John Van Horn "Out Back Music" (Mercury, 1972) (LP)
(Produced by Jay Leer)
This is one of those only-in-the-Seventies style albums... Van Horn was apparently a longtime cohort of Link Wray's, an on-and-off member of his band, starting as far back as 1963, and also played lead guitar in the spinoff group, The Pack, a band that was basically the Wraymen with a minor facelift... Here, he was in sort of a latter-day, oddball jugband mode, with a hint of boogie-band rock, but a definite hippiebilly twang in there as well... A very rough, unpolished singer, he nonetheless landed a contract with a major label, and seems to have been the musical conduit for the stream-of-consciousness lyrics of one Kevin Fitzmorris (who I have no info about at all...) But even with the connection to Wray, it's hard to know just why this record was actually made. It's not quite weird enough to be an oddball super-classic, but it's goofy and unique enough that I'm hanging onto it for a while. Apparently Van Horn has continued playing rockabilly for years, releasing solo work at least as late as 1999... I imagine that this hippiedelic disc was a bit off the beaten track for him.
Townes Van Zandt "The Best Of Townes Van Zandt" (Tomato, 2002)
I have to confess, I've actually never been a huge Townes Van Zandt fan... I completely see the appeal, and I understand why for so many years he was such a beloved figure in the alt.country scene. But the late country poet's work always struck me, personally, as a bit belabored and hard to connect with on an emotional level. Part of that has to do with Van Zandt's limited vocal range (I'm just digging myself in deeper here, aren't I?) although from one point of view, that was part of his charm -- he was like an alt.country precursor of the punk rock ethos that you didn't have to be a super-duper musician to express yourself or make your own records. The other thing about Townes, though, is the overly-meticulous nature of his songwriting. Clearly he came out of the '60s folk tradition, and in that context, his artwork was maverick and innovative. But compared to other country artists, he seems a little stuffy and classically derived, owing as much to English Lit classes as is does to the legacy of Woody Guthrie or Hank Williams. I find myself constantly aware of his songcraft, and not so aware of the songs themselves. Still, this new collection of his best work on the always-worthy Tomato label, is one of the best introductions to his work you're likely to find, sampling songs from his early career in the late '60s and early '70s. These are all much-beloved fan favorites, and while I have to struggle to enjoy his work, I would definitely recommend this album for anyone looking for an introduction to this late Texas legend's work.
Townes Van Zandt "A Gentle Evening With Townes Van Zandt" (Dualtone, 2002)
Portrait of a young, innovative folkie on the make: here's Townes Van Zandt in 1969, appearing with all his wry, understated charm at a gig in New York City's prestigious Carnegie Hall. I'll say this for Townes: the boy sure was cool as a cucumber; you'd never know he was playing the show of his life, what with his deadpan, laconic stage presence and unhurried delivery. This is a nice glimpse at Van Zandt in his early prime, a fella taking the Woody Guthrie tradition apart and rebuilding it from the ground up, adding his own unique, Gothic intensity to the style. Recommended!
Townes Van Zandt "In The Beginning" (Compadre, 2003)
I've never been a huge Townes Van Zandt fan, but this set of long-lost Nashville demos, recorded in 1966 when Townes was just making a name for himself on the budding Texas nightclub/folk scene, show a vibrant, edgy side to his work, which seems to have been largely buried in the more controlled, mannered, mainly acoustic albums that would follow. Here we're treated to rough early versions of several Van Zandt standards, some even in rough, electrified boogie-blues form -- a far cry from his later folkie orientation! Devoted fans will go gaga over this archival set; the skeptical and uninitiated alike may also find a lot to get excited about here as well.
Jerry Jeff Walker - see artist discography
Tony Joe White "Home Made Ice Cream" (Warner, 1973)
(Produced by Tom Dowd & Tony Joe White)
Another fine, mellow, swampy set from Tony Joe... Even when he's crooning countrypolitan (sort of), he sounds so darn cool, what with that voice of his! This was his seventh album, and although it doesn't have any standout tracks along the lines of "Poke Salad Annie," it's a very solid offering. A bit on the slow side, but well-crafted and cool.
Tony Joe White "The Beginning" (Audium, 2001)
Man... talk about a downer! The crown prince of swamp pop returns after a long hiatus with as morose and mumbly a set of blues tunes as you'll ever hear. The narrative are rambling, but the grooves are still good. A few tunes stand out, including "Drifter" and "Wonder Why I Feel So Bad." Speaking of which, we wonder that too -- what's up, Tony Joe?? Blues fans, take heed: this is a record worth checking out.
Rusty Wier "Stoned, Slow, Rugged" (ABC, 1974)
Rusty Wier "Jeremiah Black" (ABC, 1974)
Rusty Wier "Don't It Make You Wanna Dance?" (20th Century, 1975) (LP)
Rusty Wier "Rusty Wier" (20th Century, 1976) (LP)
Rusty Wier "Black Hat Saloon" (Columbia, 1976)
(Produced by Glen Spreen)
Rusty Wier "Stacked Deck" (Columbia, 1977)
(Produced by Glen Spreen)
Rusty Wier "Kum-Bak Bar & Grill" (Black Hat Records, 1987)
Rusty Wier "Recorded Live At Poor David's Pub, Dallas, TX" (Poor David's, 1994)
Rusty Wier "Are We There Yet?" (Crystal Clear Sounds, 1997)
Rusty Wier "Rusty & Son" (Poor David's, 1999)
Rusty Wier "Live At Gruene Hall" (2001)
Rusty Wier "I Stood Up" (2002)
Rusty Wier "Under My Hat" (2003)
Rusty Wier "Live From The Texas Theater" (Hat Creek, 2005)
Hank Williams, Jr. - see artist discography
Jesse Winchester "The Best Of" (Rhino, 1989)
This is a fairly mellow, conservative reading of the '70s heyday of this alt-country folkie singer-songwriter (and Vietnam-era draft dodger, who lived in Canada for many years), whose songs popped up here an there on other folks albums throughout the 1970s and '80s. I mean, where's his stoner anthem, "Seeds And Stems," after all? Cowards. Nonetheless, Winchester's relaxed pace and reflective lyrics are a rewarding combination, even if it may take a while to get in on his wavelength. "Defying Gravity" you may recognize from the Emmylou Harris version; his version's Lyle Lovett-ish vocals are profoundly echoed on "Talk Memphis" and on the tounge-in-cheek "I'm Lookin' For A Miracle." Some of his forays into more poppy arrangements are a bit too goofy (I kind of enjoy "Rumba Man," but it's definitely a guilty pleasure, and not one I'd readily admit to...) The best thing about this disc are the four songs excerpted from Jesse's mysteriously long out-of-print first album, 1971's Jesse Winchester, which is one of his most satisfying single works... And which cries out for reissue in its own right. In the meantime, this retrospective may help out a bit...
The "twangcore" and "Americana" boom of today owes a large debt to the shaggy twangers and no-hit wonders of yesteryear -- this section looks at the hippiebilly and stoner bands and a few odd, random artists from the 1960s, '70s and early '80s, back before there was anything called "alt-country." This page covers the letters "U," V," and W."
