Lambchop "I Hope You're Sitting Down" (Merge Records, 1994)

Lambchop "How I Quit Smoking" (Merge Records, 1995)
Witness the collision of alt.country (sort of...) and noodly, introspective, obscurist "lo-fi" indie pop, with the requisite touchstones of orchestral Beach Boys/Bacharach "sunshine pop" and a smidge of Glen Campbell-era countrypolitan. This Nashville-based slowcore ensemble is the sort of indie darling band that invites all kinds of lofty, high-falutin,' all-over-the-map musical comparisons and breathless outpourings of fanboy prose... Lambchop clearly rests way more comfortably in the "rock" camp, but worth noting here since the band's subtle, cliche-free use of "country" stylings, particularly an understated pedal steel, is refreshing, and a welcome lateral move in a sometimes-stalled indie scene. Lyricist Kurt Wagner is, however, an artist who will not appeal to the average indierock listener... As far as his vocals go, he comes from the make-the-most-of-your-modest-range DIY/Calvin Johnson-is-my-hero school of thought; in terms of songwriting, he tilts towards the mopey, willfully meandering, frequently pretentious, stream-of-consciousness anti-song style that typifies the lo-fi crowd. Many people, myself included, find the style too self-limiting and amorphous, but for others, the purposeful rejection of standard pop songwriting formulae is a triumph in and of itself. I find the High Llamas-ish musical wash to be alluring and sensuous, but the lyrics tend to pull me out of the experience, and are well-integrated on only a handful of this album's fourteen songs. Groundbreaking in a quiet way, certainly worth checking out and sampling from liberally, but for me personally, not an album that would find itself spinning in the stereo with great frequency.

Lambchop "Thriller" (Merge Records, 1997)
Ooops... did I forget to name-check Tindersticks in the last review? Yeah, them, too. Lots of swirly, hazy, heavy-lidded, lounge-y, irony-laden material here as well. Less monochromatic and monotonous than their debut, but also less discernibly "country" as well. Still, somehow I think that fitting into our narrow little genre slots is the last think on Lampchop's mind. More overtly melodic, even bouncy material marks the start of this album, which soon settles into mid-tempo meanderings, with that pedal steel swoosh that makes them sound so sweet. There's also plenty of pretentiousness, including a dip into Japanese-style noise music. Challenging stuff for folks who fancy themselves brainier and more alterna- than thou! Nice record, but it works best as a complete piece, an odd-essy that may test your patience, but has a nice stylistic arc.

Lambchop "Hank" (EP) (Merge Records, 1996)

Lambchop "What Another Man Spills" (Merge Records, 1998)

Lambchop "Nixon" (Merge Records, 2000)

Lambchop "Tools In The Dryer" (Spunk Records, 2001)
An oddities, rarities and one-offs collection.

Lambchop "Is A Woman" (Merge Records, 2002)

Lambchop "Aw, C'Mon" (Merge Records, 2004)

Lambchop "No, You C'Mon" (Merge Records, 2004)

Lambchop "The Decline Of Country And Western Civilization, Part II: The Woodwind Years" (Merge Records, 2006)

Lambchop "Damaged" (Merge Records, 2006)

Lambchop "OH (Ohio)" (Merge Records, 2008)

D. Landry And The Dirty Cajuns "Keep What's Left (17 Songs)" (Self-Released, 2004)
Well, these guys from Louisiana certainly win the indier-than-indie award for the year, just based on the packaging alone. The CD comes sandwiched inside a folded-up hunk of cardboard, held together with packing tape. The song titles are rubberstamped onto a scrap of colored 20-bond paper which is taped onto the cardboard; if you want to check out the lyrics, there's a plain, white xeroxed sheet, cut lengthwise with a grainy photocollage on one side and the words to four songs handwritten on the other. Wish I'd kept the handout that came with this in the mail, although after I glanced at it, with the loud proclamations of the artist's "coonass" rednecky-ness and all, I just rolled my eyes backwards and figured this'd be another forgettable, ho-hum disc full of white trash stereotypes and gun-truck-drunk-incest-is-best references and intentionally sloppy, why-even-try-it's-just-country musicianship. When I finally popped it into the stereo, though, I was pleasantly drawn in by Drew Landry's loose-limbed, idiosyncratic, kooky roots music jamming. The songs are odd, but they have substance, and there's real wit and humor behind Landry's art. Musically, this ranges over a wide landscape, with scrappy, sorta-bluegrassy twang alongside kerangging backporch blues jams and even some quieter introspective stuff... Okay, I admit that's a pretty lame, vague description... So let me compare Landry to a few folks -- he's in the same sort of inventive, eclectic, just-havin'-us-some-fun territory as, say, the Bad Livers or the Gourds, just with far less ambition towards anything remotely resembling commercial viability or conventional song structure. Or, to go lowbrow, Landry's sort of like a raspier, more low-rent version of the Drive-By Truckers, if they weren't so completely full of shit. This guy I respect. This record is weird, but it's also sincere and it's also worth checking out. His website's fun to poke around as well: (www.dirtycajuns.com)

