This page is part of an opinionated overview of "alt.country" music, with record reviews by me, Joe Sixpack... Naturally, it's a work in progress, and quite incomplete, so your comments and suggestions are welcome.
The 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!
The Hacienda Brothers "What's Wrong With Right" (Proper, 2006)
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.
Butch Hancock "On The Way Over Here" (Sugar Hill, 1993)
Along with his pals Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock was one of the short-lived and much-fabled Flatlanders; after the breakup in the early '70s, he carried the banner of the grizzled, gruff road poet... This CD gathers some of the best material from various hard-to-find albums on the indie Rainlight label. To be honest, I've never been that big a Butch Hancock fan, but this disc does a good job highlighting his strengths and touches lightly on his weaknesses... In general, the more acoustic and less rockin', the better. But if you want to check his solo career out, this is an ideal starting point.
Butch Hancock & Jimmie Dale Gilmore "Two Roads: Live In Australia" (Caroline, 1990)
Two old Texas alt-y troubadours trade off tunes and croon together on a few others, in a nice, warm, no-nonsense, down-to-earth live acoustic performance. Unpretentious and appealling: it's likely that you'll be as charmed by this album as the original audiences were, back in Sydney and Melbourne.
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...
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, 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.
The Rev. 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.
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 fans should check this gal out.
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!
Alt.Country Albums - More Letter "H"
Hick Music Index
