[Granite-and-tumble] Alt Country Music News

[Bill Hub]

The Alt Country Music world has seen a number of releases....

Blue Mountain released their swan song, a live CD entitled Tonight It's Now
or Never.  This live recording is from their final tour that concluded at
Schuba's in Chicago and was recorded on the fateful night, March 11 2001.
This 2-CD set features many traditional covers and many of their well-known
classics from Dog Days and Homegrown.   The CD is being put out by the
Digital Club Network and can be purchased at www.dcn.com as well as many
fine record stores.   I don't own the album yet, so no personnel comments.

Continuing with the Chicago theme, the Handsome Family also has a live album
from a show at Schuba's being put out by DCN.   The CD features 9 tracks of
Rennie and Brett banter in between songs and Rennie's classic non sequiturs,
plus 16 songs.  Most of the songs all from Through the Trees, but there are
a few classics from In the Air and Milk and Scissors.   The show was in
December of 2000, and it turned out to be one of the Handsome Family's last
shows as Chicago natives as they decided to move to Arizona in 2001.

Apart from the new live albums, a number of Alt-Country legends have decided
to give the solo album a shot.   Musicians from the Old 97s, Freakwater, and
the Bad Livers have all tried the solo gig.

Rhett Miller, from the Old 97s, released his solo debut, The Instigator, on
Elektra Records.   It is even poppier than the late 97s records, but Rhett
still delivers the sugary sweet pop ballads better than most.  Like most
exceptionally sweet things, this album is great in small doses, but long
plays may wear on you.

Catherine Irwin, from Freakwater, has also issued her solo debut, Cut
Yourself a Switch, on Thrill Jockey Records.  Despite their heralded albums,
countless recommendations (Dooling, I know you are reading), and a few live
shows; I was never won over by Freakwater.  Catherine Ann Irwin's debut is
receiving loads of praise from critics and quite frankly it sounds like an
album I would like.   So, I will probably give this album a shot.

Danny Barnes gave up the electronica gig (thankfully) and his returned to
his roots on Terminus Records.   With "Things I Done Wrong", Danny has a
backing band and finally emphasizes the banjo again.   This nearly
percussion free album is yet another testament of Barnes's outstanding banjo
plucking capabilities.

While Built To Spill certainly would not have classified as an alt country
band, Doug Martsch's new solo album definitely would.   His solo debut, Now
You Know, features some great slide guitar and will fit nicely next to your
Rhett Miller album.   The album sounds like the blues going pop.   BTS fans
need not worry, Doug's masturbatory guitar solos are still included.