Country music that's actually listenable

[lazarus]

All songs have always been credited to the whole band; I don't know anything specific about this one's origins.

 

[Chill Mike D]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oaHHrNQVrg&feature=player_embedded

 

[UberBeaver]

YouTube - WICKED GAME [HD] Chris Isaak

Is this considered country?

 

[lazarus]

No.

 

[Dalton]

I'd marry her if I could.

Damn restraining orders.

 

[VintagePunk]

I wouldn't say country exactly, but twangy guitar with lots of reverb, and Isaak sounding like a cross between Elvis and Roy Orbison. And, he does do a lot of rockabilly.

Funny though, but till now, I'd never really thought of that song in those terms.

And can I just say that nearly 20 years later, that video is still the hottest thing ever? Damn.

 

[corianderstem]

Yeah, he's known for the rockabilly thing, but a slide guitar does not a country song make, so no on Wicked Game being "country."

 

[VintagePunk]

It's actually not slide guitar. I wondered that myself, and checked a live performance on You Tube.

 

[corianderstem]

So it's more like "bendy guitar notes" do not equal "slidey guitar notes" do not equal country music.

Or something ...

 

[zonelistener]

What about the Old 97s (alt-country)?

 

[UberBeaver]

Is this considered country?

No.

I wouldn't say country exactly, but twangy guitar with lots of reverb, and Isaak sounding like a cross between Elvis and Roy Orbison. And, he does do a lot of rockabilly.

Funny though, but till now, I'd never really thought of that song in those terms.

And can I just say that nearly 20 years later, that video is still the hottest thing ever? Damn.

Yeah, he's known for the rockabilly thing, but a slide guitar does not a country song make, so no on Wicked Game being "country."

With that information, I remain unable to find a country song I like then. So close.

Damn restraining orders.

I lol'd.

 

[VintagePunk]

With that information, I remain unable to find a country song I like then. So close.

You're a punk lover. I can hear a shitload of rockabilly influences in a lot of punk music, and rockabilly is a close (maybe even incestuously close) cousin of country.

 

[UberBeaver]

Just cause someone has a hot cousin that doesn't make them hot themselves, VP.

 

[BVS]

Just cause someone has a hot cousin that doesn't make them hot themselves, VP.

No truer words have ever been spoken...

Almost signature worthy...

 

[VintagePunk]

I'm just saying that if you like that, then it's not such a stretch to move from punk-rockabilly (punkabilly, psychobilly, whatever) into pure rockabilly, and then into (gasp) country-ish sounds. And I still maintain that the two genres and their cross genres have a similar ethos.

What if someone did a country cover of Mandy? Huh? What then?

 

[UberBeaver]

I'm just saying that if you like that, then it's not such a stretch to move from punk-rockabilly (punkabilly, psychobilly, whatever) into pure rockabilly, and then into (gasp) country-ish sounds. And I still maintain that the two genres and their cross genres have a similar ethos.

What if someone did a country cover of Mandy? Huh? What then?

1. As a life rule I do not listen to Manilow covers.
2. The Clash -> Stray Cats >Tim McGraw? Really? THINGS ARE NOT THAT CUT AND DRY, VP! Not in the real world, they aint.

 

[VintagePunk]

Tim McGraw

You just soiled this thread.

 

[BVS]

I'm just saying that if you like that, then it's not such a stretch to move from punk-rockabilly (punkabilly, psychobilly, whatever) into pure rockabilly, and then into (gasp) country-ish sounds. And I still maintain that the two genres and their cross genres have a similar ethos.

This is very true...

Just look at Hank III, Ryan Adams(a lot of his side projects were punk), Reverend Horton Heat, etc...

 

[Chill Mike D]

Is this considered country?

Absolutely that's country. It's not honky tonk or some kind of Boot Scootin' Boogie bullshit, but that's a country song. I can't think of anything else to call it.

 

[jacobus]

STAN SILVER
http://www.myspace.com/stansilver

 

[VintagePunk]

Absolutely that's country. It's not honky tonk or some kind of Boot Scootin' Boogie bullshit, but that's a country song. I can't think of anything else to call it.

