Drive-By Truckers - "Bulldozers And Dirt" / "Nine Bullets"
Remember the scene in Diner when the characters played by Daniel Stern and Kevin Bacon disagree about whether the A-side of a Ritchie Valens single was "La Bamba" or "Donna"? A similar debate, albeit a noncinematic and less historically significant one, could take place over
Harvester - Camper Van Landingham
Harvester doesn't have as much standard Americana in their sound as their name might imply. While perhaps the best thing about their second record is its broad reach, most of it falls somewhere into the alternative-rock heap -- melodic, noisy guitar songs intelligently put together.
This disc was
Martin Simpson - Cool And Unusual
Martin Simpson's recordings are a utopia of the acoustic guitar. Across them coalesce British, Irish, Scottish, Indian, Mississippi Deltan, Ozarkian, gypsy and European character alike. But Simpson's signature glows through: the trilling and surging dynamics, that raw thunk of thumb punctuating a phrase.
His records have
Corey Harris - Fish Ain't Bitin'
Four times, now, I've started this CD just to hear the effortless little woebegone slide in Corey Harris' voice as he sings, "High fever got me-e-e." It's not a fearful, pneumonial plea, but it perfectly imparts the considerable discomfort of chickenpox.
Will Oldham - Joya
On first listen, I hated this record. I hated Will Oldham. I hated his pomposity, his faux mystery-man pose, his pretentious lyrics and his boring music. On the second listen, I discovered the kernels of some very good songs -- but I still hated his reedy, whiny voice. I wished
Donnie Fritts - Everybody's Got A Song
I'll be surprised if another record comes out this year that features as much quality talent as the new album from Donnie Fritts -- who himself is not particularly well-known, though his songs have been covered by everyone from the Rolling Stones to UB40.
Fritts may be most