What's some good modern country music?

DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
edited October 2007 in Other Music
I don't know why, but lately I've been strangely leaning towards country-tinged rock music or just country music in general... I'm really digging Ryan Adams right now for example. I've also started listening to this country group called Sawyer Brown again... I pretty much grew up with them as a kid, so I'm really surprised that I'm really liking a lot of their songs on a much deeper level. I've always liked some of the classic guys like Willie Nelson and Neil Young's country stuff, but that's not really what I'm looking for now. And just for reference, I think 99% of the stuff on modern country radio is shit, so none of that. But I think you guys know what I'm talking about.

Any suggestions?
It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • soclosesoclose Posts: 628
    If you're willing to go back to the 90's, you MUST check out Uncle Tupelo. Their last album, Anodyne, is the most country, but all four albums incorporate the sound to varying extents. No Depression is heavier on the punk side, Still Feel Gone is often described as a transitional record, and March 16-20 1992 is an acoustic album. I honestly can't pick a favorite album by this band - they're all classics.

    If you like what you hear with UT I also recommend Son Volt, especially the first two albums: Trace and Straightaways, though again I like them all. And of course there are the first couple Wilco albums, though I have to say I prefer Jeff Tweedy's post-country work.

    Another great band is The Jayhawks. I can't get enough of Tomorrow the Green Grass, and Hollywood Town Hall is fantastic as well. Oh, and if you like these guys and Jeff Tweedy, check out Golden Smog!
  • soclose wrote:
    If you're willing to go back to the 90's, you MUST check out Uncle Tupelo. Their last album, Anodyne, is the most country, but all four albums incorporate the sound to varying extents. No Depression is heavier on the punk side, Still Feel Gone is often described as a transitional record, and March 16-20 1992 is an acoustic album. I honestly can't pick a favorite album by this band - they're all classics.

    If you like what you hear with UT I also recommend Son Volt, especially the first two albums: Trace and Straightaways, though again I like them all. And of course there are the first couple Wilco albums, though I have to say I prefer Jeff Tweedy's post-country work.

    Another great band is The Jayhawks. I can't get enough of Tomorrow the Green Grass, and Hollywood Town Hall is fantastic as well. Oh, and if you like these guys and Jeff Tweedy, check out Golden Smog!

    What he said.

    Now if you dig female singers check out:

    Lucinda Williams
    Neko Case
    Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins
    Kasey Chambers
    Kathleen Edwards
    Tift Merritt
    Sarah Harmer

    to name a few (off the top of my head)
  • soclosesoclose Posts: 628
    What he said.

    Err . . . she ;)

    And I second Lucinda, Neko, Jenny and Kathleen.
  • soclose wrote:
    Err . . . she ;)

    And I second Lucinda, Neko, Jenny and Kathleen.


    Hehe... well you seem to have excellent taste in music and I guess I'm just used to dudes dropping Uncle Tupelo knowledge.

    Sorry for my hasty assumption. :D
  • pjoasisrulepjoasisrule Posts: 3,412
    There is no new good country music, in fact there really isnt much good country music ever.
    Alpine Valley 2000
    Summerfest 2006

    "Why would they come to our concert just to boo us?" -Lisa Simpson
  • there really isnt much good country music ever.

    Check out some Waylon Jennings, John Prine, Steve Earle, etc...

    There are a lot of great country songs...you just have to know where to look.

    And really, a lot of it is hard to classify...it just gets lumped into the country genre.

    PBM
    "We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"

    Wishlist Foundation: http://wishlistfoundation.org
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    soclose wrote:
    If you're willing to go back to the 90's, you MUST check out Uncle Tupelo. Their last album, Anodyne, is the most country, but all four albums incorporate the sound to varying extents. No Depression is heavier on the punk side, Still Feel Gone is often described as a transitional record, and March 16-20 1992 is an acoustic album. I honestly can't pick a favorite album by this band - they're all classics.

    If you like what you hear with UT I also recommend Son Volt, especially the first two albums: Trace and Straightaways, though again I like them all. And of course there are the first couple Wilco albums, though I have to say I prefer Jeff Tweedy's post-country work.

