The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

Menu

Navigation

You are here: Home / Forum / Country

Country

by 59 Comments

Again prompted by my Nick Lowe obsession, and I realise it’s a ridiculously wide category, but would appreciate pointers in the direction of essential albums of the genre. Particularly veering towards the soul end of the spectrum but any informed suggestions most welcome. Cheers in advance.

0

Comments

  1. Presuming you are already acquainted with Bobby Charles and Dan Penn in the Swamp Soul mode.

    I think one of the great Country Soul albums of recent years was Shelby Lynne’s I Am Shelby Lynne. Very Dusty inMemphis in feel.
    Also the 3 albums released by Caitlin Rose in the last decade.

    I’m sure others will direct you to great works in the Country cannon. Personally I don’t think you can beat George Jones.

    • …and talking of Caitlin Rose she does a cracking version of “Lately I’ve Let Things Slide” on the compilation “Lowe Country” which will should be another jumping off point.

    • If you like the Shelby Lynne, check out Green Eyed Soul by Lari White.
      It’s got a similar sound to it, but never sold much (I got it as a 99p cheapie from WH Smith’s)
      Sadly, she died of cancer last year aged 52.

  3. It is indeed ridiculously wide, encompassing decades of wonder as the style morphs and meanders between styles and formats. So let’s try something different for you, that, I think, fits into your modus. Curse of Lono are a british group plugging away in the background, with a couple of country ad soul influenced platters that many have enjoyed. Forthcoming I note they have a 3rd, picked up by my BJCole-ometer, that alerts me to all activities of this pedal steel maestro.

    Includes also Harpo from Alabama 3

  4. It me a long time to get over a heap of prejudice about country, but I consider myself a fan these days.
    I suppose I lean towards the more stripped down old timey stuff or the non Nashville modern ‘Americana’ , mostly avoiding stuff involving Stetsons & flags.
    I’d start with Hank, however obvious that is. The ’40 Greatest’ album is cheap as chips & is pretty much solid gold. Lefty Frizzel is also a solid bet from back in the day, ‘Look What Thoughts Will Do’ a good place to start.
    Johnny Cash ‘ Essential Sun Recordings’ & both live prison albums need to go in the basket.
    I like a bit of Honky Tonk so I’d check out Faron Young ‘The Hits’ & Hank Thompson ‘ A Six Pack To Go’ for crying into your beer.
    The ‘ Oh Brother Where Art Thou’ soundtrack is almost a sampler & ‘ Down From The Mountain’ – the live album from many of the same performers is a storm.
    Townes Van Zandt ‘ Live At The Bluebird Cafe’ is my fave of his, & Guy Clark’s first album also.
    More up to date, try Hayes Carll & obviously Jason Isbell & his stuff with the 400 Unit.
    And Willy Nelson, & The Birds & George Jones & ….( I’ve forgotten about a million faves).

    • Some of these ‘stetson’ acts were great. I loved Dwight Yoakam when I first came across him in the late ’80s. Never bother with him much now, but that ‘Bakersfield’ sound he had back then was magic.

      • I own and really like the first 3 Dwight Yoakam albums. A terrific country voice.
        Does any Afterworder have a recommendation for a late-period Yoakam album that I might like?

        • I can wholeheartedly recommend “Tomorrow’s Sound Today” from 2000, his (I think) last album with the wonderful Pete Anderson. It’s full of ringing’ twanging’ guitars and excellent songs such as “Free To Go”. At the same time he put out “Dwight Acoustic” where he plays the pearls from his back catalog unplugged. It really shows what a fine lyricist he is, utilizing the wit and economy of Red Simpson and Buck Owens for new stories and topics. Best: “Home For Sale”, “Johnson’s Love” and the glorious “The Distance Between You And Me”.

          One of his latest albums was “3 Pears” – a solid and beautiful Bakersfield Sound album.

  5. There are two compilations that may fit the bill. Country Funk and Country Funk vol 2 both on Light in the Attic records. You may well find discoveries made there lead to other purchases!

  6. Here’s my current earworm. A Marty Robbins classic, “At The End of A Long Lonely Day”, performed live by Loudon Wainwright III, with John Hiatt on harmony vocal and lead guitar.

  8. Buddy Miller combines Country and Soul very well.

    For example here:-

    His “Your Love and Other Lies” is as good an album as its title might suggest it would be!

    • The new Buddy and Julie Miller album is contender for the best country try album so far this year. If you want a curveball try The Solomon Burke album Nashville which is his take on country. But if you are going for the creme de la creme it has to be Lucinda Williams – start with Car Wheels ot Essence.

  10. Best ofs are your friend. I’d recommend some of the greats – Dolly Parton, George Jones, Hank, Tammy Wynette. Plus some of the newer singers are worth checking out – “Thinkin’ about you” by Tricia Yearwood is a fantastic album. “wild angels” by Martina McBride is superb. Vulpes and I were having a love in on Allison Moorer the other day – her first few albums especially are superb. Try this…

    There’s a good album called “Rhythm Country and Blues” which pairs country and soul singers doing country songs bluesily and blues/soul songs with a country flavour – really excellent!

  13. Recently did a bit of Country exploring.
    Wanted The Outlaws – featuring Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser – got a lot of CD player time (deservedly so).
    This also led to a investigation of them on their own.
    I discovered there is more to Waylon Jennings than the theme from The Dukes Of Hazard

    Six White Horses

  14. More brits, and still going, the Rockingbirds. 4th album came out this year. And then there is the wonder of Michael Weston King and his wife, My Darling Clementine, whose 3rd albumbtook a real Nashville meets Memphis turn.

  16. Her voice isn’t for everyone but if it’s country with a touch of soul you’re after, Valerie June is worth checking out, especially the albums Pushin’’ Against a Stone and The Order of Time

  17. The Be Good Tanyas are a terrific country trio from Canada – their debut album Blue Train is wonderful. Lead singer Frazey Ford has produced a couple of solo albums. The most recent, Indian Ocean, isn’t in the least bit country, but it’s very soulful (she uses Al Green’s old backing band to great effect), and is IMHO one of the albums of the last decade, so any excuse to recommend it….

  20. I used to be a huge Lyle Lovett Fan – I think it’s time to revisit his stuff.
    I love the ‘Step Inside This House’ album in particular, I kind of lost interest after that. This is one the best tracks from that album
    Memphis Midnight/Memphis Morning

  29. How about some real southern soul with country twang, the wonderful Holmes Brothers, now down to Sherman only.

    Of course, at 80 odd, he’s just a boy compared to the boy, Willie

  31. Not soul country, but country full o’ soul. Check out Joseph Huber, who used to be in the .357String Band, & is now carving out a name for himself on his own. Has just released his 5th album, Moondog, which I am just listening to now. Hoping I love it as much as his previous ‘un, The Suffering Stage, which I really got quite obsessed about, & still have never tired of.

    • Ooh, nice – thanks for posting that, in the words of Homer J ‘I was unaware!’
      I’m playing the album right now, it’s making a very good first impression 🍻

    • Jings, but Jimmie Dale has aged. As I guess he would, it being the 80s when he and Butch played the Bredon Bar in Brum, missing only Joe Ely for the whole set. Problem is his voice, that just has too much warble even for my ears. But I rate him, nonetheless.

Leave a Reply