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.
This page covers the letter "M"
The Maines Brothers Band "Route 1, Acuff" (Texas Soul, 1980)
The Maines Brothers Band "Hub City Moan" (Texas Soul, 1981)
The Maines Brothers Band "Panhandle Dancer" (Texas Soul, 1982)
The Maines Brothers Band "The Boys Are Back In Town" (Mercury)
The Maines Brothers Band "High Rollin' " (Mercury, 1984)
The Maines Brothers Band "Red Hot And Blue" (Texas Soul, 1987)
The Maines Brothers Band "Wind Storm" (Texas Soul, 1990)
Raul Malo - see artist discography
Mark David Manders "People And Places" (Campfire, 1996)
Mark David Manders "Tales From The Couch Circuit" (Blind Nello, 2000)
Mark David Manders & Nuevo Tejas "Chili Pepper Sunset" (Blind Nello, 2000)
A throaty Texas outlaw crooner, following in the footsteps of Steve Fromholtz, Rusty Weir, Robert Earl Keen, Jr. and all them kinda fellers. There's some good songwriting here, but if the truth be told, he wasn't quite ready for prime time on this disc... Mostly it's in his phrasing: Manders rushes his lines and falls out of the tempo a little too often; still, it's an enthusiastic, cheerful performance, with a few good boozin'-losin' tunes. Worth checking out.
Mark David Manders "Highs And Lows" (Blind Nello, 2002)
Also kind of uneven, tho' the loopy talking-blues ramble, "Suicidal Pigeon" -- a surrealistic shaggy dog story starring a sad, speaking pigeon and a concerned good Samaritan hitchhiker -- is a kooky classic.
Carolyn Mark "Party Girl" (Mint, 2000)
Carolyn Mark & The Room-Mates "Terrible Hostess" (Mint, 2003)
Meditations on social drinking, late night parties, dirty dishes, bad sex and the more intoxicating side of the night life. Downbeat, kinda depressing, material, but with a wicked sense of humor and a more accomplished feel than other Mark outings. It seems like these are subjects nearer to her heart than the trailer trash-isms of her alt.country work... She also veers into jazzish torch singing and a bit of melodic indiepop. The stylistic variety helps, as does the moodiness of the bummerific songwriting. Probably her strongest work to date.
Carolyn Mark & The New Best Friends "The Pros And Cons Of Collaboration" (Mint, 2004)
Carolyn Mark & The Room-Mates "Just Married: An Album Of Duets" (Mint, 2005)
Carolyn Mark "Nothing Is Free" (Mint, 2007)
Although I'm not a huge fan of Carolyn Mark as a vocalist, I certainly accept her as a paragon of the DIY ethos in its more mature phase: she writes the songs she wants to write, she makes the records she wants to make, she gets very talented people to play with her, and in pursuing some odd song topics, she doesn't write the same-old, same-old kind of songs. Purists can debate her bona fides as a "real" country singer, but she certainly has a pleasant little rasp, and knows her way around the twangier tones -- I suppose it's easier to think of her as an urban alt-folkie, mining a certain vein of acidly-observed interpersonal barbs and party-going vignettes that bring Joni Mitchell to mind, in a way. There are several noteworthy tracks on here, notably the tart, double-edged "Point O View" and the galloping, bluegrassy "Get Along," as well as the scathing, sinister "Pink Moon And All The Ladies," which may or may not be some sort of commentary on the late Nick Drake and his legions of fans, but is certainly one of the stronger tracks on the album... Mark's lyrics can be a bit uneven, though -- the song "The 1 That Got Away With It," for example, opens with a couplet, "There's two kinds of women you let in your life/exciting new mistress and boring old wife..." that holds a bitterness worthy of Linda Thompson's newer stuff, and a poetic economy that almost makes it sound like a grand, old honkytonk classic. She doesn't sustain it, though, and the song meanders into spacy, self-referential metaphors that detract from the promise of a song that could have really gone for the jugular. Most of her songs hew close to the insular self-expression of the Pacific Northwest's lo-fi scene -- if you value small-press poets and local legend musicians just for who they are, Mark is an undeniable hero, but if the glimmers of brilliant songwriting may make you wish for a more focussed, more craftsmanlike approach. Mark remains an intriguing, challenging artist, true to her indie roots, even if this means she sometimes shies away from the symmetry and concision that make pop songs so memorable.