Drew Landry & The Dirty Cajuns "Tailgaten Relief & Hurricane Companion EP" (Self-Released, 2006)
Wow. Louisiana native Drew Landry caught my attention last year when his funky first album came across my desk, and I thought it was kinda cool... This seven-song follow-up, however, just knocked me on my ass... It's really good! The core of it comes from a couple of topical/political songs written after Hurricane Katrina leveled much of Louisiana and Mississippi, and brought about a pathetically botched Federal response. The pure anger that is channeled by Mr. Landry (who lives in Lafayette) comes through loud and clear on "Category 5," a throwback to the current events broadsides of the Great Depression, when musicians would name names and tell stories about what really happened. Dick Cheney and Rudy Giuliani are characters here, and they don't come off well. The dumbfounded shock of having entire towns flattened and flooded comes through loud and clear, as does the boiling anger at a government that sat on its thumbs the whole time... Landry takes sides with New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, who famously called for the folks at the White House to get off their asses and help people who were dying... This is all old history, of course, except that the anger is still there, and Landry has made it palpable in a way that'll raise goosebumps on your arms... On the lighter side, there's "Tiger Fan," a goofy tune about a ultra-loyal sports fan who'll go for any team LSU cares to offer, from football to tiddlywinks, and "Grosbec," a tall tale about a backwoods family that makes its living by poaching off the government lands... Throughout, Landry's lyrics, vocal delivery and musicianship are all first-class, with a plainspoken directness that makes him stand out from the crowd. Heck, I'd even go so far as to call him Louisiana's answer to High Sheriff Ricky Barnes... And in my book, that's pretty high praise. I'm lookin' forward to when Landry can put out that full-length album he had planned before Katrina hit... the guy's a major talent. (Check out his website at www.dirtycajuns.com for more info.)

k. d. lang - see artist discography

Jon Langford "Skull Orchard" (Sugar Free Records, 1998)

Jon Langford & Sally Timms "Songs Of False Hope And High Values" (EP) (Bloodshot Records, 2000)

Jon Langford & The Sadies "The Mayor Of The Moon" (Bloodshot Records, 2003)

Jon Langford "All The Fame Of Lofty Deeds" (Bloodshot, 2004)
Oh, whatever. I mean, yeah sure, the Mekons were a super-cool punk band, more diverse and seemingly more literate than others, but Langford's countrified ramblings on the Chicago scene have long left me cold. I suppose a big part of it is his plangent, Joe Strummer-like voice and his equally Strummer-like tendency to harangue his listeners and to assume that good politics and good intentions will be enough to make up for the concessions given to musicality, all in the name of a higher calling. Me, personally, if I'm listening to a record, I want the musical end to stand on its own... I have no problem mixing social causes with art -- quite the contrary -- but it's nice when you also stay in meter and stick to the melody. Which is, I guess, my longwinded way of saying that I thought this disc was another moderately difficult Wacos-y offering, not intellectually engaging or musically satisfying enough to hold my attention. I don't want to have to work so hard to apprehend points and poetics that I don't find that interesting to begin with. I mean, I get it, already! Geez. And, um, can I make another admission that is sure to drive loyal Langfordites into conniption fits? I don't like his paintings, either. Never have. Yeah, it's a striking, recognizable style, but it's also kind of ugly and trafficks in overly-obvious, repetitive cultural touchpoints. That being said, longtime Jonboy fans will probably love this disc... And more power to ya!

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

Jon Langford "Gold Brick" (Bloodshot Records, 2006)

Jon Langford & Kat Ex "Katjonband" (Carrot Top Records, 2008)

Jon Langford & Skull Orchard "Old Devils" (Bloodshot Records, 2010)

Jon Langford "Here Be Monsters" (Bloodshot Records, 2014)

k.d. lang - see Hillbilly Fillies

Dee Lannon "Honkytonk Nighttime Gal" (Iloki Records, 1994) (LP)
An irresistibly adorable -- though admittedly sometimes uneven -- countrybilly filly with a major Rose Maddox/Wanda Jackson jones... Working at an ultra-indie level, Dee sometimes had trouble balancing out her production, but her choice of material -- especially her originals -- is always first-rate. Cool beans.

