Back Porch Mary "Life Is Now" (Dry Gulch Records, 2011)
(Produced by Paul Soroski & Back Porch Mary)
High-energy roadhouse rock'n'twang, from this Austin, Texas red-dirt trio... It's a bit heavier on the rock-oriented electric guitars for my tastes, but the band's earnest enthusiasm comes through loud and clear and is pretty hard to resist. Betcha they're fun live!

The Backsliders "Hard Core Honky Tonk From North Carolina (EP)" (Mammoth Records, 1996)

The Backsliders "Throwin' Rocks At The Moon" (Mammoth Records, 1997)

The Backsliders "Southern Lines" (Mammoth Records, 1999)

The Bad Livers -- see artist discography

Joe Baker & His Barefoot Brakemen "Shook, Broke, Hung" (Alonzo Records, 2008)
(Produced by Mike Coykendall)
A nice set of hillbilly retro from Portland, Oregon's Joe Baker, formerly a member of the Portland-based rock band, The Starlings. I wouldn't say Baker has the greatest voice, but he's definitely got a feel for this old-style material, and his DIY roots come through clear as a bell on these pleasantly informal recordings. Some honky-tonk, a little hillbilly boogie and a dash of old-school trad-jazz, some fiddle and pedal steel... you're talking my language, buddy! If you like stuff that ain't too slick, this is definitely worth checking out.

Sam Baker "Mercy" (Bull Creek Records, 2004)
A jaw-dropping singer-songwriter/Americana/red dirt tour de force. Seriously: where have they been keeping this guy? Texas-based Sam Baker's self-released debut is an astonishing synthesis of the whole windswept Panhandle storytelling tradition, bringing to mind dust-caked poets such as Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt, as well as Terry Allen, Mary Gauthier and Robert Earl Keen... Of the lot, I honestly think only Guy Clark comes close to this guy, in terms of his self-assurance, his clarity of vision, and the consistent high calibre of his output. Like I say, it's one hell of a record. Song after song creeps up and pulls you in... each a quiet, haunting, curious jewel. Like many records in this genre, these songs are sorrowful echoes of action, the poetry of lifelong regret channeled into a hard-won, seemingly unreasonable hopefulness, a love of life, despite all the crap that drags us down. Now, normally I get tired of this stuff fairly quickly -- I think the genre as a whole has devolved into a series of overly-stylized creative writing class exercises, stilted and strained, ringing falser and less compelling the more it attempts to summon up a sense of "authenticity." Not so with Mr. Baker. He just manages to craft one alluring gem after another; the tone of the album is half dreamy, half somber, and when it ends, you'll want to hear more. This is a remarkably effective record -- both pleasantly, palpably indie and down-home, but also packed with interesting, innovative songcraft. Maybe one reason this album connects with such emotional force is that Baker isn't pretending to be a survivor, he really is one: this album was written and recorded after Baker recovered from being caught in a terrorist bombing in Peru, one that killed the people sitting next to him, and left Baker badly hurt. The passion for life instilled in him by this close encounter with death resonates through every note on this record; even his distinctive, slurred vocal style is a result of the attack... At any rate, if you like Clark, Keen, Gautier, et.al., you've gotta check this album out. It's really quite good. (For more information, see Baker's website at sambakermusic.com )

Sam Baker "Pretty World" (Sam Baker Music, 2007)
Another impressive offering from this Texas singer-songwriter, a fella who's fast making a bid to establish himself as the "next Guy Clark," and who's certainly on my list of the top country artists of the decade. Baker's allusive, impressionistic songs provide some of the best character sketches heard in Americana music in many a moon... There's something miraculous and captivating about Baker's work: his shambling melodies and half-spoken, half-swallowed lyrics have a fascinating mix of emotional directness and inexplicable mystery. Baker takes up the torch of independent twang, but sounds utterly original and unique -- from the first note, you'll be hooked. Although this disc doesn't have as the same powerful, readily haunting melodies as his debut, Mercy, the mood and tone of the entire album are hypnotic and absorbing, and slowly, favorite tracks will emerge, notably "Sweetly Undone," "Orphan" and "Slots." Anchored by the pedal steel work of Mike Daly and Lloyd Maines, Baker's sound is sorrowful but full of life... The people that populate his songs seem palpable and real, unremarkable yet beloved for their plainness and regret... Here's another album that should stand as a classic, and that calls out for wider attention. (Available through Baker's website: www.sambakermusic.com )

Band Of Drifters "Heavy On The Lightfoot" (Band Of Drifters, 2021) (CD)
On one level, an odd little record, though seen through a different lens, a delightful one. This Gordon Lightfoot tribute album features a bunch of very faithful renditions of thirteen Lightfoot classics, ably performed by a solid band out of Livingston, Montana. The covers are faithful not simply in their arrangements, but more notably in the vocals which are nakedly and unabashedly imitative of Lightfoot's unique tonality. Lead singer Ian Thomas sounds a lot like Gordon Lightfoot. Like, a lot like him. And while that begs the question, why not just round up a few old Lightfoot albums and play them instead? Well, the thing is, a modern band that sounds just like Gordon Lightfoot is still a very, very good thing. These tracks have the same easygoing, doleful, contemplative, alluring feel of the originals, and this is a very satisfying record, one that you can just leave in your disc player and listen to time and time again. Also of interest is the song selection, which mines some of the more obscure corners of the Lightfoot legacy -- yeah, a random listener might recognize classics such as "Carefree Highway" or "Rainy Day People," but "Sundown" and "Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" are nowhere to seen, much less "If You Could Read My Mind" or "Early Morning Rain." It's like a well-chosen album track mixtape, as much a love letter to listeners as to Lightfoot himself. Recommended!

The Band Of Heathens "Live From Momo's" (BOH Records, 2008)

The Band Of Heathens "The Band Of Heathens" (BOH Records, 2008)
(Produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard)
A catchy set of Texas-born, independently produced, red-dirt roots-rock, guitar-centric stuff that sits just this side of the jam-band scene. The opening songs are cheerfully rugged and rowdy, with a Southern-rockishness that recalls the Black Crowes; after "Second Line," a mandolin-led acoustic interlude, the mood shifts and becomes softer and more reflective... It takes a while, but you'll soon place Ed Jurdi's smoky, dream-laden vocals -- for all the world, these guys sound just like Little Feat back in their Lowell George heyday -- not as jazzy, but just as funky and soulful. If these comparisons spark your interest, then you can safely pick this disc up: there's a lot here that'll make Feat fans happy. Folk-pop favorite Patty Griffin seems to be pals with the band as well, singing on three songs, most notably the sweet duet, "40 Days." Recommended!

The Band Of Heathens "Live At Antones" (BOH Records, 2008)

Banjo & Sullivan "The Ultimate Collection: 1972-1978" (Universal/Hip-O Records, 2005)
This "best-of" collection is a clever forgery, one of the most entertaining biographical hoaxes since my profile of psychedelic barbershop bandleader Norm Wooster... It's also one of the best vulgar hillbilly porn-parody sets since Chiga Chavin and/or Billy C. Wirtz laid down some wax... In this case, the gimmick is that Adam Banjo and Roy Sullivan were (supposedly) a marginal country act from the mid-'70s that met with a grisly, unfortunate end when a killer cult did them in (a tie-in with some Rob Zombie slasher flick, which is where the mythical B&S really come from...) Alt-country stalwart Jesse Dayton provides the musical talent, writing, producing and performing the bulk of the album... and it's a pretty good set, with song titles that mimic the overly-complicated, pun-laden novelty formulae of 'Seventies country ("I'm At Home Getting Hammered (While She's Out Getting Nailed)," "I Don't Give A Truck," "I'm Trying To Quit, But I Quit Trying," etc.) The actual music doesn't sound that '70s-ish, but some songs are pretty fun... The Universal mega-label gets credit for going along with the gag and releasing this disc with a straight face as one of their "Ultimate" titles... (If they'd also released it with the same generic artwork as, say, their "Millennium" series, that would have truly hilarious...) Anyway, if you like mildly raunchy alt-country novelty material, this is a good record to check out. Heck, I may even rent the movie someday...!

Barbwyre "Barbwyre" (2013)
Loose-limbed, playful "funkgrass" from this Colorado quartet. They mix bluegrass and western swing with a little smidge of rock and jazz in there as well... If you like, oh say, John Cowan or Sam Bush, you'll probably dig these mile-high hillbillies as well.

Bobby Bare - see artist discography

(Bobby) Bare, Jr. "Boo-Tay" (Sony Records, 1998)

(Bobby) Bare, Jr. "Brainwasher" (Immortal Records, 2001)

Bobby Bare, Jr. "Young Criminal's Starvation League" (Bloodshot Records, 2002)
Um. How to put this? Bobby Junior was last heard as a precocious pre-teen lad, asking the questions on his dad's 1974 single, "Daddy What If..." He was such a flat performer then, that even when doing a recitation bit, he sounded out of tune (!) and his voice hasn't improved much since then... He sort of lacks his dad's, um, talent and gravitas... As well as his ability to edit and concisely construct memorable songs. It's funny, also, how little he sings like his well-known (and rather distinctive) father -- the vocals on most of this album sound more like Steve Forbert than anybody else, though on the last couple of tracks Bare gets that recognizable grumble in his voice. Mellow and diffuse, this album as a whole is far too amorphous, both in the songwriting and musicianship, to make much of an impression.

Bobby Bare, Jr. "OK, I'm Sorry" (EP) (Bloodshot Records, 2003)
Back when he was but a young sprat, Bobby Jr. cut a couple of cutesy-wootsy novelty tunes with dad, where his pre-adolescent voice cracked and crinkled and sounded ever so awwwwwwww... broadcasting out on commercial country radio... It would be too much of a cheap shot to say that his voice hasn't improved much since then, but, well, it's kinda true. He's not a great singer, he tries too hard to piggyback on the rule-breaking rowdy/rebel image his dad cultivated, and his band plays rough, grungy rock, not really so much with the country. I guess some of his lyrics are interesting, but not to the extent that I personally would get too excited by his work. I'll pass.

Bobby Bare, Jr. "From The End Of Your Leash" (Bloodshot Records, 2004)
Honestly, I was surprised by the strength of some of these songs... The two opening tunes actually got me sort of tapping my toes and nodding my head... and I really hate Bobby, Jr. (At least as a performer; I'm sure he's a swell guy in real life.) So, here's the update: he still has a really crappy voice, and for the most part his lyrics are appallingly over-obvious and lame, but -- and here's the amazing part -- he is getting better. The more thoughtful musical arrangements help... this disc is way better produced than his other albums, and even has some catchy melodic touches. He is definitely not the musical genius or amazing rock'n'roll rebel his publicists make him out to be, but he may actually be turning into an interesting artist, rather than simply a pointless aural irritant. This is the first record of his that I wouldn't just tell you to avoid at all costs.

Bobby Bare, Jr. "The Longest Meow" (Bloodshot Records, 2006)

Bobby Bare, Jr. "Nick Nacks & Paddy Whacks: Live" (Junket Boy Records, 2006)

Bobby Bare, Jr. "American Bread" (EP) (Bloodshot Records, 2009)

Bobby Bare, Jr. "A Storm, A Tree, My Mother's Head" (Thirty Tigers Records, 2010)

Mike Barfield "Living Stereo" (Tater Tot Recordings, 2002)
(Produced by Billy Horton)
A solo album by the lead singer of The Hollisters...

Tom Barger "I Stand Alone" (2002)

Danny Barnes -- see artist discography

High Sheriff Ricky Barnes - see artist discography

J.J. Baron "Brand New Stranger" (Rhody Records, 2005)
(Produced by Tom Newman)
This guy sounds like he's trying way too hard. A twangy, mostly uptempo set packed with overly-profound lyrics interspersed with wry couplets from old blues and folk tunes... It doesn't help that Baron has such a thin, gangly voice: all the world-weary, hard-bitten, tough-guy posturing rings a little false. But I generally don't go for philosophically-oriented, let-me-dispense-great-wisdom twang-folk anyway, so it might not all be this guy's fault. Didn't do much for me, though, even if the musical end is well-produced and well-performed.

