Since hoisting the "insurgent country" banner in 1995, Chicago's Bloodshot Records has provided refuge for former punk rockers who embrace Hank Williams Sr. as patron saint and Lefty Frizzell as kindred spirit. Informed by equal measures of attitude, alcohol, and twang, this raucously vibrant birthday collection of previously unreleased material resists the corral of categorical conformity. Instead, highlights range from the Waco Brothers' banjo-driven breakdown of the Who's "Baba O'Riley" to the shimmering, haunted ballad, "Favorite," by Neko Case and Jon Rauhouse. Featured within the 40 tracks on this two-disc extravaganza are label stalwarts such as Alejandro Escovedo (renewing Mick Jagger's "Evening Gown"), Robbie Fulks, and Kelly Hogan, along with guest artists ranging from Graham Parker to Giant Sand. Plainly a labor of love, the set provides a definitive survey of the diversity of music carrying the alternative-country brand. --Don McLeese
Down to the Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records,Various Artists,Bloodshot Records,Adult Alternative Pop/Rock,Alternative Country,Alternative Country-Rock,Alternative Pop/Rock,Americana,Contemporary Folk,Country-Rock,Experimental,Indie Rock,Jangle Pop,Neo-Traditional Folk,Neo-Traditionalist Country,Pop,Pop/Rock,Power Pop,Rock,Rock & Roll,Rock/Pop Collections,Roots Rock,Singer/Songwriter
Down to the Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records
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Down to the Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records
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ASIN: B00004TM1I Release Date: 2000-06-20 |
Tracks:
- Oh! Chicago - The Yayhoos
- Evening Gown - Alejandro Escovedo
- Making Love With You - Old 97's
- Favorite - Neko Case/Jon Rauhouse
- Roses Are Blooming - The Hollisters
- Oh, Lonesome Me - Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel
- Sunshine - The Meat Purveyors
- Money To Burn - Rico Bell & The Snakehandlers
- I Hear A Sweet Voice Calling - The Handsome Family
- Easy Ridin' Mama - Devil In A Woodpile
- Please Take The Devil Out Of Me - Caitlin Cary
- Why Drunky? - The Blacks
- The Least I Could Do - Supersuckers
- Going Home - Roughnecks
- It's Too Late - The Riptones
- Hell Or High Water - Johnny Dowd
- Unforgiven - Hazeldine
- Turn The Lights Down Low - Moonshine Willy
- Blue Diamond Mine - Texas Rubies
- Baba O'Riley - Waco Brothers
Tracks:
- Bloodshot's Turning Five - Robbie Fulks
- Here Comes My Ball And Chain - The Cornell Hurd Band
- See Willy Fly By - Graham Parker/The Waco Brothers
- Looks Like I'm Up Shit Creek Again - Nora O'Connor
- Milk & Scissors - The Sadies
- Broken A/C Blues - Duane Jarvis
- Wicked Saviour - Rex Hobart & The Misery Boys
- Glue - Andre Williams/Sally Timms
- Guitar Playin' Woman - Bare Jr
- Hard On Things - Giant Sand
- Monday Night - Ryan Adams
- Ghost On The Highway - Trailer Bride
- I'd Like To - Mike Ireland
- 13 Nights - Kelly Hogan & The Pine Valley Cosmonauts
- Hang Your Head In Shame - Grievous Angels
- Last To Know - Deanna Varagona/Chris Mills
- Bring The Noise - The Unholy Trio
- Brixton - Chip Taylor
- Train Song - Split Lip Rayfield
- Highway To Hell - Red Star Belgrade
- Bonus Track - Down To The Promised Land: 5 Years Of Bloodshot Records
Amazon.com
Since hoisting the "insurgent country" banner in 1995, Chicago's Bloodshot Records has provided refuge for former punk rockers who embrace Hank Williams Sr. as patron saint and Lefty Frizzell as kindred spirit. Informed by equal measures of attitude, alcohol, and twang, this raucously vibrant birthday collection of previously unreleased material resists the corral of categorical conformity. Instead, highlights range from the Waco Brothers' banjo-driven breakdown of the Who's "Baba O'Riley" to the shimmering, haunted ballad, "Favorite," by Neko Case and Jon Rauhouse. Featured within the 40 tracks on this two-disc extravaganza are label stalwarts such as Alejandro Escovedo (renewing Mick Jagger's "Evening Gown"), Robbie Fulks, and Kelly Hogan, along with guest artists ranging from Graham Parker to Giant Sand. Plainly a labor of love, the set provides a definitive survey of the diversity of music carrying the alternative-country brand. --Don McLeeseCustomer Reviews:
great music, great cause.......2006-12-20
Five Year Anniversary of Bloodshot Records.......2005-04-13
There seems to be a dichotomy between those who listen to these CDs. Those people who prefer pop music sung with a country twang rather than real country seem to not like this music. Those people who prefer classic country and also enjoy rock typically seem to like this music. I asked someone recently whether my description, country music as the Grateful Dead might have played it, was appropriate, and he agreed.
As with "For a Life of Sin," this CD contains a wide range of musical styles. There is what I call classic or traditional country, though it is greatly updated and improved (insurgent, perhaps?), bluegrass, blues, gospel, rockabilly, and even some country-rock, emphasizing country. Since there are 40 tracks on two CDs I am unable to review each song individually. However, amongst this collection of remarkable music are several songs that transcend their brethren. I apologize in advance if I missed including your favorite song.
"Making Love with You" by the Old 97's is a funny song, nearly a novelty song. The lyrics make me laugh every time I hear them. "Favorite" by Neko Case and Jon Rauhouse is a beautiful song that contains elements of New Age. I would describe this song as alternative country because of the vocals and unique ending. There is an excellent cover of "Oh Lonesome Me" by Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel that slows the song down and makes it even bluer than the previous versions I have heard.
