Guy Clark - Dublin Blues (1995)

A mere three years after Boats to Build, Guy Clark offered Dublin Blues, a record filled with sizzle, inspiration, and his best batch of songs in years. Teaming with Miles Wilkinson for the third time and using in the studio for the first time his road band -- which includes über guitarist and singer Darrell Scott -- Clark delivers a batch of searing portraits, intimate observations, first-person narratives, and one dumb throwaway cut ("Baby Went to Memphis in a Limo"). As usual, some old friends return to the fold -- Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, Verlon Thompson, Kenny Malone, and Suzy Ragsdale -- but there are new faces as well like Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Nanci Griffith, and Kathy Mattea. The magic begins with the title track. Haunted Celtic melodies played on the fiddle and a mandolin with an acoustic guitar usher in a country song that could be from the countryside of Ireland. With Mattea on the backing vocals, the listener is transported between worlds in time and space. "Black Diamond Strings" is a friendly little number about what else: guitar strings! Its catchy hook and singalong chorus make it a Clark winner. "Shut Up and Talk to Me" features Scott playing the swinging blues as Clark counts off the music like a fierce memory. "Stuff That Works" is another of Clark's quiet observation tunes, where his words speak volumes and the instruments underline their meanings. It's a workingman's anthem sung seemingly from the workshop bench. But "Hank Williams Said It Best," "Tryin' to Try," "Cape," and "Hangin' Your Life on the Wall" are all tremendous in their scope and intimacy. They are full of dimension and depth, and Wilkinson gives them textures. The set ends with a re-recording of the spooky yet shattering elegy "The Randall Knife" Clark cut on Better Days. The difference here is age. The view Clark sings from is one of distance and age. "The Randall Knife" doesn't feel quite so spooky this time out, but it does resonate with empathy and even tenderness. As it winds to a close, the listener is left not in bewildered silence but in awe that such a bond exists at all.
-AMG

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Violent Femmes - Hallowed Ground (1984)

fuckin hell in only a year gordon gano went and lost it (or found it), doesn't matter which 'cause hallowed ground is dark (and hell is hot) and mysterious, whether the insanity on display is collective or his own- that is whether christfag or schizo his appalachian freak punk gives me the damn creeps. on the best song (never tell) he says fuck elia kazan and convinces the listener not to snitch, on the second (country death song) you think he's too nihilistic to be devout but he'll make you second-guess that on the third (jesus walking on the water). still creeps me out

A

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Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker (2000)

Dumbass next Dylan claims from nostalgic/lazy critics hyped this or didn't hype it enough ('being derivative of Dylan' not allowing for the record to be assessed by its own merits, only shortcomings). True, he makes the effort to write a song for some generation with the opener To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High), and that's a good one too, but Adams seems to enjoy himself more and also just sound better when Heartbreaker is more downer country-ish- his duet with Emmylou Harris being the highlight. Adams fans often have a shitty time thinking their hero should actually release less, and unfortunately there's that same fault with Heartbreaker: c'mon man, you didn't need to put all 15 tracks you recorded on this! True, real fans probably don't think Shakedown on 9th Street is a waste of time, or that there can be too much of a good thing when it comes to Adams at his best, but they're crazy. Despite its inconsistency, Heartbreaker rulz. Just look at all these A+++++ country songs:

My Winding Wheel, AMY, Oh My Sweet Carolina, Call Me on Your Way Back Home, Damn, Sam (I Love a Woman That Rains), Come Pick Me Up, Why Do They Leave?, Sweet Lil Gal (23rd/1st

8 out of 15 crazy good tracks is the kind of thing you usually get from a best of, but it's all Ryan Adams as a bummed out guy with an awesome voice and producer circa 2000

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Jim Ford - Harlan County (1969)

1. Harlan Co.

2. Love on My Brain

3. Changin' Color's

4. Spoonfull

5. Dr. Handy

6. To Make My Life Beautiful

7. Workin My Way to L.A.

8. Long Rd Ahead

9. I'm Gonna Make Her Love Me

10. Under Construction

Loved by Nick Lowe and others appreciating its effortless enthusiasm, catchiness, and eccentricity, forgotten by more and maybe never liked by critics any way- Jim Ford was a versatile song-writer and performer who aped his influences convincingly (to the point I was gonna write he was obviously inspired by Allen Toussaint's 1972 masterpiece until I noticed the year this was released), never bettering them, and released Harlan County which is essential for fans of Waylon Jennings, Allen Toussaint, Van Morrison, or actually anyone who fits into any one of the genres I've listed under labels- and doesn't really give a shit whether an album's influential or canon or whatever

A-

Lyle Lovett - Joshua Judges Ruth (1992)

1. I've Been to Memphis 4:56

2. Church 6:01

3. She's Already Made Up Her Mind 4:49

4. North Dakota 5:42

5. You've Been So Good Up to Now 4:15

6. All My Love Is Gone 4:23

7. Since the Last Time 7:11

8. Baltimore 4:53

9. Family Reserve 3:59

10. She's Leaving Me Because She Really Wants To 4:07

11. Flyswatter / Ice Water Blues 3:44

12. She Makes Me Feel Good 3:36

Americana anthropologist takes on gospel and so salvation and death and love and family and fear, and thus abandons critically celebrated playful sarcasm and little winks and all that while also making a bold compromise which is to abandon God because who needs him when you have She's Already Made Up Her Mind


One of the ugliest dudes in music with one of the most beautiful voices. Also worth getting for its perfectly clear and detailed production

A

Bobbie Gentry - The Delta Sweete (1968)

1. Okolona River Bottom Band 2:57

2. Big Boss Man 2:56

3. Reunion 2:35

4. Parchman Farm 3:00

5. Mornin' Glory 2:57

6. Sermon 2:41

7. Tobacco Road 2:50

8. Penduli Pendulum 2:55

9. Jessye' Lizabeth 3:00

10. Refractions 2:20

11. Louisiana Man 2:35

12. Courtyard 2:58

Recommended for fans of country and/or soul 'cause the two come together in a way that's so country and so soul and in fact you should probably hear it anyway 'cause it's so good. You will love and respect it

B+

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