Paul Barry & The Del Rays "Paul Barry & The Del Rays" (Lulu Records, 2005)
Likeable, lively retrobilly self-released by an independent artist. These Wisconsinites plow through a variety of styles, ranging from hillbilly boogie and rockabilly-ish roots to straight-up country and roadhouse blues. The punchy guitar work by Ryan Rossebo lights this album up, while frontman Paul Barry adds a friendly presence... Also features a nice selection of songs from little-known writers, including gems like "Alcohol Of Fame," by Francis James Blandino, and the album's opener, "Boo Hoo." I also liked "Girl At The End Of The Bar," written by one Walter Clevenger, but I couldn't help wondering if he was related to my sadistic ex-Marine junior high gym coach. Probably, but he still writes a nice melody. Anyway, this is a swell album that shows that Texas ain't the only place in the country that knows how to put out good independently released roots music. (For more info, email the band at: PBarry@wi.rr.com )

Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash "Walk Alone" (Ultimatim Records, 2001)
The band name bugs me (too gimmicky), and I expected that this record would be filled with tedious, dorky white trash stereotypes galore... But for the most part, these guys from San Diego, CA sound alright, in an inoffensive, low-key, roots-rockish kinda way. Some songs are tedious and drag on ("Train's Gonna Roll," "Lonesome Sky...") but others hit the mark -- "Walk Alone" is a fine, uptempo country number, and they definitely get extra points for covering Dale Watson ("Truck Stop In LaGrange") and Merle Haggard ("Silver Wings"). Still, this doesn't blow me away or anything; it's solid, but un-electrifying.

Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash "Distance Between" (Artemis Records, 2002)
I still say their name is needlessly gimmicky, especially considering how sedate and the band actually is. An okay, kinda slow-coreish, background music, country-rock style, reminiscent at times of Dave Alvin, but more likely to strain at the edges and lope along without apparent purpose. These guys are alright, I suppose, but they don't really excite me that much.

Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash "Mile Markers" (Texicali Records, 2005)

Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash "Live At the Belly Up" (Texicali Records, 2009)

(Mark Stuart And The) Bastard Sons (Of Johnny Cash) "Bend In The Road" (Dualtone Records, 2009)

Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash "New Old Story" (Randm Records, 2013)

Beachwood Sparks "Beachwood Sparks" (SubPop Records, 2000)
Great record!! Comparisons are rife between these guys and Gram Parsons... A more apt parallel might be to non-Parsons Byrds, say, around the time of the Notorious Byrd Brothers album. They've got a lot of the same elements: their off-kilter vocal harmonies strike the right balance between folksy and flawed, then there's the same herky-jerky rhythmic approach to the pedal steel (not unlike hippie-billy icon, Sneaky Pete)... Of course the Beachwoods do this with a nod and a wink -- earlier countrybilly pioneers like the Byrds and the New Riders already made the real mistakes, oh, those many years ago -- these guys are merely looking back with affection. The occasional Stereolabby bleep-bloop or Pink Floyd-y shooting-star keyboard riff remind us that a lot of water has gone under the rocknroll bridge since the days when Gram strode the earth, and this album proves itself a perfect extension of the psychedelic country music made way back when. It may seem erratic and sketchy, but actually the band put a lot of cunning and craft into this album, and the payoff is pretty nice. If you're like me, you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised to be humming a tune or two of theirs at unexpected times during the day. Check it out!

Beachwood Sparks "Once We Were Trees" (SubPop Records, 2001)
This album finds the Beachwood lads deeper into psychedelic terrain, but still country-rock as all get-out. It's a bit densely constructed, but if you're willing to go along on their wavelength, it's also quite rewarding. I think this is pretty impressive musicmaking.

Beachwood Sparks "Make The Cowboy Robots Cry" (SubPop Records, 2002)
The overt country elements are all but completely abandoned on this 6-song EP... Oh, sure, there's a clever touch of pedal steel weaving throughout, and their canny use of banjo plunks to punctuate their tunes is still fairly novel to the indierock scene, but at heart this is a straightforward rock record, with plenty of willful self-indulgence, pretty melodies and spacey, mellotron-laden sonic washes. Less densely constructed and stylistically complex than their earlier albums, and possibly the signpost marking the end of their innovative country-delic explorations. Alt.country enthusiasts may find their attention wandering, but more rock-oriented fans will probably enjoy this mellow, Sea & Cake-ish outing.

Beachwood Sparks "The Tarnished Gold" (SubPop Records, 2012)

Beachwood Sparks "Desert Skies" (Alive Naturalsound, 2013)

Bearfoot Bluegrass "Only Time Knows" (2002)
A mostly-female bluegrass/newgrass band from Alaska... Later they shortened their name to just plain old "Bearfoot."

Bearfoot Bluegrass "Back Home" (Glacier Records, 2004)

Bearfoot "Follow Me" (Glacier Records, 2005)

Bearfoot "Doors And Windows" (Compass Records, 2009)
This Alaskan ensemble has beautiful mix of luminous bluegrass and tender, confessional neo-folk, all delivered with an impeccable sense of melody and timing. The female vocals intertwine while bouncing around to the well-placed fiddle and mandolin... A sly dobro slips in and out, underscoring the playful, allusive lyrics. This is, in short, one of the sweetest and most listenable Americana-folk albums of the decade, taking deeply traditional sounds and giving them an original-sounding, soulful modernization. Very distinctive, and very nice. Highly recommended!

Bearfoot "American Story" (Compass Records, 2011)
(Produced by Brent Tuitt)
There's been a big shakeup in the decade-old Bearfoot bluegrass band, since the release of their mesmerizing 2009 album, Doors And Windows... Three of the five current members are new, including singer Nora Jane Struthers, who bears an uncanny likeness to Sarah Jarosz, both in her vocal tone and in the open-ended, poetic structure of her songs. One this album, the reconstituted band holds a likeness to Alison Krauss and Union Station, less stylistically then organizationally: the Struthers-led songs are balanced by more rugged, boyish bluegrass with more of a traditionalist feel, much the same way Dan Tyminski and Ron Block balance Krauss's modernist muse. I didn't find this album as alluring as their last, but there's plenty here to keep old fans happy and gather new ones in as well. Definitely worth a spin.

The Be Good Tanyas "Blue Horse" (Nettwerk Records, 2001)
This all-gal trio from Canada has a super-sugary, folk-tinged take on the Americana sound, with traces of acoustic soul-gals Tracy Chapman and Ani DiFranco evident in their sound, as well as more standard-issue folk-scene types like Cathy Fink and Greg Brown. Their big trick, musically speaking, is to take everything at a slow-moderate pace, with gentle syncopation punctuated with trad instruments such as the banjo and mandolin. The funny thing about it is that while the music is fairly monochromatic, their odd approach is still intriguing enough to hold your attention the hole way through. The weak spot is when they cover old folk tunes such as Stephen Foster's "Oh Suzannah," or public domain ditties like "Lakes Of Ponchartrain" or "The Coo-Coo Bird," in the same lazy, disjointed slowcore style. THEN they sound mannered and pretentious, and may tax the good will of their listeners. Worth checking out, though, especially if you're looking for something mellow.

The Be Good Tanyas "Chinatown" (Nettwerk Records, 2003)
This moody, magnificent followup to the first BGT album finds the band gaining solid footing, penning stronger material while self-producing the album, perfecting an oddball trip-hop folk style with a uniquely disjointed, mellow sensibility. The gals deploy old-timey instruments in an unusually relaxed manner, plunking the banjo at a loping gait, sawing a lazy fiddle along with a few funk-laced guitar riffs and unexpected modern touches. They indulge in little of the drag-racing flash and fire of the traditional bluegrass scene; indeed, the band's low-key, minimalist approach is what makes it consistently listenable and alluring. In an era of bombastic, overly-layered corporate pop, the Tanyas are a model of restraint and willful imperfection. Sadly, they seem unwilling to shed the almost-tedious, mumbly-voiced, white-girl acoustic soul murmuring they apparently copped from Ani DiFranco. It's an affectation that muddles an otherwise refreshingly direct presentation; nonetheless, the band's quiet grace will doubtless cast a comfortable glow on a thousand cafes across the land. This is a swell record, highly recommended!

The Be Good Tanyas "Hello Love" (Nettwerk Records, 2006)

The Be Good Tanyas "A Collection" (Nettwerk Records, 2012)

Belle Starr "Far As The Wind Blows" (BJAM Records, 1996)

Belle Starr "Nobody You'd Know" (Hayden's Ferry Records, 2000)

Belle Starr "Notes From The Broom Factory" (Hayden's Ferry Records, 2002)

The Belleville Outfit "Wanderin' " (Self-Released, 2008)
(Produced by John Rees and Bil VornDick)
A swell set of acoustic swing-twang-blues, a sound that'll be familiar to fans of artists such as Andrew Bird, The Asylum Street Spankers, Hot Club Of Cowtown, or the Squirrel Nut Zippers... One things that's nice about these Belleville kids(*) is that they aren't wrapped up in either being super-retro or super-novelty, they write heartfelt songs with poetic heft, played with conviction and power -- a really nice mix. I can't say I'm wild about the band's gal vocalist, Phoebe Hunt, but the other lead singer, Rob Teter, is pretty solid and he connects with the emotion core of his own original songs... These folks are musically solid and fun to hear -- I bet they're equally energetic playing live. (Also, to be fair to Ms. Hunt, she does saw a mean fiddle, and the album's last track, "Too Far To Fall," on which she sings lead, is an album highlight...) Keep your eyes open for these folks: this is a fine debut, and I'm looking forward to more fun stuff coming their way. (* PS - the band is, of course, actually from Austin... Perhaps their name is a nod towards nearby Bellville?)

The Belleville Outfit "Time To Stand" (Thirty Tigers Records, 2009)
(Produced by Bill Vorndick & The Belleville Outfit)
An interesting mix of twang, swing and swank... The Bellevilles pick up where The Hotclub Of Cowtown left off, delving into the acoustic swing repertoire and mixing it with homespun Americana-style country-folk, but in addition there's a hint of a more posh, luxurious style of pop, the sometimes schmaltzy melodicism of the pop vocals era, a hint in the ornate, note-heavy piano playing of Carmen Cavallero, or Serge Rachmaninoff, a lusher, grander style that fits in oddly well with the more rootsy elements of this band's sound. If you've enjoyed artists such as Andrew Bird, or Asylum Street Spankers, or any number of other swing-string auteurs, you might want to check these folks out as well... There's a lot going on in this lively batch of original songs -- lots of ideas, plenty of high-power musicianship, and a giddy sense of fun.

The Bellyachers "Bottoms Up" (Gut Records, 1999)
Oakland, California locals with a pretty solid, straight-up honky-tonk sound (and especially nice pedal steel work by David Phillips...) The female vox are in the Emmylou Harris/Carlene Carter range, which may please more than a few... This 7-song EP has a few rhythmic quirks and rough spots here and there, but for a self-released effort this is pretty strong stuff. The songwriting is especially high-calibre, with very little of the nudge-nudge, wink-wink stereotypes which plague "alt-country" these days. Keep an eye out for these folks.

The Bellyachers "Heavy In My Hands" (Gut Records, 2002)

The Bellyachers "200 Lucky Feet Move The Dragon" (Pratfall Records, 2005)

The Belvederes "Tin Pan Western Folk" (Cole Valley Recordings, 1998)
Folkie Americana from San Francisco, CA... You gotta give these fellas credit for playing stuff few others attempt these days -- this sounds heavily influenced by Pete Seeger, and reminiscent of '80s roots-folkies the Muskrats, with banjo plunkin', accordion squeezin', dobro twangin' good-natured takes on various stringband and folk scene oldies. The problem is that the production sounds a bit thin, and the main lead vocals are, too. Still, it's cute, local DIY material. For me, the album's highlight is the locally-themed "Inner Sunset Blues," which hearkens back to the psychedelic jugband sound of bands such as the Charlatans and the Warlocks...