Dee Lannon "Town Casino" (Blue Puffer Records, 1996)

Dee Lannon "Dance And Sing With Dee Lannon & The Daredevil Dillies" (Tail Records, 2002)

Dee Lannon "Vinylly On CD" (Norge Texas Records, 2004)

Lariats Of Fire "Jack Jenkins' Last Ride" (Digestive Records, 2010)

Last Forever "New And Old Songs Out Of The American Tradition" (Nonesuch Records, 1997)

Last Forever "Trainfare Home" (Nonesuch Records, 2000)

The Last Hombres "Redemption" (Koch Records, 2003)
A strong, well-produced alt.roots album, with equal grounding in country, blues and jam band styles. Levon Helm is the drummer, providing faultless backup for the group's multiple songwriters. This is pretty solid, if somewhat dino-rific, material -- a lot like the Dead in their more cohesive, country-ish moments, with a dash of Doug Sahm-like border blues thrown in on top...Also reminds me of various eclectic-minded early '70s roots music explorations by the likes of the Byrds, etc. Not earthshaking, but solid and admirably rough-hewn... worth checking out, particularly for those in the mood.

Last Train Home "True North" (Adult Swim Records, 1999)
Low-key, mellow country-rockish material, which sounds a bit like Dave Alvin's solo stuff. Not earthshaking, but pretty-sounding and pleasant.

Last Train Home "Last Train Home" (Adult Swim Records, 2000)

Last Train Home "Travelogue" (Laughing Outlaw Records, 2002)
A compilation of songs off their first two albums... A few tracks were dropped to get it all to fit on one disc.

Last Train Home "Holiday Limited" (Adult Swim Records, 2003)

Last Train Home "Tributaries" (Adult Swim Records, 2003)

Last Train Home "Time And Water" (Adult Swim Records, 2003)

Last Train Home "Bound Away" (Blue Buffalo Records, 2005)
(Produced by Jared Bartlett)
A nice, mellow, understated roots-twang set, with a strong stylistic debt to Dave Alvin. Well-crafted, soulful, and compelling; most songs are Eric Brace originals, but there's also a nice cover of Dylan's "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You." Definitely worth checking out.

Last Train Home "Last Good Kiss" (Red Beet Records, 2007)
(Produced by Last Train Home)
Although I guess technically it still fits into the "Americana" category, this one really feels like more of a rock/folk record, with contemplative moments balanced by a little bit of guitar-hero action... Sort of a cross between Tracy Chapman and Eddie Vedder. Doesn't quite do it for me; it's very, very serious and even a bit dreary.

Jim Lauderdale - see artist discography

Albert Lee - see artist discography

Beth Lee & The Breakups "One More Time Again" (Self-Released, 2013)
(Produced by Ron Flynt)
A nice uber-indie twang-tune set from a Texas gal from Houston and currently living in Austin (of course!) She's got a strong set of original tunes here, exploring country-coated themes of love, loss and regret, sung with feeling in a raggedy DIY style. Her band, the marvelously-named Breakups, have the distinct feel of indie rockers-doing-honkytonk-twang, but in a good way. They're true to the music, but also embrace their rock'n'roll roots, and their unfussy, unmannered performances feel authentic and sincere. More than anything, it's the repertoire that stands out: Beth Lee writes good songs, and when you give yourself over to the indie vibe, tunes like "Thirteen Roses" and "One More Time Again" will resonate and win you over. Fans of folks like Dee Lannon, Lil' Mo And The Monicats or Rosie Flores might want to check this out.

Cari Lee & The Saddle-Ites "Red Barn Baby" (El Toro Records, 2002)

Cari Lee & The Saddle-Ites "The Road Less Traveled" (El Toro Records, 2003)
Decent nouveau-retrobilly swing, along the lines of Ray Condo or Dave & Deke. Cari Lee Merritt makes all the right hiccupping nods towards Wanda Jackson and Charline Arthur, as the band plunks and pounds away. Her vocals are a little flat at times, but the band is solid and overall this is a spunky little record that reveals a diverse stylistic range, and that should get the rockabilly crowd all worked up.

