Country Music Sucks, Except For Actual Country Music: Or, Why We Should All Buy Subscriptions To No Depression
I hate country music. My sister and I were forced to listen to it in the car when we were young, and prolonged battles finally allowed us to switch the family station to oldies. But from 1987 to 1996-7, I was immersed in mainstream country music, and that history gives me the license and more than enough motivation to say that country music, as it is known, is genuinely awful. It's cloying, derivative, poorly written and cheaply made. It panders to the uneducated, and revels in it.
In fact, country music isn't actually country music: it's watered-down, heavy-handed, disposable pop with a few steel guitars instead of Britney's syncopated moaning. For all of the antagonism most country fans show pop music (traceable to country's grasp on Middle-America's hearts, minds, votes and wallets), modern country music and Top 40 pop have more in common than either would like to admit. The strongest example of this is the latest single from Tim McGraw featuring Nelly (or Nelly featuring Tim McGraw, depending on which station you listen to): it's a bad song about missing someone, with the drum loops and twangy groans in perfect balance. This stuff flies off WalMart's shelves.
But real country music today mostly goes by the title "alt-country" (
"whatever that is"), and contains more heart and skill than any thousand songs by Toby Keith. Keith, it should be noted, is symptomatic of the arrogant xenophobia so popular throughout too much of America today; he's Bill O'Reilly's musical (barely) counterpart. But I digress.
So, I'm here to offer some help. Below are some simple tips and suggested listening for anyone who believes that music with a steel guitar can and should be good, and anyone who hates anything about what passes for country music these days.
1. Stay out of Nashville.This is fairly obvious, but that's why it tops the list. Nashville is a cookie cutter for country stars, a tired old assembly line where no singer writes their own songs and no songwriter holds their head high. The town produces bland, tasteless, downright godawful music about subjects best left to Hallmark cards or White House press releases. If you want real music, you won't find it here.
2. Cut off contact with modern country.This means no radio, CD purchases, etc. Overhearing the latest Brooks & Dunn masterpiece while standing in line to get your oil changed is forgivable; nodding your head to the beat is not. This brings me back to...
3. Seriously, stay out of Nashville.Pick up the latest issue of
No Depression, a magazine that claims to be unable to define alt-country, though it does a great job representing the cause. Listen to bands from Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona (
"all roads lead back to Tucson," after all), or anywhere. But chances are the salvation you seek cannot be found in Tennessee.
4. Listen:The beauty of alt.country is its wide net of inclusion; it's more of an anti-movement than a movement. Give the following a look.
Uncle TupeloWilco (particularly
A.M. and
Being There)
Son VoltThe Refreshments (particularly
The Bottle & Fresh Horses)
The Jayhawks (particularly
Tomorrow the Green Grass and
Rainy Day Music)
Ryan Adams (particularly
Heartbreaker)
Old 97'sWhiskeytownRoger Clyne & the Peacemakers (particularly
Honky Tonk Union)
Bright Eyes (particularly
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning)
The PistolerosJohnny Cash (particularly every record he ever put out, but get a hold of the American recordings)
Gram ParsonsThe Byrds' Sweetheart of the RodeoAnd those are just the artists or albums that fall under the general heading of alt-country. Songs that fit the bill pop up everywhere, from
"Rain King" to
"Hung Up On You." The trick is knowing where to look, and where not to look (e.g., don't look in Nashville. Ever.).
Regular visitors to this site might recognize some of the above names, which is a sad indication that they visit this site too much and should be doing better things with their day, like going right out and buying the albums I've listed so that their lives might be considered worthwhile.
18 Comments:
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You forgot to include the San Joaquin Valley's own, MERLE HAGGARD!! In my book, Merle even blows the spurs off Johnny Cash--the word "legend" is an understatement. And don't forget Charley Pride!
J. Nayarit
Hello,
I have a couple of Johnny Cash vinyls "Folsom Prison" and "San Quentin albums" which I used to play a fair bit. [Apparently these are supposed to be worth something now so I've been told]. My feelings about 'old' and 'new' country are about the same as yours. New country is just as awful as the politics of George Bush. Most old country is not all that appealing to me but I don't find it offensive at least. Speaking of old stuff I remember seeing a photograph taken in the fifties showing Johnny Cash, Pete Seeger and Elvis Presley in a recording studio. There is a connection between folk music and old country which has been lost ... to the detriment of both ... in my opinion.
Dear Dan: Your comments on country music require a bifircated answer in order to respond to it.