Laura Benitez "For Duty Or For Love" (Copperhead Records, 2010)

Laura Benitez & The Heartache "Heartless Woman" (Copperhead Records, 2014)
(Produced by Gabriel Shepard)

Gary Bennett "Human Condition" (Landslide Records, 2006)
Gary Bennett, a co-founder of the Nashville-based uber-bar band, BR-549, left the group in 2001 and dropped out of the music community for a while, apparently to sort some stuff out in his real-life life and to devote himself to his family. His return to music after a five-year absence is a mellow, calmly contemplative country-soul outing that brings out a lot of the depth and personal emotion that seemed so lacking in BR-549's glib, humor-oriented repertoire. This is obviously a very heartfelt work, and a very powerful one as well, ranging stylistically between confessional pop-folk material to super-catchy twang/bounce tunes. It's a thoroughly satisfying record, with more depth and sincere feeling than most records seem to have these days. Recommended!

Gary Bennett "Inside & Out" (Bo Records, 2008)

Gary Bennett "My Ol' Guitar" (Raucous Records, 2010)
Solo stuff from one of the founding members of the then-dormant Nashville bar-band, BR5-49...

Gary Bennett "You Are Never Nice To Me" (EP) (Raucous Records, 2010)

Pinto Bennett "Famous Motel Cowboy Songs" (PT Records, 1988) (LP)

Pinto Bennett "Big In Winnemucca" (PT Records, 1988)

Pinto Bennett "Pure Quill" (PT Records/Koch Music, 1989)

Pinto Bennett "Ravages Of Time" (FMC Records, 1992)

Pinto Bennett "Side Channels" (FMC Records, 1993)

Pinto Bennett "Parallax View" (FMC, 2005)

Pinto Bennett "Dig We Must" (FMC, 2006)

Pinto Bennett "A Trailer Court Christmas" (FMC, 2006)

Pinto Bennett "Experience..." (Uncle Buck Productions, 2009)

Pinto Bennett "Soon" (2012)

Tab Benoit "Brother To The Blues" (Telarc Records, 2006)
Modern urban blues is a genre that's been largely dead to me for, oh, I dunno... the last twenty years or so... Every once in a while some album or artist will float to the top and get my ear, but for the most part it all sounds so forced and flat, just lots of going through the motions and doing the same old-same old, over and over. This disc, though, is one of those welcome exceptions to the rule, a truly funky, swampy mix of styles from a Louisiana bluesman who really understands the links between country, blues, rock and soul. It's all here in this rich, lively performance, where track after track has a vibrancy and immediacy, a sense that there's actually someone there behind the mic, feeling the lyrics and making you feel them, too. Much like Delbert McClinton, Benoit covers a wide range of territory, everything from Hank Williams to Sam Cooke, with Jim Lauderdale pitching in on a trio of tracks that he also composed, and the ever-raspy Billy Joe Shaver singing on one of his as well. It's only towards the end that Benoit slips into some old-school, piercingly tin-toned lead guitar, but for the most part this is a very soulful, satisfying album. Definitely worth checking out.

Lisa Biales "Singing In My Soul" (Big Song Music, 2013)
(Produced by Ricky Nye)
A really nice retro-blues record, with Ohio's Lisa Biales moving further back in time from her pervious Bonnie Raitt-ish album back to the sounds of the 1920s and '30s, covering classics by Blu Lu Barker, Mississippi John Hurt, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Sippie Wallace. Her vocals are cool and confident, with strong string-swing accompaniment from pianist Ricky Nye and his Paris Blues Band. She includes several familiar tunes, such as "Careless Love" and "You Got To Know How," so listeners get to adjust themselves to this being a set of standards, and pay attention to her interpretations, which -- I gotta say -- are uniformly pleasant. She also contributes one original composition, the playful, eccentric "Magic Garden," which has a saucy take on the Garden of Eden scenario. Nice record... highly recommended!

Steve Bice "The Sin Citizen Sessions, v.1" (Sin Citizen Records, 1997)

Steve Bice "Sixty Minutes Of Sin" (Sin Citizen Records, 2003)

Big Blue Hearts "Big Blue Hearts" (Geffen Records, 1997)
Country twangsters from Oakland, California with a sleek, Chris Isaak-like sound. This is smooth, soulful and easy on the ears; dunno what happened to these lads since they put this out, but it was a pretty nice album.

Big Blue Hearts "Here Come Those Dreams Again" (Adrenaline Music, 2005)

Big Sandy & The Fly-Rite Boys - see artist discography

Big Smith "Big Smith" (Big Smith Records, 2000)
An odd, charming set of songs, some with an interesting singer-songwriter feel, others are more jugbandy, some bluegrassy, and others still are modernized, off-kilter takes on old-timey themes, such as "Pretty Polly" and "Long Black Veil." These Missouri lads are a little ragged around the edges, but pleasantly so. And they defintitely seem to be following their own muse... So more power to them! Big Smith will satisfy anyone looking for records by real folks doing something a little bit different from the common herd.

Big Smith "Big Rock" (Big Smith, 2001)

Big Smith & Family "From Hay To Zzzzzz: Hillbilly Songs For Kids" (May Apple Records, 2001)

Big Smith "Gig" (May Apple Records, 2003)

Biller And Wakefield "The Hot Guitars Of..." (Hightone Records, 1999)
The pedal steel and Fender Telecaster duo of Biller and Wakefield first met while playing back-up for Wayne Hancock... This is a lovely, mostly instrumental, album which starts off on an EZ mellowtone that would have made Russ Morgan envious, and swiftly gallops off into twangier territory. By and large this is a lot more engaging than other recent entries in the instrumental chic arena... However, there are also some cool vocal tracks, including two by the briefly reunited Dave and Deke, as well as the super-hummable "Steel Crazy," which Big Sandy claims he wrote in the car on the way to the recording session. Well, if that's what his toss-offs are like... no wonder we love him so!

Biller And Horton "Texotica" (Vinylux Records, 2004)
Twin guitar wizardry from Dave Biller and Bobby Horton, ala Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West, mixing fast-paced twang with dreamy easy listening...

Rae Billing "Rae Billing" (Other People's Music, 2001)

Rae Billing "Blue Black Night" (Hug Music, 2008)
(Produced by Peter J. Moore)
An independently-released Canadian alt-country outing that is intensely derivative of raspy-voiced twang-gal balladeers such as Lucinda Williams, Mary Gautier and Eliza Gilkyson. Not that there's anything wrong with that, per se, but at times you do wish you were hearing more of Billing singing with her own voice, either metaphorically or literally. She tends towards the introspective and confessional side of the 'cana spectrum, not quite cutting loose with honkytonk twang or bluesy romps, but for fans of downcast, rueful-poetic lyrics, here's another album to put into the hopper.

Rae Billing & The Unpayables "Walls And Fences" (Hug Music, 2013)
(Produced by Michael J. Birthelmer)
Canadian songwriter Rae Billing is one of a generation of alt-country gals who sound like Lucinda Williams in much the same way skinny white guys in the early '70s all sounded like Dylan. But, hey, if you're gonna sound like someone famous, go for the gold. This album has a heavier, folkier, more singer-songwriter feel than some of her earlier work, but even though it's not my cup of tea, some songs stand out, such as the rueful "Sacramento River" and the Neil Young-ish "Seven Days." The production on this one's a bit lush for me, but folk fans might dig it.

Bill Parker And His Motherscratchers "United We Stand" (Wrecked Em Recordings, 2002)
Cowpunky-twangcore is alive and well, as evidenced by this disheveled Michigander quartet, which rollicks through the usual, cliched drink-too-much and sing-too-loud conventions of the style. Although I'm not real big on the whole white trash stereotype-laden, sing-lousy-'cause-that's- "country" vibe (it's just way too played out), every once in a while some of these bands hit on a good song, or, if we're lucky, they stay together long enough to outgrow the aw-shucks Cletus phase. This album has a bunch of curse-laden, Cramps-y rave-ups (and even a shambling, Pogues-style Celtic number!), all of which kind slide by without making much of an impression. But there are some nice verbal turns, lyrics that hint at possible greatness. And then there's the slow waltz, "Keep My Glass Filled," which is actually a pretty nice song. I'm not wild about this album, but you Bloodshot types out there might like it a lot.

The Bills "Let 'Em Run" (Red House Records, 2005)
This Canadian quintet gives eclectic music a good name, spinning off from a basic bluegrassy sound into more modern terrain as well as French-Canadian and classical-tinged material. The clunky classical-inspired stuff that opens the album and bookends a few passages is the only weak spot -- it sounds like it was just plunked down in the middle of an otherwise winsome album -- but I guess you can't fault such a talented ensemble for trying to tell us that they are "classy" players, too. Overall, this is a very lively, playful set -- more than anything, it reminds me of old, early New Grass Revival records, which is fairly high praise in my book! Worth checking out.

The Bills "Yes, Please" (Red House Records, 2013)

Ryan Bingham "Mescalito" (Lost Highway Records, 2007)
(Produced by Mark Ford)
It took me a long time to review this album because I kept getting stuck on one great track, "Bread And Water," an electrifying, foot-stomping, boogie-rock wild ride that starts off slow and then kicks into one of the best, most joyful slide guitar riffs I've heard in years. Hit repeat. "Bread And Water," an electrifying, foot-stomping, boogie-rock wild ride that starts off slow and then kicks into one of the best, most joyful slide guitar riffs I've heard in years. Hit repeat. "Bread And Water," an electrifying, foot-stomping, boogie-rock wild ride that starts off slow and then kicks into one of the best, most joyful slide guitar riffs I've heard in years. Hit repeat. "Bread And Water," an electrifying, foot-stomping, boogie-rock wild ride that starts off slow and then kicks into one of the best, most joyful slide guitar riffs I've heard in years. Hit repeat...... So about the fourth or fifth time I played it over at full volume, my mind drifted back to the Black Crowes and, sure enough, there on the back cover was a credit for ex-BC-er Mark Ford, who produced the album and plays guitar on most of the songs. The uninhibited, unapologetic retro feel of the Crowes is evident on many of the tracks, but Bingham's own personality and unique musical tilt remains in the foreground. Yet another terribly talented West Texan, Ryan Bingham has a genuine wildness and rawness that is missing in so much of country music today: the Top 40 and the Back Forty are both full of formulae, and each scene struggles in its own way to convince listeners that it hasn't forgotten its real country roots. Artists like Bingham are a blessing because they don't have to convince anybody of anything -- they simply are tapped into the fiery, gritty, greasy fun that is real roots music. Bingham's songs are weird, his emotions are raw, his spelling is bad. When you look inside the liner notes, you expect some dried up red clay to fall out on the floor, maybe with a few seeds and stems, or a couple of cigarette butts and a sweaty smell or two. Even if it's not inside the shrinkwrap, it's definitely there in the music. Bingham and Ford craft a unique sound, and in addition to a revitalized Southern-rockish sound, they get into surprisingly challenging material as well, particularly on "Sunshine," which takes the slide guitar sound and twists it into a grungy, repetitive drone worthy of Japan's Zeni Geva or indie rock's My Bloody Valentine. The grungy guitars bleed into the Neil Young-ish "Hard Times," and by this time it's pretty apparent that this ain't your average twangcore album. Bingham really seems to have something to say, or at least a way of speaking that's different from most of his alt-country contemporaries -- one sure sign is the presence of Texas cow-art icon Terry Allen, whose vocals and general vibe on "Ghost Of Travelin' Jones" make it another album highlight. The last third of the album meanders a bit, but the standout track are enough to get an jaded old fart like myself to sit up and take notice... And to hope for a follow-up album to come out real soon!

Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses "Roadhouse Sun" (Lost Highway, 2009)
(Produced by Mark Ford)
An interesting follow-up to his debut -- the Southern rock elements are still there, but less loud, as an alluring Steve Earle-ish singer-songrocker vibe takes over. There's also a strong Black Crowes influence (not surprising, with Mark Ford on board) which makes some real gems, such as "Bluebird" and a couple of psychedelic-grunge songs (such as "Change Is") that go on a little too long. Overall, another very strong album from one of the most promising Americana artists around. If you like crunching, fuzzed-out power chords along with your cup of contemplative twang, you'll wanna check this one out.