Cari Lee & The Saddle-Ites "Scorched" (Star Tone Records, 2005)

Cari Lee & The Saddle-Ites "Brought To You Via Saddle-Ite..." (Star Tone Records, 2006)

Julie Lee "Stillhouse Road" (Compadre Records, 2004)
One of the most striking Americana albums of the year... A lovely debut by newcomer Julie Lee, with some nice backup from folks like Rob Ickes, Alison Krauss, Tammy Rodgers and Vince Gill. The all-star cast doesn't overshadow Lee's own strengths, as she delivers a lighthearted, hook-laden, 'grass-tinged Americana set which will be sure to delight a wide variety of folks and draw in more than a new fan or two. She has a great ear for a melody, and an even better one for a catchy chorus... Some of her songs seem pretty slight thematically, but they are uniformly pretty-sounding, and her voice is very appealing, sort of a softer version of Iris Dement's rural trill, very distinctive, but also very friendly. I think you'll like this one; it's really grown on me. Highly recommended!

The Lees "The Lees" (Lee Records, 2004)
A sweet, innocuous, though ultimately irritating set of folkish country ditties by a family band hailing from New South Wales, Australia. Mom and Dad -- Steve and Tracey Lee -- have a brood of four precious but talented kids, ranging down in age to little Savannah Lee, who takes her turn singing a tune or two. This disc isn't electrifying, but it's very nice and very enjoyable, although the teen themes and novelty aspect wear thin, especially as the music doesn't change much from song to song. Still, fellow Aussie twangster Kasey Chambers gives them her stamp of approval, so if you like Chambers's work, this disc'll probably hit you the right way as well.

The Lees "Time To Kill" (Lee Records, 2006)

The Legendary Shack Shakers "Hunkerdown" (Spinout Records, 1998)

The Legendary Shack Shakers "Cockadoodledon't" (Bloodsho Recordst, 2003)
A good, silly raunchabilly outing, with a slinky roots-R&B edge, kinda like Tony Joe White backed by the Cramps. Nothing groundbreaking or innovative, but plenty of fun songs from the tongue-in-cheek side of the tracks.

The Legendary Shack Shakers "Believe" (Yep Roc Records, 2004)

The Legendary Shack Shakers "Pandelirium" (Yep Roc Records, 2006)

The Legendary Shack Shakers "Swampblood" (Yep Roc Records, 2007)

The (Legendary) Shack Shakers "Lower Broad Lo-Fi" (Arkam Records, 2007)

Brennen Leigh "Lonesome, Wild And Blue" (Barking Dog Records, 2002)

Brennen Leigh "The Gospel According To Austin" (2003)

Brennen Leigh "Too Thin To Plow" (Down Time Records, 2004)

Brennen Leigh "The Devil's On My Tail" (2005)

Brennen Leigh & Jesse Dayton "Holdin' Our Own & Other Golden Country Duets" (Stag Records, 2007)
A fun, funky set of hard-country duets, done up right by twangster Jesse Dayton and Austinite hillbilly filly Brennen Leigh, a husky voiced cow-gal with an obvious love of old-school country. (In an interview, Ms. Leigh pays allegiance to Melba Montgomery, which gets her plenty of brownie points in my book...!) A couple of the songs come from the George Jones canon, including Leon Payne's "Take Me" and Bobby Braddock's "Something To Brag About," along with a slew of groovy originals co-written by Brennen and Dayton. Highlights include "Let's Run Away," "Everything Looks Good On The Outside" and "Two-Step Program," a punny country novelty song in the classic tradition. Originally a brash, twangy guitar hero, Dayton has come on a little strong on previous albums -- here, he plays with a restraint and thoughtful soulfulness that should make old-schoolers sit up and take notice. This is a nice, classy record, well worth checking out!

Danni Leigh "29 Nights" (MCA-Decca Records, 1998)
A couple of real slam-bang, hard country novelty tunes open this striking debut... On "Beating My Head Against The Wall" and "If The Jukebox Took Teardrops," Leigh evokes the rollicking, upbeat, take-no-prisoners attitude of West Coast honkytonkers like Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam, with a perky, propulsive instrumental attack similar to Trick Pony. For the most part, the rest of this album lives up to the promise of this opening salvo -- midway through, there are a couple of songs that falter, the band sounds uninspired and like they weren't taking the work seriously, and Leigh also sounds like she's just walking through the material. But then the pace picks up again, and the album closes with some strong, fun songs. Her cover of the steamy, sexy ballad, "Touch Me," isn't as shocking as the George Jones version (hard act to follow), but just by picking that song to cover as one of the album's few slow numbers shows you that Leigh knows her stuff when it comes to real, old-school country stuff. This disc didn't make a very big dent in the charts, but it sure did gather a few devoted fans into her orbit... Worth checking out!

