The Ignitors "Ghost Train" (Hayden's Ferry, 1997)

The Ignitors "Speedway Sounds" (Hayden's Ferry, 2001)
Mellow country rock, with more than a slight nod towards Running On Empty -era Jackson Browne... I was initially resistant to this album, but it grew on me. There are plenty of catchy tunes, full of chiming, melodic guitars and laid-back vocals... The delivery may be a little too languid, but this is certainly worth checking out if you want something listenable and unchallenging. One wonders, though, if there will be any WTC-related backlash to the song, "Cropduster," one of the album's highlights, along with the David Lindley-ish "Rae-Ann."

Jack Ingram "Livin' Or Dyin'" (Universal/Rising Tide, 1997)
I once got into a mild tiff with a friend who said he thought Jack Ingram was a lousy songwriter... I, on the other hand, was somewhat taken by this album which had better pickin' and plunkin' on it than most of the alt.crowd twangsters that were out at the time. Okay, so now a few later, sitting down to write this page, I find I have to agree with my pal -- Ingram had a good band, but his songwriting is only so-so, and his hick accent is a little on the exaggerated side, and his phrasing is a little rough. It also didn't help that, after this, he put out a couple of really lousy albums, which kind of shook me out of my spell... Still, this album is worth checking out... hey, he even got Jerry Jeff Walker to guest on one track, so how hard can we be on the guy?

Jack Ingram "Hey You" (Sony/Little Dog, 1999)

Jack Ingram "Electric" (Sony/Little Dog, 2002)
Hmmm. Aptly titled, this disc is, in a weird way, one of the most irritating albums I've ever heard. Ingram is all Steve Earled-out, in the musclebound, wannabee-a-biker kinda way that Earle took so long to get over. Some of the songs are pretty lame -- several grouchy, repetitively simplistic tirades about how f**ked life can be. A few songs have better lyrics and more interesting structure, but the tinny, blaring rock guitars always seem to ruin even the best ones. Only one song, the softer, more reflective "Goodnight Moon" really resonates with me. I've like Ingram for years and wanna hang with what he's up to, but this disc is just a little too self-indulgent and aggro for me.

Jack Ingram "Electric: Extra Volts" (EP) (Sony/Little Dog, 2003)
A belated, but much-welcomed addendum to Ingram's somewhat clunky album of the preceding year. This 5-song EP features several suprisingly resonant gems, particularly the laconic Fourth of July ditty, "Red White And Blues," which casts a disaffected eye towards all forms of glib patriotic hoopla, the witty, cynical "She Don't Love You," and the pleasantly quiet, I'll-be-there romantic ballad, "Run To Me." Even the opening track, "A Little Bit," with its strong melodic rock base, is more subtle and interesting than most of the material on the album this disc accompanies. Recommended... it's just a shame he wasn't as thoughtful and interesting on the full-length.

Jack Ingram "Young Man" (Sony, 2004)
A compilation of his first two records, Jack Ingram, and Lonesome Question, from lo, those many years ago... Nice chance to hear this Texas alt-stalwart in his early years...

Jack Ingram "Live: Wherever You Are" (Big Machine, 2005)
Jack is back, with a high-energy live set that showcases him and his raunchy Beat-Up Ford Band at their best... There's also a new studio track that kicks the album off -- one of those generic, swirly, sorta-Nashville-pop songs that Pat Green has been recording the last couple of years -- but the real meat here is in the concert material, where Ingram clearly connects with his audience and gives 'em exactly what they want. It's a lively, good-humored performance which occasionally slips into guitar-hero wailing, but mostly shows a real command of hard-country soulfulness. Great way to check this guy out.

Jack Ingram "This Is It" (Big Machine, 2007)
(Produced by Jerry Stover, Doug Lancio & Jack Ingram)
Success has been a long time coming for Texan Jack Ingram... He's been plugging away for fifteen years in the netherworld between outlaw Americana and the Nashville mainstream, filling roughly the same niche as Steve Earle or Radney Foster... Finally, he's decided to tamp down the twang and pump up the volume, laying down his most nakedly commercial album to date. It's paid off handsomely: Ingram hit gold, literally, with a #1 single, "Wherever You Are," and became an unlikely chart-topper after all those years as a rough'n'tumble road warrior. Longtime fans may feel let down, since this is a soft, ballad-oriented set, the smooth, croony stuff that snakes its way up the charts in between all the novelty songs and neotrad honkytonk. It is surprising that Ingram so thoroughly ditched his gritty side for this record, but I can't blame him, and I know a lot of Top Country fans will enjoy a disc like this (...as will fans of Sheryl Crow, who appears as a guest star on "Hold On"...) For now, Ingram is riding high, although if he can backpedal and reconnect with his old fans -- or whether he'll want to -- remains to be seen.