Ryan Bingham "Tomorrowland" (Axster/Bingham Records, 2012)
Another album of rough-and-tumble, grungy, bluesy rock from Ryan Bingham, who seems to have mostly left the country twang out of this album in favor of a more rough-edged Southern-rock/jamband feel... Oh, well. I'm not much of a concert-goer or speaker-cranker these days, so the thumping beats and crunchy chords don't do as much for me as slide guitar and a little bit of subtlety. I'm sure most of Bingham's peeps will dig this disc, though it's not really my kind of "Americana."

Terri Binion "Leavin' This Town" (Daemon/Shinola Records, 1997)

Terri Binion "Fool" (Richter Records, 2002)
One of the most distinctive indie-Americana albums to come down the pike in quite some time! This record makes a strong first impression, and only gains depth with each successive listen. Orlando, Florida's Terri Binion sings with an irony-laced raspiness, making it easy to draw a facile Lucinda Williams comparison (especially since Lucinda sings harmony on the bouncy opening track, "GayleAnne"...) yet Binion clearly has her own artistic voice, and every song on this album has a compelling, off-kilter charm. Cloaked in familiar-sounding country-tinged arrangements, she glides subtly into pop-folkish singer-songwriter terrain, balancing wry lyrics and skillfully crafted melodies in a way that is also reminiscent of the Roches early work. Many of today's alt-hick types have their glimpses of brilliance; Binion is able to sustain her connection to the Muse throughout the length of the entire album. Nice touch on the "mystery track" at the end -- Binion does a little field recording with one of her old-timer Southern relatives, who she sits down and asks to sing the song about a moonshiner relative, Jim Binion, locally famous for having taken a pot-shot at the sheriff one day. with banjo plunkin', and quiet self effacement, he answers her question, "who wrote this song?" by saying, "I dunno: it was here when I was here!" Just one more charming touch on a compelling, noteworthy album. This is one you'll definitely want to pick up -- and hang onto. (Here's her website for more info.)

Scott Biram "This Is Kingsbury?" (KnuckleSandwich Records, 2000)

Scott H. Biram "Preachin' & Hollerin' " (KnuckleSandwich Records, 2002)

Scott H. Biram "Rehabilitation Blues" (EP) (KnuckleSandwich Records, 2003)

Scott H. Biram "Lo:Fi Mojo" (KnuckleSandwich Records, 2003)

Scott H. Biram "The Dirty Old One Man Band" (KnuckleSandwich, 2004)

Scott H. Biram "The Dirty Old One Man Band" (Bloodshot Records, 2005)
From the hype surrounding this guy -- folks calling him a "coon-ass" crazy maniac, etc. -- I figured this would be yet another lame-o "white trash stereotype" album, catering to those whose approach to country music is primarily as a form of shock theatre, or -- more positively -- as an excuse to get really, really drunk and scream along to poorly played twang tunes down at their local bar. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Biram's less of a Hasil Adkins or GG Allin clone than a kindred spirit to England's Billy Childish, or even to the Gories -- a raspy practitioner of sloppy, electrified garage blues with a gleefully slapdash mix of Howlin' Wolf and Hank Williams. Not only that, but he's pretty good... Biram sounds like he's shouting through a cardboard microphone, barking over some pretty mean, chunky, live-wire electric guitar, it's dirty and raw and not too contrived. Sure, this has all been done before and there are about a million records just like this on Crypt, Damaged Goods and a couple of dozen other indie labels, but Biram takes up the torch and runs with it for all he's worth. I bet he's pretty good live, too... In short, fans of Rev. Horton Heat or Southern Culture On The Skids will doubtless flock to this guy, with the real twist being that Biram may actually blow those guys out of the water. So if you like it dirty and kranggy, obnoxious and a little bit dumb, this disc is a winner.

Scott H. Biram "Graveyard Shift" (Bloodshot Records, 2006)

Scott H. Biram "Something's Wrong/Lost Forever" (Bloodshot Records, 2009)

Scott H. Biram "Bad Ingredients" (Bloodshot Records, 2011)

The Biscuit Burners "Fiery Mountain Music" (Indidog Records, 2004)
Bluegrass-meets-indie from a North Carolina band featuring singer Shannon Whitworth, who went on to record several solo albums... Very choppsy, but also very eclectic... Fans of Uncle Earl or the Be Good Tanyas might enjoy this as well.

The Biscuit Burners "A Mountain Apart" (Indidog Records, 2005)

The Biscuit Burners "Take Me Home" (Indidog Records, 2008)

Elvin Bishop - see artist discography

Jeff Black "Birmingham Road" (Arista Records, 1998)
(Produced by Ben Grosse & Susan Rogers)
Kansas City troubadour Jeff Black had found considerable success in the 1990s as a commercial country songwriter, plugging songs in Nashville before he recorded this indie-tinged album with backing from various members of the band Wilco (basically everybody but Jeff Tweedy...) It's an interesting career move for a guy who'd placed hits with artists such as Blackhawk and Waylon Jennings... But I guess his folkie-alt roots were still close to the surface; also on board is Americana-scene icon Iris DeMent, who sings backup on several songs, returning the favor for Black, who had sang on one of her albums a couple of years before...

Jeff Black "Honey And Salt" (Yep Roc Records, 2003)

Jeff Black "B-Sides And Confessions: Volume One" (Dualtone Records, 2003)
(Produced by Jeff Black)
Despite the overly-urgent, whispery vocals, the self-conscious lyrical profundity and the absurdly pretentious album title, I gotta say that this guy writes consistently engaging songs, and this is an album that'll sneak up on you. Backed by mournful piano and bass as often as by a stripped-down guitar, Black evokes roots-rock forefathers such as Mark Knopfler, Bruce Springsteen and Greg Brown, and seems pretty comfortable rubbing elbows on their gruff-voiced folksy plateau. Fans of the style should enjoy this album, and will want to keep an eye on this Kansas City troubadour... He's a skillful songwriter and an unhurried, effective stylist, one who knows how to command our attention without resorting to the empty theatrics or alt-anything gimmickry. Well, now I guess I gotta track down a copy of his first album!

Jeff Black "Tin Lily" (Dualtone Records, 2005)
The fine line between roots music and alternative/adult pop/rock keeps getting harder to pinpoint... On his latest album, Nashville songwriter Jeff Black tilts more towards the pop end of the spectrum, with a dancing, Bruce Hornsby-ish piano plinking along, and broader, poppier melodic hooks on several songs. There's a little fiddle and twang in there as well, though I'd guess this would appeal more to Springsteen fans than to the Hank & Hank crowd.

Blackie And The Rodeo Kings "Kings Of Love" (True North Records, 1999)

Blackie And The Rodeo Kings "Bark" (True North Records, 2003)
Hey, waitaminnit.... If it's Canadian, is it still Americana? Far North Americana, maybe? Sub-Arcticana? Anyway, this disc opens with "Swinging From The Chains Of Love," a tasty, upbeat country-billy tune, then it zips into more chunky-sounding roots-rockish territory, with a bouncy, agile slide guitar at the heart of the mix, bringing to mind old stuff by David Lindley and Ry Cooder. Mostly this is pretty darn catchy, although they do slip into some sluggish tropes, as with the forced profundity of "Heaven Knows Your Name," "Willie's Diamond Joe," and a couple of other tunes. If you like these guys, also try checking out solo albums by singer-guitarist Colin Linden.

Blackie And The Rodeo Kings "Let's Frolic" (True North, 2006)

Blackie And The Rodeo Kings "Let's Frolic Again" (True North, 2006)

Blackie And The Rodeo Kings "Kings And Queens" (File Under Music, 2011)
(Produced by Colin Linden)
Canada's finest Americana band, Colin Linden and company, with an all-star cast of female collaborators, including Rosanne Cash, Exene Cervenka, Emmylou Harris, Sam Phillips, Pam Tillis, Sara Watkins and Lucinda Williams, to name a few. Whew! Let me catch my breath for a minute... Anyhoo, it's quite a cast of characters, with some powerful, punchy tunes... The overall vibe is a little more bluesy and roadhouse than I'm into these days, but if you want a little whiff of sawdust and beer along with twang and bang, this is pretty strong set. Definitely worth checking out.

Black Jake & The Carnies "Where The Heather Don't Grow" (Self-released, 2008)
(Produced by Black Jake)
A bluegrass-tinged twangcore set, with rushed, wordy vocals and thumping, clattering rhythms... Jake and his crew hail from Michigan, and have a vibe similar to Split Lip Rayfield. The songs tend to be story-oriented, would-be epics with a Dylanesque heaping-on of detail; then again, I found it hard to determine what most of these songs were about, partly because the delivery was so frantic and haphazard and also because none of them really grabbed my imagination. Not really my cup of tea, but I could see how they'd be a fun local band to follow live -- lots of wild energy and momentum, though maybe not much finesse.

The Black Lillies "Runaway Freeway Blues" (North Knox Records, 2013)
(Produced by Cruz Contreras)
An impressive set of well-crafted, impassioned, musically diverse recordings written by lead singer Cruz Contreras, with rock-solid backing that includes some fine pedal steel and guitars, as well as strong but understated harmony vocals from Trisha Gene Brady. Contreras reminds me of California cult fave Larry Hosford, another of-the-radar craftsman of modest voice but prodigious talent. This album smoothly shifts from style to style, starting off in a sort of contemplative folk-twang mode and moving into funkier, more rock-oriented material, and pretty much every track compelling, if a bit rough-edged. There are also several beautiful melodic numbers, including the mellow, shimmering "Glow," which closes the album out... This is the real-deal DIY twang of today -- definitely worth checking out!

Black Prairie "Feast Of The Hunter's Moon" (Sugar Hill Records, 2010)
(Produced by Tucker Martine)
A fascinating, challenging set of acoustic music from some indie-rocksters, including three members of the ever-eclectic Decemberists... There are some doleful, brooding dirges, some surprisingly bright and accomplished, pure-sounding bluegrass, as well as a whole slew of tunes that sound influenced by Balkan and Nordic folk music. It's a solid record, although the tilt towards a darker, more European vibe may chase off a few of the more innocent Americana fans among us. Cool stuff, though!

Black Prairie "A Tear In The Eye Is A Wound In The Heart" (Sugar Hill Records, 2012)

Black Prairie "The Storm In The Barn" (2012)

Black Prairie "Wild Ones" (Captain Bluegrass Records, 2013)

The Blacks "Dolly Horrorshow" (Bloodshot, 1998)

The Blacks "Just Like Home" (Bloodshot, 2000)

The Blasters - see Dave Alvin

Rory Block "Last Fair Deal" (TelArc Records, 2003)
An airy, loose acoustic set, with plenty of gentle slide guitar, and a hefty dose of straightforward preachin' gospel blues. Some surprises, like an ethereal instrumental version of "Amazing Grace." To be honest, she sounds a bit mannered and stuffy on some of these tracks, yet the mix of informal presentation and an overall evocative, spine-tingly feel make this record worth checking out...

The Blood Oranges "Corn River" (East Side Digital, 1990)

The Blood Oranges "Lone Green Valley (EP)" (East Side Digital, 1992)

The Blood Oranges "The Crying Tree" (East Side Digital, 1994)

Blue Dogs "Soul Dogfood" (Black River Records, 1993)

Blue Dogs "Music For Dog People" (Black River Records, 1994)

Blue Dogs "Blue Dogs" (Black River Records, 1997)

Blue Dogs "Live At The Dock Street Theatre" (Black River Records, 1999)

Blue Dogs "For The Record" (Black River Records, 1999)

Blue Dogs "Letters From Round O" (Black River Records, 1999)

Blue Dogs "Live At The Florence Little Theater" (Black River Records, 2002)

Blue Dogs "Halos And Good Buys" (Black River Records, 2004)
(Produced by Don Gehman & Mark Dearnley)
Nice, tuneful, roots-rockish material that bridges the gap between Bryan Adams/John Mellencamp/Springsteen power ballad rock and more countryish stuff... This Charlottesville band, which has been together since the mid-1980s, are audibly relaxed and having fun, in a loose, Jerry Jeff-ish way. They're probably too limber and acoustic-based to crack the Nashville charts, though with a tweak here and there, they'd sound right at home, next to Tim McGraw or Dierks Bentley. There's a liberal use of formulaic, shamelessly "perfect" melodic hooks, combined with a canny faith in the power of a repeated chorus, and a catchy little mandolin, laced through the who album... These guys know how to make a song stick in your head, and there's a lot to be said for that... This isn't my kind of music, but I found myself sucked in by several songs... If I was still doing commercial country radio, I'd probably try sneaking some of this record in, just to see what happens. Anyway, if you do like any of the artists mentioned above, you might want to check these guys out... They're pretty good!