    Another great band is The Jayhawks. I can't get enough of Tomorrow the Green Grass, and Hollywood Town Hall is fantastic as well. Oh, and if you like these guys and Jeff Tweedy, check out Golden Smog!

    Holy hell, how am I supposed to choose from all that? :D I might check out Uncle Tupelo's acoustic album. I forgot to mention that I would like the suggestions to be mostly acoustic as well, but it's not absolutely necessary. Of course I've always heard great things about Wilco, but I have no idea where I would start with them.

    Thanks for the suggestions!
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    There is no new good country music, in fact there really isnt much good country music ever.

    Please don't pollute this thread with your never-ending supply of bullshit.

    Thank you.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • sadprofessorsadprofessor Posts: 1,034
    Obligatory mention of the Drive-by Truckers. Their first two records have some straight up country songs on them, but they go all the way from that to punk inspired stuff, just all over the map, but never really losing that strong southern sound.
    The Man has a branch office in each of our brains, his corporate emblem is a white albatross, each local rep has a cover known as the Ego, and their mission in this world is Bad Shit.
  • Drive-by Truckers

    Give me a good live version of 18 Wheels of Love any day.

    PBM
    "We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"

    Wishlist Foundation: http://wishlistfoundation.org
  • JeanieJeanie Posts: 9,446
    If you're gonna check out Kasey Chambers, then don't forget The Dead Ringer Band.

    Here's Kasey with the legendary Paul Kelly

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4QBTot7ObM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5jWvEwlHfQ

    I couldn't find any Dead Ringer Band on youtube. Sorry.

    And I guess I'll suggest Troy Cassar Daley too. :)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UX1G5guJOY

    And I know this probably isn't considered country but I really have to suggest The Audreys.
    This is the only song of theirs I could find on youtube, so it's great but not really what I was thinking of. They have others that have a really cool country style groove to them.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtxrkF6duVg

    Actually most of the youtube selection was pretty shite! But thought it'd give you a little listen and some idea. :)
    NOPE!!!

    *~You're IT Bert!~*

    Hold on to the thread
    The currents will shift
  • drew0drew0 Posts: 943
    Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, & Brad Paisley.

    Kidding, kidding. I have always liked Garth Brooks stuff - the more upbeat stuff, I don't do the slow, twangy vocals all that well. His cover of Kiss' 'Hard Luck Woman' is spot on.
    Pittsburgh 6/23/06
    Madison Square Garden 6/25/08
  • DOSW wrote:
    Holy hell, how am I supposed to choose from all that? :D I might check out Uncle Tupelo's acoustic album. I forgot to mention that I would like the suggestions to be mostly acoustic as well, but it's not absolutely necessary. Of course I've always heard great things about Wilco, but I have no idea where I would start with them.

    Thanks for the suggestions!

    If you're looking for the "country" Wilco, check out their earlier records, which have more of a twangy sound than the newer stuff. A.M. and Being There are both great to start with.


    I'd also recommend Jason Isbell's Sirens of the Ditch.
    "What happens when so many people agree on something? Can we take this beyond the parking lot when we leave tonight?" -EV, Iconoclasts
  • soclosesoclose Posts: 628
    DOSW wrote:
    Holy hell, how am I supposed to choose from all that? :D I might check out Uncle Tupelo's acoustic album. I forgot to mention that I would like the suggestions to be mostly acoustic as well, but it's not absolutely necessary. Of course I've always heard great things about Wilco, but I have no idea where I would start with them.

    Thanks for the suggestions!

    If you want acoustic give March 16-20 1992 a try. It's a little less country, kinda folky. About half the tracks are actually traditional songs that the band reworked.

    I probably should have mentioned before, you'll notice that there are two different guys singing on the Uncle Tupelo records. One of them is Jay Farrar, who later formed Son Volt. The other is Jeff Tweedy from Wilco. I personally think both guys are great (with a slight edge toward Jay during the UT years), but I know a lot of Jeff's fans can't stand the sound of Jay's voice.

