drive by truckers

More titles to look for!

I'm a huge fan of The Bottlerockets and would add their debut CD to the recommended releases - IMHO it's right up there with Brooklyn Side. I'd also agree that Uncle Tupelo belongs at the top of the list of influential bands - explains why the whole alt. country genre was sometimes called No Depression music.

For those who can forgive the somewhat cliched central image, the Bottlerocket's track "Waiting On A Train", written IIRC, by Brian Henneman's brother, is a candidate for #1 saddest rock song ever.

Marty

If we can tolerate some geographical diversity, the Texas(I think) band called The Reivers (briefly known as Zeitgeist) also deserves mention among the pioneers of Alt. Country. I believe that they predated Uncle Tupelo, but I'm not certain about that. Their particular variation included more vocal harmony and - to the extent it received any notice at all - was sometimes called the "New Sincerity" movement. Any of their records is worth owning if this is the tree you want to bark up.

Marty

Thanks Marty! Just ordered The Reivers' last album (75 cents + sh on the Zon!). They were out of Austin. A little more alt and a little less country, perhaps, than some mentioned above, but very nice (speaking of the Velvet Underground, male lead sounds a lot like young Lou Reed).

John

we all know the greatest st louis rocker is chuck berry. great music suggestions , i will have a busy weekend til the football starts

John,

I believe that their singer/primary songwriter is called John Croslin and he quit the biz due to stage fright. That's a shame,too, since his songs are finely crafted, original but not mannered and employing harmonies that I frequently find arresting in a quirky way. He made a brief comeback in a band called Fire Marshalls of Babylon (or something similar) some years back, but IMHO that never touched the quality of his work with The Reivers.

As to the more alt., less country, I wouldn't argue with you. I'll just dump it all under Americana and call it a day. Enjoy your new purchase. (Sorry to see that shipping wasn't included.)

Marty