtesy of picker Redd Volkaert, steel player Lloyd Maines (who also produced the album) and fiddler Jason Roberts... Pure twang, distilled down into a Dixie cup and ready for you to take a swig. If you like folks like Guy Clark, Tom T. Hall and Floyd Tillman, you might wanna check this guy out, too.

Pat Haney "Wrong Rite Of Passage" (Freefalls, 2000)

Pat Haney "Ghost Of Things To Come" (Freefalls, 2001)
Gruff, grizzled, grinding roots-rock that fans of Dave Alvin, Steve Earle or Robert Earl Keen might really enjoy. Haney does have a nice way with a melody and though sometimes he lays it on a bit thick with all the profundity-laden stories of hard times, heartbreak and brooding, outlaw-ish violence, it's still a cut above your average Americana album, particularly on the musical end... Worth checking out!

Hank Flamingo "Hank Flamingo" (Warner Brothers, 1994)
Trent Summar's old band... I haven't heard this one yet, but some folks swear by it and I look forward to checking it out...

John Wesley Harding "It Happened One Night/It Never Happened At All" (Appleseed, 2004)
English alt-rock folkie John Wesley Harding made his 1989 debut with a live album, of all things, and followed up with a studio session that recaptured many of the fresh new songs-in-progress that had been heard in the concert... and which was never released. Time has been kinder, perhaps, to the live album, which has its shared of rushed moments and flubs, as well as a charming brashness and DIY fervor that still comes through all thee years later... The earnest/ironic, singer-songwriter coffeehouse folk-poet thing was well beyond old hat in '89, but Harding went for it anyway, and by sheer force of will (and that twinkle in his eye), went out and made a name for himself... The shelved studio album, on the other hand, remained largely unmixed and the surviving tracks sound as if they may have been improperly stored in someone's dusty basement for a decade or two... Still, it's a nice glimpse at his early ouvre, and an illuminating look at how he's grown over the years... Back then, he balderdashed his way into the spotlight, and while you can hear the callowness in many performances, it's also this clear humanity that gives him credibility and the benefit of the doubt... Fans will dig this album, and newcomers may find themselves beguiled as well...

Hank Hardwood "Ready Or Knot" (Kinda Kindlin' Music, 2009)
(Produced by Christopher Earl)
The gag is that this is (supposedly) country music sung by a ventriloquist's dummy. A-cord-ingly (get it? "cord"? hah-hah.) the songs are all full of dopey, wood-related puns ("Don't Wanna Be Sawdust On A Honky-Tonk Floor," etc.) and the like. The liner notes claim allegiance to the yesteryears of true-blue hillbilly music and crudely curse Nashville for losing its soul, but this would all be easier to buy into if there was anything on here that sounded remotely sincere or soulfully twangy. Even "Hank's" voice is a letdown: a Howdy Doody-style whine would be preferable to the lazy croaks within. I dunno. I guess they were having fun, but I'm knot that into it. (Hank has a myspace page and is also on Facebook: maybe he went to high school with you?)

Joni Harms "Hometown Girl" (Capitol, 1990)
A delightful album from an Oregonian gal who had a real feel for old-style country singing, but applied it to the new stuff really well. She was lucky, in a sense, that her debut came out when the whole neo-trad hard-country sound was "in": they let her make the record, didn't they? The downside was that this album didn't make a dent on the charts -- two songs had been previously released as singles, with the novelty song "I Need A Wife" barely cracking into the Top 40. Regardless of how well it sold, though, this album is a winner. Harms delivers uptempo material and weepers with equal ease, and her voice is in peak form. After this flopped, she dropped from sight for a while, then years later recorded several independently released albums (see my Alt-Country section) with more of a Roy Rogers-y "western" theme; if you've heard some of those albums, which have their shaky moments, you might be surprised by the solidity and pleasant poppiness of this disc. It's worth searching for!

Joni Harms "Cowgirl Dreams" (Warner Brothers, 1998)
Western-style music, modernized and given a little country kick, with a dash of western swing thrown in for good measure... Harms is kind of like a fish out of water -- a real-live country gal hailing from rural Oregon, she may not have a "pretty" enough voice for most folks, but she has a directness and simplicity that may make her appealing to the indie crowd... Some of the modern touches -- synths, even sparingly used -- are a distraction; though I'm sure it must be hard to get the tone right when you're being retro and cutesy, but doing it for a major label.. Upbeat, goofy tunes like "Swing" and "That's The Way I Feel About You" seem to be her strong suit; the slower songs tend to sound a bit too serious... Still, this might be worth checking out, if you're feeling kinda cowgirly and ready for roundup time...