Danni Leigh "A Shot Of Whiskey And A Prayer" (Sony Records, 2001)
(Produced by Richard Bennett & Emory Gordy, Jr.)
This disc opens strong, with a set of twangalicious, hot-blooded honkytonk tunes worthy of Dwight Yoakam at his best... Then she kind of tilts sideways and gets into more soul and rock oriented material, sort of in a Sheryl Crowe-like mode. She kind of loses me on that stuff, but the country material is cool... Kind of like Tanya Tucker, with sharp, sweet guitars. A mixed bag, but definitely worth picking up.

Danni Leigh "Divide And Conquer" (Audium Records, 2001)
There's a little something for everyone here... Teamed up with Dwight Yoakam's main man, Pete Anderson, Leigh kicks this disc of with some alt-y, hard country material reminiscent of Rosie Flores -- charmingly un-slick and a little bit raw. Moving into slower material, she gets kinda poetic and ballad-y, then indulges in a bit of Dixie Chicks-type Top 40, and finally settles back into rawer material, sounding for all the world like a latter-day Carlene Carter. Who knows? Mainstream airplay seems possible; I'm sure the indie crowd will embrace her as well. Certainly worth keeping an eye on this gal.

Kim Lenz "Kim Lenz And Her Jaguars" (Hightone Records, 1998)
Modern-day retro-twang from this grrrroovy rockabilly filly... Lenz has a real knack for writing new tunes that sound like oldies from the obscuro vaults, all sung with an appropriate dose of snarly, throaty gusto, with numerous original tunes that have an authentic mid-'Fifties feel. This was her first full solo album, following an EP that came out a couple of years earlier. Some 'billy fans are fairly critical of Lenz's vocals, but if you're into the whole sideburns'n'gingham scene, you'll still probably want to check her out.

Kim Lenz "The One And Only" (Hightone Records, 1999)

Kim Lenz "Up To My Old Tricks Again" (Hightone Records, 2005)
If you missed Ms. Lenz the first time around, here's a best-of set that gathers the hottest tracks from her two albums on the Hightone label, as well as a couple of newer cover tunes on here (notably her version of "Cool Love," borrowed from Bloodshot's recent Wanda Jackson tribute album). A good summation of her career to date.

Kim Lenz & The Jaguars "It's All True!" (Riley Records, 2009)
(Produced by Kim Lenz)
A nice, solid indie set from rockabilly revivalist Kim Lenz, who sings her little heart out on a dozen new tunes, all but four of which were written my Lenz herself. It's a fine retrobilly party, with guests that include SoCal icon Big Sandy, who sings a nice duet on the Sun Records-y "He's All Mine." There are some cheerful, funny novelty numbers, particularly the Lenz original, "Zombie For Your Love," and the album closes on a sizzling note, when guitarist Nick Curran cuts loose with some super-wicked riffs on "Burning Rubber." Nice to see her still doing her thing and keeping it really 'billy.

Carl Sonny Leyland "I'm Wise" (Hightone Records, 1999)
Fly-Rite pianist Carl Leyland zaps off a swell solo record, chock full of bluesy R&B and stride styles, and plenty of nice roots rock. Along with the obvious Jerry Lee Lewis emulation, there are swipes and debts to hillbilly shouters such as Moon Mullican and blues old-timer Roosevelt Sykes. Might appeal more to the house-rockin' crowd than the retrobilly set, but still a pretty solid album.

Carl Sonny Leyland & Joel Paterson "A Chicago Session" (Ventrella Records, 2008)

Lil' Mo And The Monicats "Hearts In My Dream" (Passin' Fancy, 1999)
For a hard country traditionalist like me, an album like this is pure heaven. Well, heck, just take the title track -- a picture perfect version of one of the best early George Jones heart songs -- and you'll know why I'm hooked. New York songstress Monica Passin (aka Lil' Mo) proves herself not just an apt pupil of old-style country, but a master of the craft as well: originals such as "It Just Doesn't Add Up" could easily have entered the hallowed ranks of first-class songwriting in the Nashville of years gone by. Along with tasteful novelty songs like that one, Lil' Mo also chirps out a few hiccupy rockabilly tunes and caps it all off with a pair of stunningly beautiful ballads in the Carter Family style ("Still Cryin'" and "I Will Give My Love"). Her band knocks out some of the best hard country riffs you're likely to hear outside of a Bear Family reissue, with classic Hank Williams-derived pedal steel and an occasional fiddle breakdown... This is the kind of record that makes the whole alt-country revival worth it: there isn't a false note on the entire album, and Passin pours her heart into every song.