Blue Dogs "Live At Workplay" (Black River Records, 2005)

Blue Rags "Rag-N-Roll" (SubPop Records, 1997)

Blue Rags "Eat At Joes" (SubPop Records, 1999)
A likeable modern-day bar-blues/ragtime jug band, with echoes of Leon Russell, Dr. John, The Band and Jim Kweskin. The 'Rags sound more focused and better produced than contemporaries such as the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Asylum Street Spankers, et al, although most of their songs are pretty ephemeral: not much going on in terms of the songwriting, but the musicianship is solid. I guess they're trying to affect a Terry Allen-ish postmodern irony, though their songs lack the level of detail that make Allen's songs so effective. Still, it sounds fun, and is definitely worth checking out!

Bocephus King "A Small Good Thing" (New West Records, 1998)
Low-key singer-songwriter roots-rock material, with growled-out vocals that sound a bit forced, but musical backup that kinda makes up for it. Jon Dee Graham fans, for example, might like this, though I found it a little too amorphous and unsculpted, even dreary at times...

Bocephus King "A Small Good Thing" (Tonic Records, 2005)

Bocephus King "Willie Dixon God Damn!" (Tonic Records, 2011)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers "Pearls Snaps" (Smith Entertainment, 1999)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers "Truck Stop Diaries" (Sustain Records, 2001)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers "Live And Lit At Billy Bob's Texas" (Smith Entertainment, 2002)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers "Somewhere In The Middle" (Smith Entertainment, 2004)
Hell, yeah! Texan bandleader-songwriter Jason Boland has come out of left field with this fine, fun set of latter-day outlaw country, produced by and featuring guitar work by Lloyd Maines, and original songwriting by Boland and a guest appearance by Billy Joe Shaver. It may be derivative -- the opening tracks sound like something by a Waylon Jennings cover band -- but it's the right kind of music to emulate... Boland gets the feel just right, singing no-nonsense funky country tunes with lyrics that sing the praise of longneck beers and lay a curse upon them fatcat city slickers in Nashville who wouldn't know a great bar-band if it kicked 'em in the ass... The album starts off with "Hank," a standard-issue tribute to the late, great, sainted Mr. Williams, and moves onto the groggy "When I'm Stoned" and "Somewhere In The Middle," which sings the praises of America's scruffy, un-telegenic heartland. There are a couple of tunes towards the end of the record that lost my interest -- I could live without the wanky electric guitar on "Thunderbird Wine" and the prolonged profundity of "Hell Or Bust" -- but two songs versus ten ain't a bad average (!) If you like good, old-fashioned rowdybilly indie country, then this is an album well worth checking out.

Jason Boland "The Bourbon Legend" (Sustain Records, 2006)

Jason Boland "Comal County Blue" (Sustain Records, 2008)
(Produced by Lloyd Maines)
An excellent album that gathers steam as it goes along. It opens on (what I consider to be) a flat note, with "Sons And Daughters Of Dixie," one of those Charlie Daniels/Hank Jr-styled the-South-is-gonna-rise-again anthems that parades the same-old, flatulent Southern victimhood stuff. Does anyone still really cling to that kind of grumpy 19th Century anti-Americanism? Or is it just some kind of antiquated historical sub-genre, like Appalachian murder ballads, that people sing for nostalgic purposes, even though it doesn't really mean anything anymore? Anyway, it all goes up from there, as Boland digs deep into the rootsy red-dirt country that he's known for... His voice seems deeper and gruffer somehow, and is songwriting is spectacular. The title track, "Comal County Blue," is drenched in delicious pedal steel (courtesy of guitarist Roger Ray) and "The Party's Not Over" is a doozy of an outlaw country singalong, basically one big rowdy chorus, with Boland trading verses with Texas indie elder Robert Earl Keen. Where he really hits home is on sleeper songs like "May Not Be Love," a bittersweet ballad worthy of Don Williams, and "God Is Mad At Me," which features the stunning couplet, God is mad at me/'cuz he things I worship you... another song where Boland reminds me, improbably, of Don Williams. I like the roughneck stuff plenty, but this poetic side suits Boland as well, and this disc is going to keep me busy hitting the "replay" button while I wait for his next album to come out. A very strong indie album that's definitely worth checking out.

Jason Boland & The Stragglers "High In The Rockies: A Live Album" (Thirty Tigers Records, 2010)
(Produced by Jason Boland & The Stragglers)
A great live set that shows why red-dirt road warrior Jason Boland remains one of the finest hard-country singers of his generation -- a lively, good-humored set that's met with wild enthusiasm by the fans. The songs are mostly drawn from his earlier albums, gems like "Bourbon Legend," "Comal County Blue" and "No One Left To Blame," and he rips into them with great enthusiasm and confidence. The sound quality is great, too -- this almost sounds like it was recorded in a studio, though the added spark of the crowd's wild response adds a nice extra layer to some already-great music. Can you tell I'm a fan?

Jason Boland & The Stragglers "Rancho Alto" (Thirty Tigers Records, 2011)

Jason Boland & The Stragglers "Dark And Dirty Mile" (Proud Souls/Thirty Tigers Records, 2013)
(Produced by Jason Boland & Shooter Jennings)

Emily Bonn "Songs From Alabama Street" (2009)

Ray Bonneville "On The Main" (Electric Desert Records, 1993)

Ray Bonneville "Solid Ground" (Bluetone Records, 1996)

Ray Bonneville "Gust Of Wind" (Stony Plain Records, 1999)

Ray Bonneville "Rough Luck" (Prime CD, 2000)

Ray Bonneville "Roll It Down" (Red House Records, 2004)
Really nice! Canadian folk-bluesman Ray Bonneville produces a smoky set of tuneful, catchy roots-rock ramblings, with sly electric and steel guitar work and growly, world-weary vocals reminiscent of J.J. Cale, Guy Clark and Mark Knopfler. The songs have a subtle folkie hue, but with strong, blues-laced melodic hooks that make this disc quite listenable, even if the jaded, looking-sideways-at-the-world lyrical tropes may seem a bit overly familiar. I'd say this is a cut or two above similar records and is pretty darn satisfying... in fact, I've had it on the stereo all week and it's one of the most listenable new roots records I've heard in a while. Definitely worth checking out.

Ray Bonneville "Goin' By Feel" (Red House Records, 2007)
(Produced by Ray Bonneville, Rob Heaney & Gurf Morlix)
A densely-layered blues-folk mix, packed with smoky, reverby, muted guitar work reminiscent of Pops Staples, and wry, wordy vocals that have obvious parallels to Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler and JJ Cale. The first couple of times I listened to this, I thought maybe it was a bit much, that he was trying a bit too hard... But then, like his earlier albums, it grew on me and became increasingly resonant -- fans of any of the above-mentioned giants should find this album quite alluring as well. Naturally, Bonneville pays tribute to the fallen and resurgent spirit of New Orleans ("I Am The Big Easy") and gets some fine vocal assist from labelmate Eliza Gilkyson... A nice, moody album from a modern folkie who's starting to carve out a real rep for himself. Definitely worth checking out.

Ray Bonneville "Bad Man's Blood" (Red House Records, 2011)

Ray Bonneville "Easy Gone" (Red House Records, 2014)
(Produced by Ray Bonneville & Justin Douglas)
Another nice set of moody, melodic neo-blues from Canadian troubadour Ray Bonneville, whose slick, slinky shimmering production style suggests a kind of Northern JJ Cale... Most tracks feature Bonneville in a trio with Gurf Morlix on bass and Goeff Arsenault playing drums, while guest artist Eliza Gilkyson duets on "Where Has My Easy Gone." Many tracks spotlight Bonneville playing solo, though a couple feature him with a larger, more rock-tinged band. The repertoire includes an appropriately languid version of Hank Williams's "So Lonesome I Could Cry"; otherwise it's all original material. Whether with a large band or small, the entire album has a rich, resonant sound which is matched by Bonneville's expansive, charismatic presence. Fans of his earlier albums will doubtless dig this, too!

Patty Booker "I Don't Need All That" (PMS Records, 1999)

Patty Booker & Rick Shea "Our Shangri-La" (Tres Pescadores Records, 2003)
(Produced by Rick Shea)
A fun set of hillbillied-out duets that mostly mine a novelty-oriented "You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly" terrain, very similar to Melba Montgomery's comedic duets with George Jones and Charlie Louvin or some of the funnier Loretta Lynn-Conway Twitty duets. Booker and Shea come close to lapsing into trailer-park stereotypes, but manage to keep things real, and inject a genuine sense of country pathos into their stories of broken love and underfunded romance. Definitely worth checking out.

Patty Booker "Fire And Brimstone" (Tres Pescadores Records, 2007)

The Bootcuts "Awful Good" (Makewater Music, 2001)
More of them there snotty city kids using country music as an excuse for puerile humor... At least the picking is solid -- these San Francisco Bay Area hipsters can play their instruments, it's just that they're spending an equal amount of effort being "clever" with the lyrics, as well as their exaggerated hillbilly accents, and dopey nom de hick pseudonyms ("I know... let's call Lori 'Lurleen' and Ross will be 'Cletus!' Haw haw haw!!"). More lame white trash stereotypes; I wish more folks could get this sort of stuff out of their system before they make a record... It's especially sad seeing a band with this much talent simply waste it on musical poo-poo jokes.

The Bootcuts "In The Comfort Of Your Own Home" (Makewater Records, 2004)

Sarah Borges "Silver City" (Blue Corn Records, 2005)

Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles "Diamonds In The Dark" (Sugar Hill Records, 2007)
A muscular mix of driving, streamlined roots-rock and twang from this LA-based powerhouse. Borges opens the album with the propulsive "The Day We Met," which recalls Ryan Adams's finer, younger moments, then abruptly shifts gear into the power-poppy, Bangles-ish "Come Back To Me." Having established her multi-genre bona fides, she settles back into a roots-rock tone that strongly recalls Lone Justice, along with a dash of Tom Petty and Sheryl Crow. Apparently this is her second album, and though she'd formed an all-new lineup of her band, she's still working with rock producer Paul Q. Kolderie (known for his work with Radiohead and The Pixies...) There are several stand-out songs as well as a few others that are less distinctive. Overall, this is a strong, noteworthy album, and although it seems likely she'll head into a more rock-oriented direction, Borges has the potential to be a dominant figure on the Americana scene. We'll see which way the wind blows... In the meantime, I'm sure plenty of folks will dig this disc.

Sarah Borges "Do It For Free" (EP) (Sugar Hill Records, 2009)
An intriguing three-song sampler, with two rock songs bracketing a pleasantly twang-ful alt-country track. The title song is a loud, backbeat-a-licious hard rock song that's pure Joan Jett; the last track is more of a would-be alternative tune that's fairly anemic by comparison. This disc might be a little schizo, but she does deliver on both the head-bang and the twang, so I'd say it's still up to her which world to conquer. Country fans can stick with the lone twang tune, "Friend Of A Friend".