Joni Harms "After All" (Real West, 2001)
Moving to an indie label, Harms seems to have hit a more relaxed groove; she still has her clunky moments, and while she has undeniable weak spots, she also has a nice jes-plain folks charm. The Nashville touches of her earlier album are thankfully absent; this feels more like the record she wanted to make... Again, "western" music is kind of a hard sale in today's country scene, but here's an artist who has a lot to offer those folks who do like the style. Personally, I prefer Harms when she sings straight-up honkytonk (like on the title track, "After All") and this disc has a couple of nice songs along that line... The character sketch of "Mille" -- about a cafe waitress who passes on the secret of a happy life -- is the album's highlight, a nice song with a nice message. Worth checking out.

Joni Harms "Let's Put The Western Back In The Country" (Wildcatter, 2004)
Ms. Harms has a heartwarming faith in the cornball romantic sentiments and good, old-fashioned, goofball novelty songs. For example, both traits combine in "Murphy's Law," a cute tune about a self-reliant country gal who meets the love of her life -- a highway patrolman named Murphy -- who stops to help her out when her old 4x4 breaks down outside of town. That should give you a pretty good idea of what's in store on this album -- the title track is a battle cry to her fellow unreconstructed hicks to renew their faith in the old-style music; other highlights include "Cowboy Up," about the value of picking yourself up when a horse (or life) bucks you off, and "We Work It Out," which imparts the secret to a happy marriage, with a beat you can dance to. This isn1t an album I would have on in the background and get all caught up in, but there are several songs on it that are just so sweetly unpretentious and un-Nashville that you just gotta love 'em. Definitely worth checking out -- fans of, say, Gail Davies might find this album similarly appealing.

Corey Harris "Downhome Sophisticate" (Rounder, 2002)
Fans of Harris's sublime acoustic blues work may be a bit surprised to hear him cutting loose on this rollicking set of loudly amplified funk, electric blues and outright psychedelic guitar tunes (!) To call it a change of pace is definitely an understatement, but Harris is clearly doing a big "artistic growth" move. How much you like or dislike it is entirely a matter of taste -- the album is well produced, albeit often quite self-indulgent and excessive. But it may capture the ears of many modern blues and roots-oriented pop fans. An interesting career shift, to be sure!

Corey Harris "Daily Bread" (Rounder, 2005)
Acoustic bluesman Corey Harris delves deeper into pop, reggae and other musical styles, including African music and a dose of off-kilter jazz, courtesy of avant trumpter Olu Dara, who plays on several tracks. Some songs recall the softer approach of his earlier work, but for the most part this is a fairly challenging, eclectic album, and pushes at the boundaries of our expectations... It didn't really work for me, but at least he's not just another folkie doing the same stuff over and over. Those of us who favor artistic growth for its own sake will applaud Harris's efforts here...

(Original) Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers - see: Mark Olsen and Victoria Williams

Emmylou Harris- see artist discography

John Hartford- see artist discography

Rodney Hayden "The Real Thing" (Rosetta, 2002)
An outstanding true-country debut, with a first-rate song selection that ranges from Tom Waits' "I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You," Chip Taylor's "Real Thing," "Tears Only Run One Way," from the Robbie Fulks catalogue, and a slew of original tunes that match the elegance and power of these classics (all of which are longtime favorites of mine, by the way...) Hayden lapses into some overly-poetic material on a few tracks -- not too surprising, since label owner Robert Earl Keen is one of his patrons -- but he sure can nail it when he sings plain old twangy country. This is a pretty impressive album; definitely worth tracking down!