Lil' Mo And The Monicats "Lil' Mo And The Monicats" (Passin' Fancy, 2003)

Lil' Mo And The Monicats "On the Moon" (Cow Island Records, 2009)
(Produced by Lil' Mo & Hank Bones)
A more diverse selection, with country twang augmented by rockabilly, blues and even a bit of girl group pop and Sam & Dave style R&B... It's a super-ambitious set, particularly since Monica Passin wrote all of the songs in all of the various styles... Her vocals might not do it for everyone, but this is still an impressive album... Definitely worth a spin.

The Little Willies "For The Good Times" (EMI/Blue Note Records, 2012)

Lone Justice "Lone Justice" (Geffen Records, 1985)
When Maria McKee and her posse hit the scene with this slam-bang debut, they seemed like one of the most likely bands to bust LA's cowpunk scene wide open, bringing alt.country out onto the national stage. This album certainly had a lot of juice behind it: producer Andy Iovine had worked with Tom Petty and U2, and had plenty of rock'n'roll cachet; Geffen Records was a pretty spiffy gig, too, and then, of course, there was McKee herself, a snarly dynamo reminiscent of fiery country foremothers such as Wanda Jackson or the young Tanya Tucker. The album's highpoint is her twisting, explosive version of Petty's "Ways To Be Wicked," a clear indication of the firepower the band had at its disposal. They also had a mainstream feel to some of their songs, a too-smoothness to some of the production, that hinted at a possible switch to a more commercial, Nashville-ish country sound. But this disc still sounds pretty good, definitely worth picking up.

Lone Justice "Shelter" (Geffen Records, 1986)

Lone Justice "Radio 1: Live In Concert" (BBC Records, 1993)

Lone Justice "This World Is Not My Home" (Geffen Records, 1999)
A dynamite best-of that includes some early, cowpunk demos, later live recordings (including a duet on "Sweet Jane," sung with Bono of U2) and all the hits and semi-hits the band had to offer. This is a very well-programmed collection which will keep you pumped up right up until the trio of tunes taken from the "Shelter" album, which suck the life out of the set as fast as you can imagine. But overall, this is a great document of a band in its prime. (Also see: Maria McKee)

Lone Justice "The Millennium Collection" (Geffen Records, 2003)

Lonesome Brothers "Pony Tales" (Captivating Music, 2002)
(Produced by Jim Weeks)
A mix of jam-bandish rock and oddball Americana, ala Mark Olson and the Creekdippers. This Massachusetts band goes off in a lot of directions; I prefer the few songs that are mellower and more acoustic, such as "Almost Had You" and "Made Of Stone," but they come at album's end, almost like an afterthought, as though they placed more faith in the clangy, Bottlerockets/Uncle Tupelo-y stuff instead. This is kind of uneven -- and I didn't really get that into it -- but there's stuff here that should be of interest to various twangfans out there.

Lonesome Spurs "Lonesome Spurs" (Rock-A-Billy, 2006)

Lonesome Travelers "The Lonesome Travelers" (Valley Entertainment, 2006)
A nice, rollicking set of indiebilly twang that reminds me of those old New Riders Of The Purple Sage albums -- enthusiastic, with traditional instruments such as steel and pedal steel, played with gusto, but also from a little outside of the authentic country tradition. Not bad! Nice set of original material, even if it isn't completely earthshaking.... if you liked the NRPS or the Burrito Brothers, you'll want to check these guys out as well.

Loretta Lynch "Concrete & Ether" (2007)

Lone Justice - see artist discography

Lonesome Travelers "Lonesome Travelers" (Valley Entertainment, 2006)
Formed as an offshoot of the band Cowboy Mouth, this is an appealing regular-fellas indie band that slips between low-key rock and bouncy, pedal-steel infused country. The country stuff is best: there's an obvious and enjoyable debt to hippiebilly bands like the Flying Burrito Brothers and New Riders Of The Purple Sage, and mid-tempo country tunes like "Money To Burn" are where these guys shine. The rock numbers are less memorable, and their faster twang tunes feel a little rushed. Still, there's some really promising material here -- I'm hoping these guy'll mine deeper into their strengths and return with an even stronger album soon... There are some nice tunes on here, though overall I wasn't blown away.