"Sunshine" by the Meat Purveyors is a bluegrass song on speed, done very well. If you like John Cougar you may also like "Money to Burn" by Rico Bell and the Snakehandlers, which I call country-rock. A wonderful twangy song with both male and female lead vocals is "The Least I Could Do" by Supersuckers with Amy Nelson. I could hear Dolly Parton singing this song. Get raucous and rowdy with "Going Home" by the Roughnecks, another country-rock song.
Another bizarre alternative country song is "Hell or High Water" by Johnny Dowd. I am unsure of how to describe this song. Think B-52s in combination with the Talking Heads, and that only catches a flavor or this unique song. The song is really not a country song, but it is very different, and I think this song is one of my personal favorites from this disc. I noticed that others did not care for this song. Given how strange it is, I think I can understand that.
For another excellent classic country song, listen to "Unforgiven" by Hazeldine. The song is heart rending, slow and sad. The harmonies are nicely done and the music is solid; a wonderful bar and slow dance song.
The first disc finishes off with the first country version of the Who's "Baba O'Riley" that I can recall having heard. Much of the rock flavor has been retained, but this version has acquired a solid foot-stomping country flavor. There are plenty of moments that tie this version to the Who's original, but the rest is a unique interpretation.
The first song on the second disc is a celebration of Bloodshot Record's five year anniversary. "Bloodshot's Turning 5" is sung in a crooner style that dates back to the 1930s by Robbie Fulks. The following song continues the humor with classic country style. "Here Comes My Ball and Chain Again" by The Cornell Hurd Band will put a smile on anyone's face. Another humorous song is Nora O'Connor's blues song "Looks Like I'm Up Shit Creek Again." Nora's sincere voice and the mellow music contrast humorously with the lyrics.
The Sadie's "Milk and Scissors" is another bizarre, but excellent song. "Glue" by Andre Williams and Sally Timms with its G-L-E-U lyrics is the longest song on the two discs, and contains excellent rock-influenced music. "Guitar Playin Woman" by Bare Jr. has a rap-like beginning. "Ghost on the Highway" by Trailer Bride is country head banging music, and as unique as anything on these two discs. "Train Song" by Split Lip Rayfield is an excellent bluegrass song that will have you moving your feet, if you can keep up with its speed.
Just when you think you understand the direction a genre of music is taking you hear music from Bloodshot Records. This music has been called alternative country. I prefer to think of this type of music as being closer to traditional or classic country (and bluegrass) than much of the commercial music performed by mainstream artists, who sing highly sterilized pop with just enough country twang to place their songs in the "country" category. That is not country, that is marketing. Challenge your perceptions of country music. Buy this CD and learn how interesting and fun country music can still be.
Waiting for the 10th Anniversary Album ..........2005-02-06
Some chose to make covers (among them, Alejandro Escovedo of a Jagger's song and the Waco Brothers of Townsend's "Baba Riley"), while others donated new songs for the occasion (Old 97's, Neko Case, Moonshine WIlly and many others). Great performances resulted in both cases.
Disc One kicks off with a great rock number by the Yayhoos (never heard of them, but they rock!); then follows "Evening Gown", one of my favourite songs in the album. I don't know the original, but I think Escovedo's voice is perfect for this mournful ballad. "Making Love with You" is another rock number: despite the singer's fragile voice, the song works and is another favourite of mine.
The fourth track is "Favorite", a luscious and haunting ballad by alt-country diva Neko Case and one of the highlights of the album. By the way, a live version of "Favorite" has recently appeared in her latest release "The Tigers have spoken". Unfortunately, it is the weakest track on "Tigers", with her voice below par. The studio version here is much better and that's another reason why you should buy this record.
"Favorite" also gives me the opportunity to point out that for the most part artists contributed excellent songs, not fillers, to this album. For example, "Oh Chicago" also appears on the Yayhoos' debut album, while "Please take the devil out of me" was rerecorded by Caitlin Cary & Lynn Blakey (2 of the "Tres CHicas") for their new album "Sweetwater".
I can't comment on each song, of course, but I can list some of the best tracks: "Roses Are Blooming" (very old-country, but catchy), "Oh Lonesome Me" (a poignant performance from Anna Fermin), "The Least I Could Do", "See Willy Fly By", "Guitar Playing Woman", "13 nights" and ... well I could go on. Of course, there are also dull moments and that's inevitable given the size of this project. For my part, I tend to skip a couple of tracks on each CD (they are "Hell or High Water" and "Blue Diamond Mine" for Disc One). Otherwise I listen to each CD from start to finish, if I got time. In fact, tracks are different enough from each other, so that the listening doesn't get boring. (However, a marked preponderance of country/rock bands with male singers is evident).
You buy an album like this if you are a collector and want to complete your, say, Neko Case discography or if you want to discover new artists. In the latter case, with more than 40 artists involved in the project, you'll find plenty of new favourites. In this regard, Moonshine Willy was a revelation to me: "Turn the lights down low" is a bluegrass track of unrestrained joy: the lyrics are light-hearted and the music is played at the speed of light!
The other bluegrass songs (by The Meat Purveyors and Split Lip Rayfield) are not as good. Unfortunately, it seems that Moonshine Willy has disbanded. If the other songs are as good as "Turn the lights down low" (I'm going to find out), it's beyond me why this group didn't stand the test of time.
In all, I strongly advise you to buy this album. Even though you like just one fourth of the songs here (but three fourth is likelier), it's still worth the money!!
Exciting New Country Vision.......2004-04-24
I'll trade that "o" for an "i", please..........2004-03-16
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