    Like AvocadoLady said, A.M. and Being there are the "country" Wilco albums. A.M. is very "country rock", almost to the point where the lyrics get a bit cheesy. I actually like the album quite a bit, but I'm convinced if Kenny Chesney or Toby Keith cover the song "Casino Queen" they could make it a hit! The songwriting on Being There is a huge improvement, in my opinion, and it's on this album that the band started incorporating different sounds into their music.
  • There's a good band here called the Broken Family Band. They're labelled alt.country, whatever that means. They do rock out in an indie-ish sense, too. I jammed with some of them, a few years back. They're definitely worth checking out.
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    I have heard mention of the past about a band called the Drams??? Can anyone enlighten us in regards to this band?
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • sadprofessorsadprofessor Posts: 1,034
    tybird wrote:
    I have heard mention of the past about a band called the Drams??? Can anyone enlighten us in regards to this band?

    Basically it is three members of Slobberbone (including Brent Best the main singer/songwriter) and two other people. They sound like a more polished version of Slobberbone, a lot poppier and less raw and jagged, but still actually quite good. Sort of a Country power pop with outstanding songwriting. I rather like it, though not as much as Slobberbone, although they only have one record and I definitely see them getting better.
    The Man has a branch office in each of our brains, his corporate emblem is a white albatross, each local rep has a cover known as the Ego, and their mission in this world is Bad Shit.
  • 16 Horsepower except they broke up :( David Eugene Edwards' new band is not nearly as country sounding.

    Gillian Welch

    Jolie Holland formerly of The Be Good Tanyas. She's got a very unique style and might not be considered country by some but I first heard the Be Good Tanyas on a country station.

    Patty Griffin Again some may not consider her country.
  • Strange that most of the suggestions are women.

    I've another to add to the list: Sera Cahoone

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YNA_veg6FA
  • Basically it is three members of Slobberbone (including Brent Best the main singer/songwriter) and two other people. They sound like a more polished version of Slobberbone, a lot poppier and less raw and jagged, but still actually quite good. Sort of a Country power pop with outstanding songwriting. I rather like it, though not as much as Slobberbone, although they only have one record and I definitely see them getting better.

    It didn't click with me...maybe I didn't give them enough time. Like sadprofessor said, they sound more poppier than Slobberbone. Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today from Slobberbone is great.

    PBM
    "We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"

    Wishlist Foundation: http://wishlistfoundation.org
  • Oh, JimmyOh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    If you are thinkin more mainstream, stay away from new music. George Jones was my absolute favorite when I was a kid, plus, he's the king when it comes to mainstream country.
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    Can't go wrong with Dwight Yoakam.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • tybird wrote:
    Can't go wrong with Dwight Yoakam.
    amen to that. i like some of Gary Allen's stuff too.
  • Glossary has a free download of their new album up today; it's definitely worth checking out:

    http://www.glossary.us/the-better-angels-of-our-nature-free-download
    "What happens when so many people agree on something? Can we take this beyond the parking lot when we leave tonight?" -EV, Iconoclasts
  • Tek MoneyTek Money Posts: 642
    Old Crow Medicine Show

    Sarah Harmer

    Whiskeytown

    Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
    Cock Fight.
  • soclosesoclose Posts: 628
    Glossary has a free download of their new album up today; it's definitely worth checking out:

    http://www.glossary.us/the-better-angels-of-our-nature-free-download

    I'm only up to the second song, but I'm really ejoying this album so far. Thanks for sharing the link!
  • laudenumlaudenum Posts: 405
    check out gillian welch and david rawlings
    allison krauss and union station
    "shes stoned said the swede, and the
    mooncalf agreed" THe BANd
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    Midlake
    Jesse Malin
    Ryan Adams
    Willard Grant Conspiracy
    The Handsome family
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    laudenum wrote:
    check out gillian welch and david rawlings
    allison krauss and union station

    I was gonna mention Alison Krauss, but technically they are bluegrass.

    That said , it's kickarse music and well worth a listen!!
    Music is not a competetion.
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