Loretta Lynch "Concrete And Ether" (Self-Released, 2007)

Loretta Lynch "Home Fires" (Self-Released, 2011)
Scrappy, DIY twang from this female-led SF Bay Area quintet... Singers Heather Davison, Val Esway and Ari Fellows-Mannion take turns with the songwriting; highlights include Fellows-Manion's "Baby Made 1-2-3," in which a pair of hipster parents longs for their nightclubbing days, before the biggest excitement at night was changing diapers or reading a bedtime story to their kid... It's a catchy tune that taps into the simplicity of old-school country. Also fun are their cover tunes, a surfy remake of "Ghost Riders In The Sky," NRBQ's bluesy "What Can I Say," and a hillbilly update of "I Wanna Be Sedated" by the Ramones (a sure crowd-pleaser at their concerts!) Their rugged, acoustic-based sound, with plenty of guitar, bass, mandolin -- and a wicked bit of washboard rhythm -- shows that local, homegrown twang is alive and well in the East Bay. (For more info, including gig updates, check out the band's website at lorettalynch.com)

Los Lobos "El Cancionero" (Rhino Records, 2001)
Los Lobos? Sure, why not? While East LA's best Latin-American roots-rock bar band was bringing "La Bamba" back into the mainstream and helping re-define the public image of Chicano culture, they also indulged a great love (and knowledge) of hillbilly music. This 4-CD box set may be a little bit more than the average listener requires... that's why we're also lucky that so many of their albums remain easily available to this day. These guys are pretty good.

Los Lobos "The Ride" (Hollywood Records, 2004)
An ambitious, star-studded, marvelously diverse set, with luminaries such as Tom Waits, Richard Thompson and Dave Alvin pitching in from the folkie tip, Little Willie G, Mavis Staples and Bobby Womack representing the R&B camp, Elvis Costello wandering around on the margins, and Cafe Tacuba and Ruben Blades adding their brands of latino supersauce into the mix. It's an impressive and well-produced album... a bit dense and poppish for me, personally, but fans who enjoy Los Lobos's knack for stretching expectations and boundaries will find this disc another nice step in their journey.

Gary Louris "Vagabonds" (Rykodisc, 2008)

Gary Louris "Acoustic Vagabonds" (EP) (Rykodisc, 2008)

Gary Louris & Mark Olson "Ready For The Flood" (Hacktone Records, 2008)
(Produced by Chris Robinson)
A spacey, folky reunion of two former members of the now on-hold Jayhawks... Olson left the band in 1995 and went on a weirdo-delic musical journey with his wife, Victoria Williams, whose off-center sensibilities seemed to match his own in a series of albums by the Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers. This disc, the second recorded in the wake of their divorce, continues on in the idiosyncratic, ultra-personal oddball vein as Olson's Creek Dipper days. God only knows what the songs are about, but Louris and Olson seem to be having fun together, and while the production mix is much sparser and less forceful than one might expect with a member of the Black Crowes (Chris Robinson) at the helm, it's got a nice, light tone that steadfast Creek Dipper fans will appreciate. Oddly enough, the tight, strained Louris-Olson harmonies reminded me a bit of Great Britain's Dransfield Brothers, who also crafted a unique, weirdo, space-folk vibe after mastering more traditional musical styles. It might not be for everyone, but for the right brand of fans, this'll be manna from heaven.

Lydia Loveless "The Only Man" (Peloton Records, 2010)

Lydia Loveless "Indestructible Machine" (Bloodshot Records, 2011)

Lyle Lovett - see artist discography

Levi Lowrey "I Confess I Was A Fool" (Southern Ground Artists, 2011)
Georgia-born Levi Lowrey comes from the fringes of the country Top 40, having written hit songs with Zac Brown, while Brown's own Southern Ground label provides Lowery with a safe haven to record music that fits more into the "alt-country" category... If you're looking for contemporary stuff with considerably more depth that the usual Nashville fare, you might want to check this guy out...

Levi Lowrey "Levi Lowrey" (Southern Ground Artists, 2013)
At first this may seem like an uneven album, careening from the dreadful alt-rock opener ("Picket Fences") into mellower, more conventional pop-country stylings, but midway through, Lowery slows things down and takes on a much more personal and penetrating approach. In a powerful series of songs, he digs deep into spiritual themes: on "That Is All" he forcefully confronts his listeners to take stock of how they perceive religion, what it's for and what they expect it to provide in their lives. Then follows an impressive flurry of songwriting rabbit-punches, a pair of tunes that explore religious belief with greater depth and sincerity than just about anything Nashville has come up with in the last twenty years. "Before The Hymnal Died" laments the church life of Lowery's youth, while "I've Held The Devil's Hand" humbly concedes his own failings and moral shortcomings, speaking with an honesty and lack of evangelical conformity that is, honestly, quite refreshing. Then, just as you start to think, oh, this is some kind of country-rock gospel album, he shifts back into secular themes, effectively integrating his own soul-searching spirituality into a personal portrait that's wider and richer and more tangible than any of the formulaic flood of songs about God and small town life that have made modern-day Nashville seem so hollow and insincere. The songs on this album have real emotional and psychological depth, and it's nice to hear someone making contemporary country music that's more than just bland commercial pop. This is good stuff. Check it out.