First, I'm in complete agreement w/you as regards the state, condition, meanfulness, and complete lack of profundity inherent in country music for the last fifteen to twenty years. It's garbage for the most part. Musically, it's recycled 70's rock with the obligatory fiddle and/or steel thrown in in an attempt to lend validity to it. As with all things in life, there are certainly exceptions. But for the most part your disdain is justified. However, I absolutely disagree with your assertment that it was always that way.
I'm a musician, a guitarist/singer, and although I write and perform Christian/gospel music these days, my taste in music is country, real blues, and southern rock, e.g., the Allman Brothers Band, etc.
But the heart and strength of country music has always lain in it's writers and the old guard of writers wrote some true classics.
For example, 'Crazy', by Willie Nelson, 'Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down', by K. Kristofferson, etc.
How could anyone not feel the depth of emotion and the poignancy of George Jones singing, "He stopped loving her today. They placed a wreath upon his door. And soon they'll carry him away. He stopped loving her today"? The character in the song literally loved the woman to death.
Or, Merle Haggard's classic 'Mama's Hungry Eyes' with the heart-wrenching lines, "I remember daddy prayin' for a better way of life. But I don't recall a change of any size. Just as little loss of courage as his age began to show and more sadness in my mama's hungry eyes."
I suspect that you haven't listened to George Jones, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings or several other of the true legends of their genre. If I'm wrong,If you have listened to the artists/songs I just mentioned and still have the opinion that you have, then I can only respectfully say, to each his own...
Take care and may the Lord God bless you and your family.... Freddie Johnson
www.freddiejohnsonsmusi.com
The Dillards The Dillards The Dillards
Bang on...and I suspect you do listen to Merle, Hank, etc...
That's real country, not the Up with People crap like Rascal Flatts...
For a Wilco alt-country feel, I highly highly recommend Canada's Blue Rodeo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crfpN3n8lR0&feature=related
I work with guys who listen to "country" radio stations all day. News Flash! Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow? Not Country! Honky Tonk B'donk a Donk! Not Country!Rascal Flats? WTF?!!! New Country is gutless crap. Being forced to hear it daily is walkin on the fightin' side of me! I was raised on Johnny, Willie, Hank, Merle, Waylon, et all... Seriously, You're right! Want good country? stay out of Nashville!!
You forget the great Waylon Jennings. He was one of the best. He beats the pants off these stiff shirt, stetson wearing, pretty boys these days.
I'm attempting to be a Country lyricist,and my 150+ originals span the gamut from Traditional Country to rockabilly to cowboy songs to ballads.I'm
seeking a collaborator,and anyone who may be interested may reach me at:
firstladbrett1953@hotmail.com,and call me at:(519)948-5955.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCYrGFqHb2w
Americans currently are being manipulated by big corporations. The reason is that corporations are allowed to contribute money to candidates for office. The candidates then do what is best for the corporations, not what is best for you. The Republicans are by far the worst offenders in this, but most people are too ignorant to know it. The problem in music is similar. Big corporations run the radio stations, so most people only hear what they want you to hear. And it is crap. It is a joke. If you listen to a Kris Kristofferson song, or a Johnny Cash song, or a Merle Haggard song, or a Willie Nelson song, or a Wayon Jennings song, or a Hank Sr. song, and then listen to the songs on the radio today, you will understand the difference, especially after a few drinks. Hell, Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline album is one of the best country albums I have ever heard, and he is not even a "country" artist. It was made over 35 years ago. It is time for the people to rise up and demand better.
I grew up listening to great country music, it was sad heartbreaking stories about real life, I could relate to it, it was about my family and myself, what it did was made me feel like someone knew exactly how I felt. I
made life changing decesions even just because Merle sang it in a song. The crap today just says life is a party, Its not country.
I would suggest that you all check out Pappychris songs . Pappychris is genuine and original and does not give a damn about nashville sucess.his songs are availible to recording artist looking for non cookie cutter garbage to record.check out Pappychris songs on google....
contact Ironman29542@aol.com email to find some really original songs
by Pappychris..
Thanks for your time Larry Lord
Pappychris is great because he sounds so original and sings and writes about real life not some nashville song mill singer..
He does it all for the fans only..
Rex Rodgers USA
I checked out Pappychris on Google and was truley impressed because he is totally orignal and raw just a man and his gutiar
,
Hahahaha, love this blog. And I'll stay out of Nashville, don't worry. Sweet Heart of the Rodeo is a perfect example of real country. It's actually the album that introduced me properly and made me like country. I also dig The Flying Burrito Brothers a LOT. I'm more a 60s 70s blues/rock dude, but so many guys like the stones and clapton were influenced by country too. Thanks for this blog man!
Where is Will Oldham? The Palace Brothers?
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