Rodney Hayden "Living The Good Life" (Audium, 2003)
A really swell new country album. Although he's still solidly on the "real hicks" side of the equation, this 23-year old Texas native could easily cross over into mainstream success. He's got a rich, deep, Merle Haggard-style voice, paired with a subtle melodic touch that places him closer to veteran Nashvillers like Randy Travis or Gene Watson, rather than to his indie-aligned patron, Robert Earl Keen (who many folks have compared him to...) At any rate, if you like real-deal, musically rich, emotionally resonant hard country music, then check this guy out. -- you'll be blown away. Not only does he craft dust-caked Americana romps like "Goodbye To My Hometown" and "Living The Good Life," he also has an amazing touch for recreating country styles of years gone by, such as the elegant "Mr. Mockingbird," which would've sounded right at home on some late-'60s Decca LP, or tunes like "Can't Wait To Get Back Home," which has a more modern, '80s-ish neotrad feel. Besides, anyone who covers Russell Smith (of Amazing Rhythm Aces fame), and does it so well ("Delia's Long Brown Hair") is alright by me. A rich, mature, and very promising second record.

Rodney Hayden "Down The Road" (Palomino, 2007)

Rodney Hayden "12 Ounce World" (Palomino, 2008)

Hayshaker "Black Holiday In Mexico City" (Self-released, 2007)
A mixed bag, with a few banging, loud rock tunes balanced by some pretty nice indie country. The rock songs didn't wow me, but I did enjoy the rockabilly-flavored duet, "Laurie's Song" and the Fahey-esque slide on "Mexico City." (Also released as the Dirtkick EP, with the songs in a different order...)

The Reverend Horton Heat "Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em" (SubPop, 1990)

The Reverend Horton Heat "The Full Custom Gospel Sounds" (SubPop, 1993)

The Reverend Horton Heat "Liquor In The Front" (SubPop, 1994)

The Reverend Horton Heat "It's Martini Time" (Interscope, 1996)

The Reverend Horton Heat "Space Heater" (Interscope, 1998)

The Reverend Horton Heat "Holy Roller" (SubPop, 1999)

The Reverend Horton Heat "Spend A Night In The Box" (Time Bomb, 2000)

The Reverend Horton Heat "Lucky 7" (Indieblue, 2002)

The Reverend Horton Heat "Revival" (Yep Roc, 2004)

The Reverend Horton Heat "We Three Kings: Christmas Favorites" (Yep Roc, 2005)
The righteous, rowdy Rev and his trio are well-known for their barn-busting, rip-snorting wild live antics, which is one of the things that makes this Christmas album so surprising... While, yes, it is a solid rockabilly set, the song selection is pretty conservative, ranging from old standards such as "We Three Kings" "What Child Is This" and "Winter Wonderland" to beloved pop hits such as "Frosty The Snowman," "Jingle Bells" and "Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy." Heat & Co. play these songs completely straight, and with a refreshing simplicity -- whereas many retrobilly/rawk acts tend to ham it up, these fellas really seem to have an earnest affection for the songs, and don't feel obliged to make ironic gestures or undercut their own sincerity. Yeah, they're playing it loud... but not too loud... and though some fans may wish they'd gotten rowdier, others may find this disc to be a new seasonal favorite.

The Reverend Horton Heat "Laughin' And Cryin' With..." (Yep Roc, 2009)

The Reverend Horton Heat "The Millennium Collection" (Interscope, 2006)

Robby Hecht "Late Last Night" (2008)
An extraordinary contemporary folk debut, with one great, groovy, leaps-out-at-you song after another. Hecht has an immensely appealing vocal presence, and adult/alt/folkie fans will hear echoes of some big heroes in this new work. Greg Brown comes to mind right off the bat, there's a similar sense of masculine virility mixed with emotional fragility and enticement; Hecht also bears more than a passing resemblance to James Taylor, not just in his vocal tone, but also in his interpretive power and his ability to connect with the lyrics, and to craft a memorable melody. He's joined here by several other new bright lights on the folk scene, including the incandescent Thad Cockrell and Mindy Smith, as well as fiddler Andrea Zonn. If you're on the prowl for a great new folk-pop album, this is your baby. It's the kind of record you can listen to for weeks on end... I did, and I've still got in in the stereo now.