Austin Lucas "Stay Reckless" (New West Records, 2013)
(Produced by Mark Nevers & Austin Lucas)
A solid, driving mix of indie-rock, alt-twang and jam band guitar -- well-written songs delivered with intensity and conviction... Some of this is a little loud for me, but the more rock-friendly among us will find a lot to appreciate here. Reminds me of Ryan Bingham, in his mastery of both twang and bang. Good stuff!

Robyn Ludwick "For So Long" (Late Show Records, 2005)
A solo set by Texas singer Robyn Ludwick, sister of alt-country standard-bearers Bruce Robison and Charlie Robison... An admirably rough-edged, hard-hitting, robust set that might appeal to fans of Mary Gauthier and Eliza Gilkyson, with fine backing by some of alt-country's finest.

Robyn Ludwick "Too Much Desire" (Late Show Records, 2008)
(Produced by John Ludwick & Mike Hardwick)

Corb Lund "Modern Pain" (1995)

Corb Lund "Unforgiving Mistress" (1999)

Corb Lund "Five Dollar Bill" (2002)

Corb Lund "Hair In My Eyes Like A Highland Steer" (Stony Plain Records, 2005)
A Canadian independent who's had a couple of albums out before this, songwriter Corb Lund emerges as one of the most likeable, entertaining twangster-troubadours on the scene today. Singing good-natured, humorous songs with everyman themes like "All I Wanna Do Is Play Cards" and "Always Keep An Edge On Your Knife," Lund is kind of a morph of Woody Guthrie, Chris LeDoux and Jerry Jeff Walker. The highpoint of this album is the tall-taleish "The Truck Got Stuck," an immensely appealing talking blues novelty song about the perils of driving in the mud up North... The song gets a reprise on the album's end, with folk scene old-timer Ramblin' Jack Elliott trading verses... Ian Tyson also shows up.. and with heroes like this, Lund lets us know he's aiming pretty high. His band, the Hurtin' Albertans, provide a good, strong backing, but it's Lund himself who leaps out at you... He seems like a nice guy, someone you wouldn't mind hanging out with in your old hometown... Short of that, listening to this record will give sure you a chuckle or two!

Corb Lund "Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier" (2007)

Corb Lund "Cabin Fever" (New West Records, 2012)
(Produced by Steve Christensen & The Hurtin' Albertans)
Canadian roots/country stalwart Corb Lund opens this set with a bouncy but truly frightening survivalist anthem, "Gettin' Down On The Mountain," which predicts an end to the petrochemical economy, and advises listeners to stockpile a little more ammo and did their own wells if they want some clean drinking water. This is followed by the equally cheerful "Dig Gravedigger Dig," and while I ain't saying this is an apocalyptic concept album, it sure is a little more downbeat than Lund's usual twangy pickups'n'pints joshing around. The gloom and doom vibe doesn't last forever, though: he summons an acoustic ballad ("September") and a zippy motorcycle song ("Mein Deutsches Motorrad"), some drinking songs and a couple of tunes about cows and cowboys. So, the end of civilization could be fun, after all. As always, Lund and his band (the Hurtin' Albertans) produce some high-quality twang, and his sharp sense of humor comes through loud and clear, even if there seem to be a few dark clouds on the horizon up North.

Kermit Lynch "Donuts & Coffee" (Mesa Bluemoon Records, 2012)
(Produced by Ricky Fataar)
Bluesy, jazzy excursions from pioneering Berkeley wine merchant Kermit Lynch, who likes to pick a tune of two when he's not importing fine hooch from France and the hinterlands. This disc features some unusual arrangements of various country oldies, such as a reggae rendition of "Ring Of Fire" and a Bill Withers-ish funkification of the old George Jones hit, "She Thinks I Still Care." There are also some nice jazz standards, such as "In My Solitude" and "On The Street Where You Live," and a few originals by Lynch, including the sultry, bluesy title track, "Donuts And Coffee." Clearly Mr. Lynch is enjoying his gentle jam sessions...!

Gayle Lynn & The Hired Hands "Just Came Around" (JG Productions, 2008)

Lera Lynn "Have You Met Lera Lynn?" (Slow Records, 2011)
(Produced by Robby Handley)
A mix of slower-tempo twangcore and eclectic, contemplative singer-songwriter pop ala Aimee Mann, with a hint of gothic, Nick Cave-ish mope-core. Solid songwriting, but a bit glum. Includes a nice cover of Leonard Cohen's scathing, doomed-romance golden oldie, "I Tried To Leave You."

Shelby Lynne - see artist discography

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Hick Music Index

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