Nora O'Connor " 'Til The Dawn" (Bloodshot, 2004)
This is one of my favorite Americana/indie country albums of the year, kicking off with a quartet of memorable, compelling songs, each one a little gem. The doleful, indie-ish "Revolver" is perhaps the catchiest song on here, with a lovely, simple acoustic riff that stands up there with the best stuff Gillian Welch has ever done. Midway through, the music shifts into more pensive, singer-songwriterish territory, and Neil Young's influence (and perhaps Joni Mitchell's) seeps into the album's end. Chicagoan O'Connor is one of those folks who has played with a bazillion other artists, including Neko Case, Jeff Tweedy, The New Pornographers and a regular gig with Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire. Now she's finally come out with an album of her own and it's really, really good. Finally an artist on the Bloodshot label who isn't striking a pose when they put on some twang! I can't wait to hear more.

The Okeh Wranglers "Beneath The Western Skies" (Fury, 1996)
A thoroughly enjoyable set of retro-rific hillbilly boogie and shuffles, much along the same lines as old bands such as Skeets McDonald and Pee Wee King, or newer folks like Big Sandy or The Dave & Deke Combo. These British revivalists have the feel down right, with a lively, slightly chaotic feel that's not at all unlike the American bands of the 1940s and '50s that they pay homage to. Other that the pleasantly high quotient of just plain fun, this band is noteworthy for a couple of reasons... First, three-fifths of the bandmembers are gals and second, almost all of the songs on here are original material, written by various members of the Kyme family... It sounds like stuff that was harvested from the golden age of honkytonk... but it's not! Pretty impressive, as far as I'm concerned. (By the way, you might have the most luck tracking this disc down by going directly to the Fury Records website, which also includes dozens of groovy rockabilly and other retro records. The band also has its own website", which is where you can order the records listed below...)

The Okeh Wranglers "Lonesome Vistas" (Blue Smoke, 1999)

The Okeh Wranglers "Honky Tonk Crazy" (Blue Smoke, 1999)

Old 97's "Hitchhike To Rhome" (Big Iron, 1994)
A pretty impressive debut, in which purposefully lame (ie "country") performances can be overlooked due to the undercurrent of interresting songwriting. Rhett Miller indulges in various drinkin'-druggin'-lovin'-losin' cliches, but has enough clever, introspective turns of phrase that it all works out in the end. Includes affectionate nods towards Merle Haggard ("Mama Tried") and Webb Pierce (an indifferent but admirable cover of Mel Tillis' "Tupelo County Jail," which is added as a hidden mystery track -- remember those? -- at the end of the album), old-school touches which help give the band their country cred (along with the band's name, of course, which comes from the title of an old story song about a famous train wreck...) Nice indie effort!

Old 97's "Wreck Your Life" (Bloodshot, 1995)

Old 97's "Too Far To Care" (Elektra, 1997)

Old 97's "Fight Songs" (Elektra, 1999)
A mostly-rock record, poppy and twee in parts, crunchy in others, with bright, '70s-ish choruses and an offhand, indie-derived vocal style, and lotsa, lotsa reverb. As sugary indie rock, this is kinda nice; as alt-country, it's pretty far afield. There are mandolins and pedal steel riffs, a parodic nod towards the Louvin Brothers ("Crash On The Barrelhead"), a twang here and there, among the post-punk power chords and doleful, murky Waits-ian darker parts. It's compelling in its own way, though a bit dense and overly serious, at least for me. Not the kind of thing I would go ga-ga over, but, hey, good for Rhett and the lads for following their muse and playing the music they wanted to make... Certainly nothing I would run out of the room to avoid, but in some ways, it's just another rock record.

Old 97's "Early Tracks EP" (Bloodshot, 2000)

Old 97's "Satellite Rides" (Elektra, 2001)
Wa-a-aa-yy more poppy and super alt-rock-ed out... heck, they even had remix singles of "King Of All The World" and everything! I don't necessarily mean that as a dig; this is nice alt-rock, with a notable debt to the Replacements and folks like that, and pretty good for what it is. Again, some twangy touches, and lots of overly-sculpted lyrics. It's okay... it's just not really my bag.

Old 97's "Drag It Up" (New West, 2004)
I have to confess that -- gasp! -- I've never been that much of an Old 97s fan... It's not that I have anything against them, mind you, it's just that when they were alt-abilly, I wasn't paying attention, and when they got more rock-oriented, I had no interest. Well, of course, I've had to go back and check them out, and get a more informed opinion... And when new album comes out, I gotta get on the stick and review it, too...! So here's the good news: this album is pretty darn good. ItŐs got a wide stylistic range, staring off with some uber-retro cowpunk ("Won't Be Home") and slides deftly between various shades of indie-introspection and twangy Americana truthtelling. I doubt this is a record I would ever really revisit or get that much out of, but it is nice in and of itself, and brings a welcome relief from the more aggressive, generic twang-rock sound they'd embraced in recent years. Some songs, like "In The Satellite Rides A Star" and "Adelaide," are quite nice.