Sarah Borges "The Stars Are Out" (Sugar Hill Records, 2009)
(Produced by Paul Q. Kolderie)
Amid a music industry devoted to pigeonholing our every desire, LA's Sarah Borges really stands out for her commitment to stylistic diversity. As with her earlier releases, she's all over the map: this album opens with "Do It For Free," a thumping, banging, anthemic hard-rock number ala Joan Jett or the Runaways, then coasts into bright bubblegum pop and, yes, still a bit of twang. There are alot of interesting cover tunes as well... The most surprising inclusion is a cover of Smokey Robinson's 1970s' AOR hit "Being With You", which gives way to a cover of the Magnetic Fields '80s-ish synth-ballad "

Sarah Borges "Live Singles" (Suck A Bag Of Discs, 2010)

The Bo-Stevens "A Little More Road" (Self-Released, 2007)

The Bo-Stevens "Your Crazy Heart" (Self-Released, 2013)
(Produced by The Bo-Stevens & Doug Williams)
Rollicking, twang-drenched indiebilly honkytonk, with plenty of lively picking and misery-soaked novelty numbers, ideal for crying in your beer, then throwing the empty bottle at the chicken wire of your heart. This North Carolina band will appeal to twangcore types, but they also have a strongly traditional hard-country orientation, with good guitars and nimble mandolin backing gritty, dramatic vocals. Fans of Buck Owens or the Derailers might really dig these guys!

Libbi Bosworth "Outskirts Of You" (Freedom Records, 1997)

Libbi Bosworth "Libbiville" (Ramble Records, 2001)
Wow. Yahoo! A super-likable, flat-out fun, indie-billy album from down Texas way... Rosie Flores fans might want to check this one out... If anything, Bosworth is a much more solid country singer, and the songs -- about half of which Bosworth wrote -- are uniformly great. Lloyd Maines, Johnny Gimble and Gurf Morlix are among the musicians lined up on this fine disc; Morlix also contributes a couple of tunes to the playlist. Texas yodeler Don Walser joins her for a spirited version of "Something To Brag About In You," an old duet hit for Charlie Louvin and Melba Montgomery (and George & Tammy, as well...) Great album; highly recommended!

The Bottle Rockets "Bottle Rockets" (East Side Digital, 1993)
(Produced by John Keane)
The debut disc from these raucous indiebilly roots-rockers, featuring ex-Uncle Tupelo member Brian Hennemann, with guest stars Jeff Tweedy and Jay Ferrar (super altabilly idols, also of Uncle Tupelo/Wilco fame) pitching in on several tunes. These Missouri longhairs stake out some Southern-alt turf with "Wave That Flag," about the prevalence of the Confederate flag in pickup trucks across the land, and sing numerous songs of slacking and yearning for love. The songwriting isn't terribly skillful, but it gets the point across, and I find the directness kind of appealing. Mostly, this is too rock-oriented and bar-bandish for my tastes, but I can see the appeal. (Nice pedal steel work by John Keane, by the way...) Equal parts Skynyrd, Blasters and Amazing Rhythm Aces... Worth checking out.

The Bottle Rockets "The Brooklyn Side" (East Side Digital, 1994)
The start of this album got me all excited... "Welfare Music" (referring to the cheap country cassettes that are all the song's heroine can afford...) is a thoughtful, acoustic based number that really got my attention... But then they go all loud and crunchy on a bunch of thumpy rock songs, and try out a few production ideas that are kind of underwhelming. Still, there are some interesting lyrical ideas, like "Thousand Dollar Car" (an ode to a junker) and the goofy political punks-vs.-slacker hillbillies tune, "Idiot's Revenge," and by the end of the album they hit a groove that I can settle into, bringing me back after the clang-bang noisiness of the album's first half... I've never been all that into the grungy, electrified side of the alt-country scene, but these guys do have some good songs to add to the mix... Many folks consider this album to be their best... and they're probably right. Worth checking out.

The Bottle Rockets "24 Hours A Day" (Atlantic Records, 1997)
I'm sure many fans bemoan how "slick" they became after landing a major label contract... But on some songs the more melodic approach helps a lot; I do think their early albums suffered from poor production, even if they had the fire in the belly and all. They do sound kind of tame here, but there's still some nice songwriting going on, and I think the bump up into a more professional presentation actually helped make them more listenable, and that the band used the opportunity well. Certainly worth checking out, with several songs that are more memorable (or at least more hummable) than on their earlier records... "Indianapolis," in particular, is a great song.

The Bottle Rockets "Brand New Year" (Mercury/Doolittle Records, 1999)
This one's pretty bland, though. They'd definitely lost it by then. The band sounds bored with what they're doing; the songs are really slapdash and full of boring, super-generic rock riffs. Was this one of those let's-get-out-of-our-contract-fast-by-making-a-crappy-record records? I guess.

The Bottle Rockets "Songs Of Sahm" (Bloodshot Records, 2001)
A scrappy twangcore band with a whole album of Doug Sahm/Sir Douglas Quintet cover tunes, tackling classics such as "Mendocino," "Be Real," and others. My first reaction was, "huh? why bother...?" But then I listened a while longer and got in on the band's wavelength. The originals are better, but this ain't bad.

The Bottle Rockets "Blue Sky" (Sanctuary Records, 2003)
Bar-band Americana, with a sharp, biting sense of humor... The opening tracks, "Lucky Break" and "Man Of Constant Anxiety" are as fine examples of contemporary outlaw country as you're likely to find, but the album starts to drag on more obvious numbers such as "Men And Women" and "Cartoon Wisdom," and the music takes on a thump-thumping sameiness that overwhelms us by the album's end. OK, but not one I'd consider a keeper.

The Bottle Rockets "Zoysia" (Bloodshot Records, 2006)
They've been around forever but recorded only a few albums, and while they were early contemporaries of Uncle Tupelo and all their alt-twang spinoffs, fame always eluded the Rockets, which may explain why they are still so damn good. This is heady mix of grungy, fuzzy, Neil Young-style rawk guitars and good'n'greezy bar-band Americana. Like all of these guys, they lay it on a little thick, but their songs are refreshingly free of "hick" stereotypes and mopey loser mumbling... Frankly, I couldn't really tell you what most of their songs are about, but I can tell you that none of them seemed contrived or got on my nerves -- indeed, the Bottle Rockets have a way with a melody, and surprisingly strong, adhesive hooks rise to the surface and latch onto your brain. This album's a real toe-tapper -- grubby roots-rock with a Teenage Fan Club electric wail... Worth checking out! (...And while we're at it, here's a link to the band's own website.)

The Bottle Rockets "Not So Loud" (Bloodshot Records, 2011)

The Bouchards "High Water Line" (Double Dice Records, 2008)
(Produced by Jason Lockie & The Bouchards)
Nice, amiable country-rock indiebilly from the Pacific Northwest... Sort of like the Derailers, these guys mix sweet-sounding twang with melodic, 60s-ish pop-rock, with plenty of pedal steel thrown in on top. Nice, mellow, and very DIY... Worth a spin!

Wade Bowen "Try Not To Listen" (Sustain Records, 2002)

Wade Bowen "The Blue Light - Live" (Sustain Records, 2004)

Wade Bowen "Lost Hotel" (Sustain Records, 2006)

Wade Bowen "If We Ever Make It Home" (Sustain Records, 2008)

Wade Bowen "Live At Billy Bob's Texas " (Smith's Music, 2010)

Wade Bowen "The Given" (BNA Records, 2012)

The Boxmasters "The Boxmasters" (Vanguard Records, 2008)

The Boxmasters "Christmas Cheer" (Saw Mill Records, 2008)

The Boxmasters "Modbilly" (Vanguard Records, 2009)

Carla Bozulich - see artist profile

BR5-frickin'-49 - see artist discography

Eric Brace & Peter Cooper "You Don't Have To Like Them Both" (Red Beet Records, 2008)
(Produced by Eric Brace & Peter Cooper)
A nice folkie/twangy outing from two fellas from the band Last Train Home... A rewarding blend of laid-back honkytonk and strummy folk musings, including a piercing foray into topical material ("The Man Who Loved To Hate"). There's a wide variety of styles, with some songs that are essentially solo works alongside fine duets with Everly-esque harmonies. And of course it never hurts having the ever-reliable Lloyd Green playing pedal steel... he always hits just the notes, literally and figuratively. The songs are a mix of strong originals with well-chosen covers of Jim Lauderdale, Paul Kennerley, Kris Kristofferson and others, all material that Brace and Cooper hold close to their hearts. In every song, they sing with feeling and conviction -- a nice, low-key DIY Americana disc, well worth checking out.

Eric Brace & Peter Cooper "Master Sessions" (Red Beet Records, 2010)
(Produced by Eric Brace & Peter Cooper)
Rockin' folkies Eric Brace and Peter Cooper bring in a couple of old pros from the Nashville and bluegrass worlds to back them up, including steel guitar master Lloyd Green and dobro whiz Mike Auldridge, who are musicians of the highest calibre and regard. Although they have two roots music legends on hand, the album has a more rock-ish feel to it, and Auldridge and Green seem more like hired hands than deep collaborators. Still, if you're gonna bring in ringers, you might as well pick from the best. Certainly worth checking out, if you like Cooper & Brace's other stuff.

Eric Brace & Last Train Home "Six Songs" (EP) (Red Beet Records, 2010)
(Produced by Eric Brace & Peter Cooper)

Eric Brace & Peter Cooper "The Comeback Album" (Red Beet Records, 2013)

Billy Bragg & Wilco "Mermaid Avenue" (Elektra Records, 1998)
A thoroughly fascinating album, and a unique creative endeavor - British leftie folk-popster Billy Bragg pioneered this project, enlisting the aid of Jeff Tweedy and Wilco to bring to life some of the hundreds of unfinished or unrecorded songs left behind by the great Woody Guthrie. "Mermaid Avenue" refers to the address of Guthrie's longtime residence, where many of these lyrics were composed... What's amazing about this album is how clearly Guthrie's personality comes through -- these aren't his hits; nothing's recognizable here other than Guthrie's sense of humor, his playfulness and ability to engage his listeners. The other big surprise is how ably these young'uns tackle the challenge. From Billy Bragg, I expect nothing but brilliance, sincerity and reverence for the work of the master -- what's most heartening, though, is that Wilco -- a band I absolutely loathe -- shine on these albums. Part of it may be the novelty of hearing Jeff Tweedy subsume his immense, messianic ego in the service of another man's art. Regardless, the band show their chops on here, adding an easy-going grace to the songs -- they strike just the right tone of affability and whimsy to match these oddball ditties. Natalie Merchant also sings on a couple of tunes and is quite appealing in a duet with Bragg. Highly recommended!

Billy Bragg & Wilco "Mermaid Avenue, v.2" (Elektra Records, 2000)
If anything, this second album in this series of "lost" works by the great folk hero, Woody Guthrie, is even better than the first. The most amazing thing is how it makes Wilco -- a band I loathe -- sound absolutely great. On two tracks, they prove themselves to be one of the choppsiest bands around: "Airline To Heaven," which opens the album, is one of the most irresistible songs I've heard in ages, featuring a gleefully mindless steel riff that will echo in your head for hours; on "Secret Of The Sea", Wilco perfectly captures Guthrie's oddball mysticism and wrap it into an appropriately Byrds-y vibe, thereby completing the great Guthrie/Dylan/Byrds/everybody-else folk-rock circle. As for Billy, he tackles the stern, straight leftie-political stuff, matching Guthrie castoffs such as "All You Fascists" with a humorlessness of his own. (Pity he didn't also take on some of the warmer, more whimsical material -- I always prefer Bragg when he cracks a smile...) Natalie Merchant returns for another children's ditty, and acoustic blues avatar Corey Harris joins the crew with a nice Josh White-style civil rights anthem, "Against The Law"... Nothing to complain about here -- a fab follow-up to the first Mermaid album!