Levon Helm "Dirt Farmer" (Vanguard, 2007)
(Produced by Larry Campbell & Amy Helm)
An extraordinary album by one of the great progenitors of the roots-Americana genre... Levon Helm, drummer of the late, great, fabled Band, has been off the radar for a while -- a battle with throat cancer put him out of commission as a singer -- but now he's back, and with a vengeance. In his younger years, Helm was one of those rockers who sang like he was an old geezer... Now he really is an old geezer, and he wears it well: his ragged, raspy vocals have never sounded better and the world-weariness he summoned in the 'Sixties is more potent and profound now, with each turn of phrase sculpted into pure, rugged, unmistakable Helm. Although he made his mark playing rock and R&B in the Hawks and The Band, Helm also has serious Southern country roots, having grown up in rural Arkansas listening to raw blues and real hillbilly music in the 1940s and '50s when the music was still a small-time, intimate, authentic, local experience. He summons those times with vivid power, mixing old-time classics like "The Blind Child," "False Hearted Lover" and "Single Girl, Married Girl," with new tunes, including songs from Paul Kennerley, Steve Earle and Julie & Buddy Miller, whose spooky gospel song, "Wide River to Cross" rightfully closes the set... Helm sets a funky tone, but also digs deep into the hard, crusty soil of American rural music as his daughter, Amy, buoys him with some truly gorgeous harmonies. (I'm gonna have to give her band, Ollabelle, another listen...!) Anyway, it's hard to pick favorites on an album like this, since there really isn't a false note on the entire record... If I'd caught ahold of this disc earlier in the year, it would have topped my list for the best album of '07. It's really that good.

Levon Helm "Electric Dirt" (Vanguard, 2009)
(Produced by Larry Campbell)
Another doozy of an album by Americana elder Levon Helm, a founding member of the fabled Band, whose previous solo disc, Dirt Farmer was a powerful blast from the raw heart of American roots music. This record picks up where that one left off, and while Farmer was more on the acoustic side, they share the same vibe, a rough-edged, unruly intelligence and appreciation for the joys of a life that can be awfully hard at times. He opens with a cover of an old Grateful Dead song, "Tennessee Jed," and that sets the tone for the rest of the album. This is a collection of chunky, untumbled gems -- a more timid musician might work this stuff over and over until everything was nice and smooth, but Helm just splits the rocks open with a hammer and lets each jewel shimmer in the sun, jagged, natural and raw. You'll wanna check this one out.

Terri Hendrix "The Spiritual Kind" (Wilory, 2007)
(Produced by Lloyd Maines)
A sweet, goofy set of twangy/folkie tunes that ponder the questions of life and find comfort in the simpler things, such as planting a garden and kicking back on your porch on hot summer days. Ms. Hendrix has a lot in common with Victoria Williams, who also extolled the joys of simple, rural living, although Hendrix is more direct and way less daffy. But f you like that kind of unhurried, un-rock star vibe, this album may have a lot to offer you.

Caroline Herring "Twilight" (Blue Corn, 2001)
A nice mix of Judy Collins-ish singer-songwriter folk, and more countryish leanings. This Austin-area transplant has assembled plenty of high-powered pals to back her up, including pedal steel stalwart Lloyd Maines and bluegrass hippiebilly Peter Rowan. Nice understated album, gets a little drippy at times, but she defintely has a way with a melody, and a certain spark that gets your attention. Kate Wolf's fans should check this gal out; there's a similar feel that might be appealing.

Caroline Herring "Wellspring" (Blue Corn, 2003)
This Austin-by-way-of-Mississippi singer-songwriter gets growly and throaty enough to garner the inevitable simplistic comparisons to Lucinda Williams, but has a good, strong, listenable sound that will hold your attention through the length of the album. The first half of the disc is "tougher" and more country sounding; midway through a more overtly folkie sensibility takes hold, particularly on the topical political tune, "Mistress." Herring's vocals are a bit mumbly and her music seems rather familiar, but the tone and feel are quite nice. Her previous album had a ton of big-name guest stars; this time around it's Kelly Willis who sits in to add some glamour, throwing on some nice harmony on "Jewels," early in the album. Nice record -- definitely worth checking out!

Caroline Herring "Lantana" (Signature Sounds, 2007)
(Produced by Caroline Herring & Rich Brotherton)
A fine contemporary folk album from one of the rising stars of the scene... I didn't find this quite as striking as her last couple of records (which I really loved!), but it is a very solid set, perfect for the coffee-house folk fan faithful. One song really stands out, "Song For Fay," a song about faith and resignation that I had heard earlier on a compilation I reviewed a while ago -- that song is a real dazzler!

Hey Bale "The Last Country Record" (Shuffle 5, 2008)

Hey Bale "Live From 1-A" (Shuffle 5, 2008)

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Hick Music Index

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