Old Crow Medicine Show "O. C. M. S." (Nettwerk, 2004)
Raspy old-time music with modern lyrics and a rawk'n'roll attitude, ala the Bad Livers or Asylum Street Spankers... Like similar efforts on, say, the Bloodshot label, this seems to lack a real feel for the country/hillbilly style -- it's clattersome, but without the rhythmic punch or soulful sincerity that makes old-timey music so compelling. I mean, I guess it's okay, but it sounds a little forced and doesn't really draw me in... Although they gather some subtlety as they go along, the group just seems so mannered and self-conscious about what they're up to that it's hard to just relax and settle into the album. Still, if David Rawlings signed up to produce these guys, maybe they've got something going on after all... (Rawlings plays guitar on a tune or two; Gillian Welch bangs the drums on "Big Time In The Jungle," which deals with the Vietnam War...) Worth checking out, though you may have to force yourself to listen to it for a while before anything really starts to sink in... (Postscript: since reviewing this album, I've heard these guys a couple of times on the radio, and they sound a lot more fun live... So who knows? Their next album might blow me away!)

Old Crow Medicine Show "Big Iron World" (Nettwerk, 2006)

Old Joe Clarks "Town Of Ten" (Checkered Past, 1997)

Old Joe Clarks "Metal Shed Blues" (Checkered Past, 1999)
A well-crafted, off-kilter album, with emphasis on subtle songwriting. This San Francisco combo has expanded into a loping, post-twang ensemble which brings to mind the best of the unclassifiable rootsy singer-songwriter records of the early 1970s. Mike Coykendall's vocals immediately invite a comparison with Arlo Guthrie, though the allusive songwriting and seductive, self-confidently complex arrangements are more in the neighborhood of Dylan's old masterpiece, Blood On The Tracks. The overall tone seems gentle, yet foreboding; loose ends dangle throughout this disc, and the starkly unresolved last line of "Eyes Closed," which closes the album, invites an immediate replay of the whole album. Challenging, lulling, recommended.

Jill Olson "The Gal Who Would Be King" (Eggbert, 1996)
I love this record! This local San Fran gal has been in a lot of great bands, from the Movie Stars to Red Meat, and many other folks, including actress Mare Winningham, have benefited greatly from her friendly assist as a back-up bassist. Still, nothing matches the exuberant playfulness of this bouncily Beatles-ed out solo album. The musical hooks are all killer -- pure melodic pop in a countrified backdrop -- and Olson's squeeky-clean vocals are a delight. Besides, anyone with the cheek to cover America's "Sister Golden Hair" and back it up with the one-two punch of her own fab original material (esp. "Oh My God" and "Conquer The World") deserves all the adoration we can heap on her. Probably won't be on the racks at your local K-Mart, but the label still has a few copies on hand.

Jill Olson "My Best Yesterday" (Innerstate, 2002)
This charming local thriftstore cowgirl is back with an album that shows off her sweettooth for treble-heavy melodic pop. The Beatles, Byrds and Belly echo through this bouncy little disc, which nonetheless has an undefinable hillbilly twist. There's also the bright trademark sound of producer Dave Alvin, who is a welcome addition to any team! This charming indie outing has its odd moments, but with perky, memorable tunes like "When You Gonna Love Me Again?" it my also be the kind of record you can't quite get out of your mind. It took me a while to warm up to this one, but now I'm into it. (Also see: Movie Stars, Red Meat, Yard Sale)

Mark Olson & The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers "My Own Jo Ellen" (HighTone, 2000)
The gods must have smiled on the day that Jayhawks guitarist Mark Olson met his wife, the mousy voiced singer-songwriter, Victoria Williams. The two share a uniquely goofy world view, a whimsical, wide-eyed sense of wonder that encompasses the kind of hippie-ish love of gravel roads, thunderstorms and rainbows that fell out of fashion 'way back in the '70s. Their willful naivete comes across loud and clear on this beguiling, off-kilter ode to a nostalgic rural past. Looking through the eyes of a rambling pair of ten-year olds, the Creekdippers take us into the heart of a small desert community, where we meet weary farmers facing foreclosure, elderly agoraphobes learning to face the big world ouside, and dusty faced little kids who talk to god on rainy afternoons. Williams' oddball narrative style and Olson's knack for catchy country-rock refrains compliment each other perfectly, creating delicate songs that defy our most cynical leanings. Every time they begin to sound unbearably precious, something genuinely charming takes hold, tossing us back onto a cactus-strewn country road, where you whistle as you walk and the bees hum along. I love this record!

Mark Olson - see artist discography

Joan Osborne "Pretty Little Stranger" (Vanguard, 2006)
Honorable mention goes to erstwhile pop star Joan Osborne, who returns to her rootsy roots a little bit, on this country-folk tinged outing. Folks such as Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski drop in to sing some harmony or pick a few licks, and while this doesn't sound like her Bonnie Raitt-ish old stuff, the Americana edge is there in the mix... Maybe a bit more like Rosanne Cash or Beth Nielsen Chapman, perhaps? Overall, this is a little too slickly produced and pop-oriented for me, but fans and adult-alternative listeners will probably dig it.

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Hick Music Index

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