Randall Bramblett "The Bright Spots" (New West Records, 2013)
(Produced by Gerry Hansen & Randall Bramblett)
Savvy, soulful roots-rock which brings to mind artists as diverse as Buddy Miller, Dave Matthews and Mark Knopfler, along with more than a hint of latter-day Bob Dylan. This is an an elegantly produced album, firmly in pop-rock territory but with undercurrents of blues, soul and twang that reflect Bramblett's many years as a sideman for folks like Elvin Bishop and Bonnie Raitt. This album has a strong prophetic streak, which may suit some listeners more than others -- personally, I'm not a big fan of poetic profundity in pop songs or twang, but I can see the attraction. There's a wide range of songs dealing with existential issues: the self-questioning, philosophizing of a track like "Whatever That Is" may have more appeal than the overt religiosity of "John The Baptist" or the cosmic meandering of "All Is Well," but folks who are searching for meaning in a tough and confounding world may be drawn to it all. Standout tracks include the scathing "Til The Party's Gone," a radio-friendly, uptempo tune in which Bramblett -- who has doubtless seen his fair share of hard-partiers over the years -- ironically urges his listeners to indulge their every hedonistic impulse, sarcastically informing them that nothing bad will every come of it. Also alluring is the album's closing track, "Rumbling Bridge," which sounds quite pleasantly like an old Roxy Music song... This album is the product of years of masterful musicianship and hard-won life lessons; it's masterfully produced and full of passion, a potent entry in the adult-alt landscape.

John Brannen "Bravado" (Sly Dog Records, 2010)
(Produced by David Z and John Brannen)
Chunky, rock-tinged roots music, with plenty of electric guitar, slide and fiddle as well. It's reminiscent of early Steve Earle, with maybe a bit of John Mellencamp and Joe Ely in there as well. Some of the songs pretty catchy; some got on my nerves a bit. But if you like the electric troubadour sound, you'll probably dig this disc too. Worth checking out.

The Bridge "The Bridge" (Hyena Records, 2007)

The Bridge "Blind Man's Hill" (Hyena Records, 2008)
(Produced by Chris Bentley & The Bridge)
Funky, lighthearted, indie-twang hippie blues, with nods towards Little Feat, JD Souther and others... Indeed, lead singer and songwriter Cris Jacobs has a very strong vocal and stylistic similarity to Jesse Winchester and/or Jesse Colin Young, and the band's music is often in that loose-limbed, shaggy vein as well, although generally the arrangements are a bit heftier and more boogiedelic. Certainly worth a spin!

The Bridge "National Bohemian" (Woodberry Records, 2011)

Jeff Bridges "Be Here Soon" (Ramp Records, 2000)

Jeff Bridges "Jeff Bridges" (Woodberry Records, 2011)
(Produced by T-Bone Burnett)
Dovetailing with his role as a dissolute country star in the film "Crazy Heart," actor Jeff Bridges turns in this brooding, moody, rootsy set, which has a slightly Tom Waits-ish, theatrical edge to it. Emotionally rich, though a bit dark and dreary... If you're into Gothic folk'n'twang, you might want to check this out.

Jeff Bright & The Sunshine Boys "She's A Nail In My Heart" (Rogue Records, 1999)
A charming, low-key honkytonk record with considerable debts to folks such as Buck Owens and Little Jimmy Dickens. Yes, this album has its flaws, but for the most part Bright is one of those performers -- like Cornell Hurd -- whose occasional awkwardness is part of their charm. His strongest suit is in songwriting -- almost all of these songs are originals -- and it's on top-notch songs such as "Golden Tears" or "Somewhere, Someone, Some Wine," that he sounds most relaxed and confident. If you're interested in records from local scenes, especially from artists who play it straight, and wisely avoid the lame white trash/hick stereotypes that many bands think are so funny, then definitely check this guy out.

David Bromberg -- see artist discography

Marti Brom & Her Jet-Tone Boys "Lassoed Live" (Goofin' Records, 1995)

Marti Brom & Her Jet-Tone Boys "Mean" (Squarebird Records, 1996)

Marti Brom & Her Barnshakers "Snake Ranch" (Goofin' Records, 2000)

Marti Brom & The Cornell Hurd Band "Feudin' And Fightin" (Behemoth Records, 2000)

Marti Brom "Live At Jovita's" (Behemoth Records, 2003)

Marti Brom "Wise To You" (Goofin' Records, 2003)

Marti Brom "...Sings Heartache Numbers" (Goofin' Records, 2005)

Marti Brom "Not For Nothin‘" (Riptide Records, 2010)

The Brother Boys "Plow" (Sugar Hill Records, 1993)
These guys are sort of like an amiable, bluegrass-y version of the Dave & Deke Combo - hillbilly revivalists, though with more of a tilt towards Delmore Brothers/Louvin Brothers/Everly Brothers-style harmony, and a feel for Tin Pan Alley-style tunes. Might be a little mellow for some twangfans, but there are some sweet tunes on here...

The Brother Boys "Presley's Grocery" (Sugar Hill Records, 1995)

The Brothers Cosmoline "Songs Of Work And Freedom" (Slew Foot Records, 2003)
No one actually named "Cosmoline" in the band, but certainly a swell bunch of talented pickers... Smooth singer-songwriter-ish alt-country with reverb-laced guitars (JJ Cale would be proud) and spare, subtle use of the pedal steel. Overall, a very listenable record, with a sweet power-poppish, Dave Edmunds undercurrent. Nice!

Chastity Brown "Back-Road Highways" (Creative And Dreams, 2012)
(Produced by Paul Buono)
Bluesy Americana with a mix of roots, twang and gospel-soul that sounds like a mix of Bobbie Gentry, Tony Joe White and Joan Osborne. This is a little too much of a contemporary folk sound for me, but I think a lot of folks will enjoy it, just not old-fashioned crabby cakes like me.

Junior Brown -- see artist discography

Maggie Brown "Maggie Brown" (Riverwide Records, 2004)
A cool, catchy mix of roots-country and bluesy rock... There are obvious debts to early Bonnie Raitt, as well as a Sheryl Crow-meets-The Black Crowes guitar rock vibe, and a little hint of Norah Jones crooning on the soft side... These comparisons are inevitable but a little unfair, since Brown is also a fine, soulful singer in her own right, though more to the point, she crafts some mighty good songs, catchy stuff that sticks to your ribs. The doleful, country-drenched "Full Moon Over Dallas" echoes in my mind; folks who are into the whole adult-roots tip should like this self-released gem... a lot! (Available through MaggieBrown.net.)

Jackson Browne "Running On Empty" (Elektra Records, 1977)
A not-so-guilty pleasure. Yeah, I know... it's long been fashionable to mock and deride Jackson Browne as a wimp, a cheeseball, or a '70s dino-rocker... But the fact is that this album remains one of the best country-rock records ever made, and when measured up against most of the alt.country acts of the '80s and '90s, this is indeed a superior product. A concept album about driving the long, lonesome highway and touring in a rock'n'roll band, this disc is packed with winning songs. It had several hits: the title track, "You Love The Thunder," his version of the doo-wop oldie, "Stay," given a modern, sardonic twist in the context of the weird, mutually parasitic relationship between rock stars and their fans. There are also a slew of great, non-hit country tunes, like "Nothin' But Time," "Shaky Town," and "The Road" that stack up quite well against anything the cowpunk and insurgent-altie crowd has come up with. Browne's road songs are as self-involved and navel-gazey as other songs of the genre, but he seems to have a self-awareness, and a willingness to explore the ickiness of situation that is lacking in many similar compositions. The sexism of the opening verse "Rosie" -- a song about a groupie -- is tempered by a deft humanization of the objectified girl, and by Browne's remarkable willingness to portray himself and his fame in an unfavorable light, either as honest autobiography, or as an Almost Famous-style character sketch. At any rate, I think this is a fine album, well worth checking out and listening to without the hipster blinders on: you might be surprised by how good it really is.

Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes "Change" (Sony Records, 2012)

Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes "Black Coffee" (WJO Records, 2013)
(Produced by Lachlan Bryan & Rod McCormack)

The B-Stars "Behind The Barn With The B-Stars" (Rust Belt Recordings, 2010)

The B-Stars "West Coast Special" (Rust Belt Recordings, 2012)
(Produced by Pappy Stuckey)
A nice, low-key set of hillbilly retro from this SF Bay Area band, playing in an oldies groove along the same lines as bands like Big Sandy or the Dave & Deke Combo, harkening back to the pre-rock era when twang was king. A swell set of original material, with some fun (and funny!) novelty songs and plenty of nice, old-fashioned picking. Particularly noteworthy is the steel guitar work by Larry Chung, who taps into the Hawaiian-style steel sound of the 1930s and '40s -- y'know, the older Eddy Arnold records, stuff like that. This is real-deal DIY-indie retro-twang the way I like it! Bet they're fun, live, too!

The Buckle Busters "The Buckle Busters" (Double Crown, 2007)

Richard Buckner "Bloomed" (Dejadisc, 1995)

Richard Buckner "Devotion+Doubt" (MCA Records, 1996)
Originally from the local San Fran twangcore outfit, the Buckets, this fella broke out on his own and followed his own foreboding, brooding singer-songwriter muse. After a while, Buckner really is a bit of a downer, but his second album (Devotion+Doubt) has some thoroughly top-notch songwriting on it, and some great melodic hooks. It's quite magical! I haven't heard the Rykodisc re-release of his first album (with extra tracks), but I'd recommend it with caution -- it also has uneven patches, but several nice tunes.

Richard Buckner "Since" (MCA Records, 1998)

Richard Buckner "The Hill" (Overcoat Records, 2000)
God, what a bore. Once upon a time, San Francisco's master of countrified mopecore had the world by the balls -- when Devotion+Doubt album came out in 1996, Buckner placed himself at the forefront of the alt.country scene... There were some rough patches, but the standout tracks were among the best country material to come out that year. Unfortunately, the acclaim went straight into the fatty tissues of Buckner's brain, as he took himself -- and his musical mission -- with somewhat undue (and lamentable) seriousness. Now, two records later, we are treated to his brooding equivalent of a Nick Cave-style rock opera. Backed by members of the Calexico/Giant Sand crew, Buckner recorded 18 musical adaptations of chapters from Edgar Lee Master's turn-of-the-century book, Spoon River Anthology, itself a work of bleak, Gothic Americana, with the obituaries and character sketches of several dozen citizens of the fictional Midwestern backwater of Spoon River, Illinois... a town which seemed unusually prone to death by stick thwacking and skull bashing. The album is unbearably pretentious and overwrought -- I'm sure that there are plenty of folks out there eager for this sort of overinflated, high concept wankery... but I'm not one of them. Just give me a pedal steel and a chorus I can sing along to, and leave the depressing "real life" melodrama to the Times Best Seller list and Cops.

Richard Buckner "Impasse" (Overcoat Records, 2002)
A mysterious, melancholy, and entirely wonderful album. Like many an urban twangster before him, Buckner has more of less returned to his rock'n'roll roots... But for him, it works. Unlike, say, when Ryan Adams puts on his rockin' shoes, with Buckner, little here sounds forced. The muted melodic drive, the impenetrably cryptic lyrics, the slurred drawl, the odd intermixtures of acoustic and electric -- it's all working for him here. Although this is unmistakably Buckner following his own music, it also sounds an awful lot like veteran Seattle lo-fi rocker Damien Jurado, whose work I greatly admire. All in all, this may be his best, most listenable album to date, even if I have absolutely no idea what the heck he's singing about. Recommended!

Richard Buckner "Impasse-ette" (Overcoat Records, 2002)
A wistful 6-song EP which preceded the Impasse album; includes acoustic alternate versions of some songs on the album, and a set of instrumental tunes thrown in for good measure.

Richard Buckner "Dents And Shells" (Merge Records, 2004)
Dour alt-country crooner Richard Buckner is clearly a musician who has found his groove; his new album picks up where his last one, '02's Impasse, left off, melding an irresistible melodic bounce with his own odd, rumbling vocal drone, a vestige of his old alt-country persona infusing his work with a somber, mumbling gravitas... It's hard to know what the heck he's singing about, but it sure sounds nice. This album is at least as listenable as his last, packed with fine melodies and mysterious introspective musings... If anything, this surpasses Impasse, in that it doesn't have the on-again/off-again feel of that album, where the songs flipped back and forth in a slow-song/fast-song rhythm that made it feel predictable after a while. Here, the pacing is much more subtle, and the record that much more captivating. Recommended!