Mark Insley "Good Country Junk" (Country Town, 1997)

Mark Insley "Tucson" (Rustic, 2001)
Every once in a while I have the pleasure of hearing a new album that has -- gasp!! -- really good songwriting on it, and I get all warm and tingly. This disc has its share of well-crafted tunes, kicking off with some fun, uptempo, guitar-heavy numbers. The clincher, though, is "Did I Wake You," a slow and unsettling ballad wherein an estranged and somewhat inebriated lost lover calls his ex late at night to ask how things are in the new town and, hey, did I hear someone there with you? The song nails the forlorn moodiness of the material squarely on the head, and cements Insley in my mind as a fellow to keep tabs on. Plus, Anyone who covers the Gary Stewart classic, "She's Actin' Single, I'm Seein' Double" is alright by me. Recommended!

Mark Insley "Supermodel" (Rustic, 2003)
On the followup to 2001's Tucson, Insley still shows a fine way with a catchy melody, wed to a distinctive, and slightly impenetrable songwriting style. This album is probably more consistently engaging and has plenty of material that may draw you back for repeated listens, in order to get to the heart of his lyrics. Nice stuff -- worth checking out!

James Intveld "James Intveld" (Bear Family/Innerworks, 1995/1997)
This LA-based singer-songwriter has both a way with words and really nice voice, equal parts Roy Orbison and Marty Robbins. This album ranges from grand, Orbison-styled ballads to perky neo-rockabilly and pop-tinged twang, each performed with an admirably easygoing sensibility. All but one of the songs on here are Inveldt originals -- the lone cover tune is of Don Gibson's "Blue Blue Day," which he takes at a slow lope; the choice of this song is instructive, underlining Intveldt's fascination with the junction where '50s pop and countrybilly met. As a songwriter, Intveld is highly regarded among his alt.country peers, as seen in covers of his material, such as Rosie Flores' version of "Cryin' Over You," and Jill Olson's "Sam" (here recorded as "Samantha"). A nice, humble little record, worth picking up if you can track it down.

Mike Ireland & Holler "Learning How To Live" (SubPop, 1998)
A pretty cool attempt to reconcile post-grunge mopecore with good old-fashioned hick music... It's remarkable that anyone in the SubPop orbit could be this good a country artist, but Ireland has a classic '70s country-rock voice, a nice command of the genre, and a solid sense of his songwriting. The music includes tasteful (and very effective!) string arrangements, in general there's less twand and more lilt here, but the countrypolitan leanings are used sparingly and with an obvious depth of knowledge. Mixing classic novelty themes like "(I Love You) Worst Of All" and more serious ballads like "Christmas Past" and the title track, Ireland shows a remarkable ability to capture the right feeling for the music, and to write material which is almost entire bereft of stereotype or cliche... A surprisingly strong, quiet album; capable yet perfectly understated. A little gem, actually. Check it out.

Mike Ireland & Holler "Try Again" (Ashmont, 2002)
While his first album was compelling, this one's a dazzler. Ireland has tightened up his hillbilly sound, retrenching to the golden days of early '70s country radio, where twangsters like Merle Haggard still mingled the countrypolitan crowd. Cover tunes like a version of the Charlie Rich classic, "Life Has It's Little Ups And Downs," tip you off that Ireland has been doing his homework. But it's Ireland's originals that are most impressive -- he overwrites his lyrics to just the right degree -- almost too high-concept, but with strong hooks and a cohesive songcrafting style firmly in place. Tunes like "Love's The Heardest Thing You'll Ever Do," "Sweet Sweetheart" and "Close Enough To Break Each Other's Hearts" show a dedication to the form that is all too rare today -- and a real joy to hear. I can easily imagine some of these songs being played on the air in 1973; hopefully they'll find some bandwidth in the new millennium as well. Trust me: you owe it to yourself to pick this album up. It's really, really good. (Check out Ireland's website for more info...)

Catherine Irwin "Cut Yourself A Switch" (Thrill Jockey, 2002)
A stripped-down solo effort by one of Freakwater's leading lights. As with that pioneering twangcore band's more clattersome albums, this is rough-edged and uneasy musicmaking; Irwin's mournful, mid-tempo approach doesn't vary much, and it doesn't invite the listener to take this is as simple entertainment... Irwin conjures the bleakness of old Jimmie Rodgers tunes, as well as the sincerity and humanity of the Carter Family (particularly on her fine version of their "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone..." Despite the lack of singalong accessibility, this disc stands out as intelligent and well-informed countrifying, a dreary downer of an album, to be sure, but still more interesting than most. If you like Freakwater, then you oughtta check this out as well.

Ab Ivens & The X Miss Americas "So..." (Southern Tracks, 2003)
Known in the art world as "The Flagman," Ab Ivens is a Georgia-based alty-tonker with a (pardon the expression...) colorful past... The colors are red, white & blue, and they're placed on a bunch of kooky art sculptures, many modelled after the American flag. He also has a nice way with a country tune, and while his singing may not be entirely enthralling, his songwriting is consistently intelligent and engaging. A few really good songs on here, including "Drunk & Crazy" and "Too Early To Leave," as well as a nice cover of the old Leroy Van Dyke hit, "Walk On By." Not earthshaking, but nice. (For more about his visual art stuff, Here's a brief profile of Ivens's work and for even more info, here's the band's website: www.xmissamericas.com.)

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Hick Music Index

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