Mars Arizona "Love Songs From The Apocalypse" (Big Barn, 2002)
Mars Arizona "All Over The Road" (Brown Bear, 2005)
Mars Arizona "Hello Cruel World" (Big Barn, 2008)
A nice, rambling hillbilly-folk-twangadelic album from a SF Bay Area duo with a lot of cool friends... Newgrass patriarch David Grisman adds some lively mandolin on the opening track (with his son, Sam, on bass!) while pedal steel player Al Perkins also guests on a tune or two. The presence of both these old pros is a good indicator of where Mars Arizona are headed: this album echoes the rambling, eclectic country-folk of the early 1970s, bringing to mind work by bands such as the Goose Creek and New Riders Of The Purple Sage, or even older, spacier bands such as Hearts & Flowers or Fat City... Although they're notably twangier than the current crop of "folk-freak" acoustic psychedelic artists, I'd imagine fans of the style could also enjoy this album a lot. Fine musicianship along with lots of lyrics that might make you scratch your head a bit... Worth checking out!
Steve Martin "The Crow: New Songs For The 5-String Banjo" (40 Productions, 2009)
Dang! This is nice. I mean, yeah we all knew that Steve Martin could "really play" the banjo, but who knew that he was this damn good? This is a dazzling set of original compositions, mostly instrumentals, with the compositional strength, technical skill and just plain fun, bouncy abandon to make any bluegrass/newgrass fan jump for joy. Along for the ride are co-producer John McEuen, as well as banjo greats Earl Scruggs and Tony Trischka, and a slew of high-power vocalists, including Mary Black, Vince Gill and Dolly Parton -- Martin rambles his way through one vocal number, the comedic "Late For School," but the real razzle-dazzle here are the instrumental tunes, like "Tin Roof" (which evokes the late John Hartford), the stunning, inventive "Pitkin County Turnaround" and the winsome "Clawhammer Medley." Banjo music fans will definitely want to want to check this out -- Tony Trischka's presence is especially apt, since this recalls the originality and verve of his early solo work. Definitely recommended!
Download picks:
Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers "Rare Bird Alert" (Rounder, 2011)
(Produced by Tony Trischka)
A delightful album, with multimedia mastermind Steve Martin and the up-and-coming Steep Canyon Rangers band deepening their relationship, and perfecting a stage act not unlike that of Hot Rize, or even some of the more winsome folk/old-timey bands of the '60s. Most of the songs are novelty numbers, and Martin hits the mark every time -- none of the shallow, mean-spirited irony of modern times, just some good, old-fashioned funny stuff - he knows how to edit down, and there's not a wasted note on this album. There are also several inventive, whimsical instrumentals, including the lively title track and "Hide Behind A Rock." Of course, you'd think that Steve Martin, being Mr. Show-Biz, could round up some top talent for his guest stars, but instead we get near-unknowns such as The Dixie Chicks and Paul McCartney... Oh, well. Paul sings a sweet love song, "Best Love," while the Chicks harmonize on another heartfelt number, "You." The Steep Canyon boys have been favorites of mine for years, and this record is a real peak for them: one of the best collaborative efforts on here is the comedy number, "Atheists Don't Have No Songs," with lyrics by Martin and flawless bluegrass-gospel harmony arrangement from the band. Other highlights include "Go Away, Stop, Turn Around, Come Back" and its sister song, the breakup breakdown "Jubilation Day." Martin's last bluegrass record was a gas; this one's even better. Highly recommended!
The Mavericks - see artist discography
Kimberly M'Carver "Breathe The Moonlight" (Philo-Rounder, 1989)
Kimberly M'Carver "Inherited Road" (Philo-Rounder, 1994)
Kimberly M'Carver "Cross The Danger Line" (Prime CD, 2001)
The vocal (and stylistic) similarity to Dolly Parton is the very first thing you'll notice with this Houston gal... Debts to Nanci Griffith and Rosie Flores also seem likely. At any rate, even though her material is patently derivative, she has her moments. Tunes such as "Death and Texas" and "When I Hear Trains" may point to future greatness... who knows?
Delbert McClinton - see artist discography
James McMurtry "Too Long In The Wasteland" (Sony, 1989)
James McMurtry "Candyland" (Sony, 1992)
James McMurtry "Where'd You Hide The Body" (Sony, 1995)
James McMurtry "It Had To Happen" (Sugar Hill, 1997)
James McMurtry "Walk Between The Raindrops" (Sugar Hill, 2003)
James McMurtry "Saint Mary Of The Woods" (Sugar Hill, 2002)
James McMurtry "Live In Aught-Three" (Compadre, 2003)
I've never really "got" McMurty's vibe... His studio albums seem too controlled and cerebral for my tastes... But here on this fine live album, he lets his hair down and gets a little rough, playing several long, grungy Americana jams (the average song length here is about six minutes), suggesting a mix of Warren Zevon, Neil Young and Steve Earle... I gotta say, I liked it, and I didn't really expect to... Worth checking out!
James McMurtry "Childish Things" (Compadre, 2005)
James McMurtry "Just Us Kids" (Lightning Rod, 2008)
James McMurtry "Americana Masters Series: Best Of The Sugar Hill Years" (Sugar Hill, 2007)
James McMurtry "Live In Europe" (Lightning Rod, 2009)
Alt.Country Albums - More Letter "M"