Richard Buckner & Jon Langford "Sir Dark Invader vs. The Fanglord" (Buried Treasure Records, 2005)

Richard Buckner "Meadow" (Merge Records, 2006)

Paul Burch & The WPA Ballclub "Pan American Flash" (Perfect Sound, 1998)

Paul Burch & The WPA Ballclub "Wire To Wire" (Checkered Past Records, 1998)
Alt-twang songwriter Paul Burch pursues a pretty straighforwardly honkytonk sound here, with only hints of the multi-textured complexity of his later work. It's fun stuff, though, with plenty of fun, rollicking performances. Midway through, the disc takes an abrupt shift into more folkish terrain, material worthy of Eric Andersen or Richard Farina; "Ring The Bell" and "I Turned A Corner" are standout tunes on this album, and then it's swiftly back to the bluesy, Jimmie Rodgers-influenced hillbilly material. Not as super-groovy or as moody as his more complex albums, but still a good alt.country album.

Paul Burch & The WPA Ballclub "Blue Notes" (Merge Records, 2000)
Cool album. Mainly in a moody, singer-songwriter mode with a richly complex Blonde On Blonde production style, this album has a strong musical foundation, solidly country but also intensely unique. Burch bears a strong vocal resemblance to Jimmie Dale Gilmore, but unlike that Austin icon, Burch lacks the self-conscious aura of "significance"... He seems to have far less need to prove himself, and far more interest in letting the music develop on its own merits. The lyrics are engrossing, but somewhat elusive, with the same heads-down inscrutablity as his more orchestral pop work. But while this may sound high-falutin' on paper (or onscreen...), the album is in fact quite rich with a toe-tapping, roots-respecting good old country vibe, which encompasses lighthearted rockabilly as well as intricate latter-day honkytonk. It's that groovy next level of artsy "Americana" that so many folks are trying to perfect, but without the leaden pretensions or emotional heavy-handedness that so many other artists come up with. Instead, Burch manages to just plain enjoy himself, and the feeling is infectious. Recommended!!

Paul Burch "Last Of My Kind" (Merge Records, 2001)
A relaxed and rather goofy album, full of fanciful, lightly arranged hick ditties that fall musically somewhere between Arlo Guthrie and Wayne Raney... Thumping the guitar and squonking on the harmonica, Burch seems to be enjoying himself here. Although not as rich or as rewarding as Blue Notes, this has a fun, lighthearted feel, and an air of unhurried competence that's a welcome relief from the steady stream of twangcore type who just simply try to damn hard to be cute and clever. Apparently this is an adaptation of a some novel, but we won't hold that against Burch, who doesn't make the project sound pretentious or contrived. Definitely worth checking out.

Paul Burch "Fool For Love" (Bloodshot Records, 2003)
Another fine album, with loping, all-original hillbilly tunes that recall Jimmie Rodgers more often than not, but also draw on the traditions of old jazz standards, honkytonk, and western swing. The overall mood is pretty doleful, but he also seems to enjoy keeping the spirit of the music alive... He really is quite good. Recommended.

Paul Burch "East To West" (Bloodshot Records, 2006)
(Produced by Paul Burch)
Catchy melodies and easygoing rhymes mark this jaunty new record, one of the peppiest and most hook-laden alt-twang outings of recent years... Burch has refined his sly sense of vocal phrasing, adding a propulsive joy to this album, similar to the insouciance of Dylan, back in the Blonde On Blonde days.. None of these songs touched me on an emotional level -- they seem more like stylistic exercises and experiments -- but they all sounded fun, and consistently drew me in. With guest performers such as Mark Knopfler and the esteemed Ralph Stanley chipping in, the already-talented Burch has taken his music to a new level... A very listenable album, with a lot of variety and textural depth. Fun, uplifting, and well worth checking out!

Sonny Burgess & Dave Alvin "Tennessee Border" (HighTone Records, 1992)

Ed Burleson "Comin' Around" (Bar 27 Productions, 1997)
An extraordinary debut by this Texas-bred indiebilly firebrand, aided by an extraordinary cast of musicians -- Tommy Alverson, Clay Blaker, Alvin Crow, Bill Kirchen and Lloyd Maines are among the old-timers who pitch in to give this disc a rich, full, rural sound that'll pin back the ears of any hardcore honkytonk fan in search of for-real country music in these times of push-button, pretty-boy Nashville pop. Those Texas twin fiddles waft up amid the pedal steel and Merle Haggard-style guitars; here's an indiebilly album that has grand ambition, and lives up to it on every song. A nice mix of weepers and honkytonk tunes -- Burleson doesn't have a killer voice, but he's got real country soul, and that counts for a lot. Most of all, the calibre of songwriting and performances by the band are both quite impressive. Most of the songs on here are Burleson originals, and it's always nice to hear someone adding new stuff to the tradition. Four of the other cuts were written by Jim Lauderdale, and Burleson seems to have a nice feel for his idiosyncratic composing style. There are rough edges, to be sure -- Burleson's vocals might not be for everyone -- but, hey, isn't that kind of the point, that we're sick of hearing all this too-perfect pop pablum coming out over the radio? Chances are you won't hear this guy over the airwaves, but if you pick up this CD (or any of his other albums), you'll be mighty glad you did!

Ed Burleson "My Perfect World" (Tornado Records, 1999)
This is largely the same record as Comin' Around, with two new songs (and two others omitted) and a different track order. And damn, it's good. If you miss the hazy, crazy days of the 1970s, when great bands with small budgets ruled the earth, then this disc will seem like a nostalgic blast from the past... And if you missed out on that kinda sound the first time 'round, be thankful that folks like Burleson are here to keep the flame alive.

Ed Burleson "Live At The Sons" (Just Released Records, 2001)
Let's hear it for Texas! Another fine album that confirms Ed Burleson's status as one of the most vigorous, vital and roots-oriented country singers out there today. It's just amazing to hear a guy this good and this down-to-earth making records, and singing his songs like he actually gives a damn about the music. Playing live at the Sons of Herman Hall in Dallas, TX, Burleson cusses a little, sings a lot, and lets his band romp through a really tasty set of hard country classics. The show kicks off with a fine version of Johnny Paycheck's "A-11," and cruises into some fine Burleson originals, including sardonic gems like "I Can Be Lonely By Myself" and the refreshingly retro "Bitch And Moan," where the singer admits he'd rather be stuck in traffic than have to hear his girlfriend try and rip him a new one. By the time he gets to a cover of the old Webb Pierce hit, "There Stands The Glass," Ed'll have you won over. Only a few songs come from his earlier albums, like "No Closing Time," and others include well-chosen covers like Waylon's "Rainy Day Woman" and a sizzling version of the Link Davis cajun anthem, "Big Mamou," with some dazzling twin fiddle work. A really nice record -- you really get a sense of Burleson's easygoing charm and his deep country roots. Highly recommended.

Ed Burleson "The Cold Hard Truth" (Palo Duro Records, 2004)
This is just flat-out one of the best hard country albums of 2004... heck, even of the century (so far...!) Sure, Burleson has plenty of rough edges... that's what makes his music so real. He also has a kick-ass band with guys who know how to play country music with real feeling, and a bunch of songs that sound like a real, live human being wrote 'em, not some committee in Nashville. Burleson's other albums have all been really good... this one is really great... his best to date. Highly recommended!

T Bone Burnett "Twenty Twenty: The Essential T Bone Burnett" (Sony/DMZ Records, 2006)
Although some fans complained -- bitterly -- about the drawbacks of this 2-CD set, it's still a pretty compelling portrait of a remarkably plastic and inventive musical mind. A real goofball, too. Burnett hails from the era of '70s freeform radio, bringing a playful, eclectic (but also quite earnest) musical sensibility with him through his three decades of work. These days, he's mostly known as a music producer, adding his shrewd sensibility to numerous projects, not the least of them being the O, Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack and his wife, Sam Phillips' solo albums. On this retrospective you can hear the sweep of his own work, from his mid-'70s debut with the ever-quirky Alpha Band through several solo albums that were infrequently released up into the mid-1990s. (A new record was released to coincide with this best-of set...) What you hear is a masterful musician, clearly fluent in rock, pop, country and blues, mixing it all up at will, introducing elegant (and entirely authentic-sounding) doses of bluegrass and twang into otherwise ornate and multi-textured alterna-pop. His songs are odd, but alluring, drawing us in mostly through the music, but also because the words can be so weird... You kinda want to hear what will come out of his mouth next... It wouldn't be accurate to tag Burnett as a "novelty" artist, there's too much depth to his work for that, but this is clearly not mainstream pop, and it's tailored to a very particular, and very devoted, niche audience. It's easy enough to join the club: a quick perusal of this collection may pique your curiosity, and for the stuff that got left off, the bargain bins of many a record store may provide further revelations. Now to the criticisms that have been leveled at this record: mainly, fans are miffed that so little material was drawn from the 1983 album, Proof Through The Night, which many people consider his masterpiece. Burnett, apparently, is not one of those people, however, and having disavowed the record in the past, he took this opportunity to remaster several tracks and "fix" things he thought were wrong the first time around... Well, I guess the thing to do is get that one on vinyl, since I'm guessing T Bone would also want to remaster any future re-release of the album... Anyway, I still think this best-of is a great way to acquaint yourself with this goofy, geeky, wildly creative alt-pop pioneer.

Billy Burnette "Memphis In Manhattan" (Chesky Records, 2006)
The son of rockabilly pioneer Dorsey Burnette, Billy B. has been knocking around Nashville for many years, as well as in the thick of the mainstream pop scene. Here, on his latest solo in half a decade, Burnette shows himself to be in fine form, cruising through 'billy, bop, blues and pop, often played with a wicked reverb and twang. Four of the songs on here were co-written with Nashville tunesmith Shawn Camp, including the super-catchy "My Love Will Not Change," recently recorded by Hal Ketchum, as well as by bluegrasser Del McCoury. Burnette gives a nod of the pompadour to his former employers, Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac (two acts he toured with in the past), with covers of "Everything Is Broken" and "Oh Well." There's plenty of soulfulness and grit to enjoy here, as well as a wide variety of style... Roots music fans'll find plenty to groove to on this release.

Burrito Deluxe "The Whole Enchilada" (Luna Chica Records, 2004)
Generally speaking, I try and avoid commenting on all these latter-day Burrito Brothers releases: they aren't bad, but they're seldom exciting. This one features Garth Hudson (of The Band) as a guest bandmember; singer Carlton Moody offers a friendly, if underwhelming, vocal presence. The songs themselves are adequate -- nothing really leaps out at you, but nothing sounds terrible, either. Like I say, there's not that much spark to their performances, but there certainly is a lot of history, and a sincere appreciation for where the music comes from.

Gene Butler "Concrete Country" (YAVV Records, 2006)
(Produced by Gurf Morlix)
A fine, unpretentious set of independently produced country from a Georgia boy who's been living in LA for a while... The songs are all pretty solid, and they're all originals written by Butler himself, mostly in a robust honkytonk vein. Producer Gurf Morlix also plays guitar on here, and his pal Lucinda Williams throws in a bit of harmony as well, and veteran fiddler Brantley Kearns adds some sweet licks... The music is swell, though the mix is a little thin -- I think with a bigger budget, Butler really coulda nailed this one. As it is, it's a fine, heartfelt album, packed with interesting original material. If you're into hearing twang tunes that are a little off the radar, check this one out!

Jim Byrom "Whiskey Uniform" (Yellow Rose Records, 2003)
An impressive set of original tunes that shows that independent country is alive and well down in San Antonio, TX. This disc is a fine example of a solid modern honkytonk singing, still kicking up dust and spittin' in the wind. Doubtless Byrom dreams of making it big someday in Nashville, but unlike many of his under-the-radar contemporaries, he doesn't mess things up by adding on some lousy, keyboard-heavy power ballad, in a misguided effort to show the majors he can do that sappy stuff, too... Nope, he sticks to his strengths, and definitely keeps it country. Highlights include "How Lonely Does Lonely Get," "Three At A Time," and "Honky Tonk Band," a trio of tunes that's right up there with the best hick music I've heard in the last few years. A little awkward in places, but, hey -- that's how you know it's the real deal, and not some factory-made pretty-boy pop. Recommended! (For more info, see his website at www.jimbyrom.com )

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Hick Music Index

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