The guitar has definite surf rock/rockabilly influences, and Isaak is crooning in a really sultry way, but I still don't think it's quite country.

I think it's impossible to categorize.

Here's an interview from the guitar player. I think his influences give some clues.

Interview with James Wilsey, the genius behind Chris Isaak wicked game | Jose.gs

 

[lazarus]

It's a retro song, but the closest thing it sounds like is Roy Orbison, and I don't think many consider him country.

 

[Chill Mike D]

Rockabilly, to me, is a subset of country or else a throwback to when country and rock&roll were completely synonymous.

Chris Isaak surely sounds like Roy Orbison, and I wouldn't hesitate to call Roy Orbison a country musician at all. It's just a kind of country music from before country and rock&roll decoupled.

What Wicked Game doesn't sound like is Nashville country.

 

[powerhour24]

BUMP!

This thread should not be dead. Let's discuss reasons why country doesn't have to suck despite the radio's quite successful campaign to make people with taste hate the genre?

Some favorites:
Whiskeytown/Ryan Adams
The Jayhawks
Uncle Tupelo/Jay Farrar + Jeff Tweedy - Wilco & Son Volt and other side projects
Neko Case

oh and my new favorite, Jason Collett, anyone else familiar with him?

 

[65980]

Just caught this thread. I grew up in a total country-redneck town, so most of this music is familiar to me, much as I wish it were otherwise. Neverthless, there is some great country stuff out there, much of which the board has dutifully mentioned.

(That Townes Van Zandt ["Miss Carousel" or whatever?] song reminded me, melodically, of Paul Simon's "Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall". Just thought I'd mention it.)

I love the Stones' song "Dead Flowers"!! Nice mention there.

Mike Mills (bass player of R.E.M.) did indeed solely write "Don't Go Back to Rockville" -- and a damn, fine song it is.

As for Garth Brooks, back in University days, my roommates and I compiled a (not serious, don't worry) list of people who deserved to die, and Garth topped the list (along with Whitney Houston and a loudmouth right-winger at our university).

The early pop-country (ie. Hillbilly) was cool stuff, I guess. Here's (4 different) Elvis performances of "That's All Right", the "first rock'n'roll song" but really just a country-hillbilly song: YouTube - Elvis Presley That's All Right Mama Live 1954 and 1955 4 shows

Speaking of famous rock/pop performers, leave us not forget The Beatles. Here's "I've Just Seen a Face": YouTube - The Beatles- I've Just Seen A Face

From 1928, The Carter Family -- "John Hardy was a Desperate Little Man" (later lyrically ripped off by Bob Dylan for "John Wesley Harding"; I suppose the melody is traditional): YouTube - the carter family - john hardy was a desperate little man

Bill Monroe: "Blue Moon of Kentucky" (also famously done by Elvis at Sun): YouTube - BILL MONROE blue moon of kentucky.wmv

Modern country is pretty much all crap, I think, but I always rather liked this tune ("Blame it on your Heart", sung here by Patty Loveless): YouTube - blame it on your heart,patty loveless

 

[corianderstem]

I also like Jace Everett, the guy who sings the True Blood theme. I've liked what I've heard - need to pick up the album.

 

[powerhour24]

I only know 'Bad Things', but I'll check out more of his songs.

But seriously folks, listen to Jason Collett.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

t.a.s.

 

[LemonMelon]

So I just got around to Uncle Tupelo.

Holy fucking shit woah.

YouTube - Uncle Tupelo Live On Conan "The Long Cut"

I'm so happy knowing music like this exists.

Also, as far as 2010 albums are concerned, the new John Mellencamp album with T-Bone Burnett is totally awesome. I haven't gotten around to Jamey Johnson's The Guitar Song, but the critics claim it's brilliant.

 

[deep]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9N5MGRPV0I

one more Emmylou, a Neil Young song, he has a country side



YouTube - Billy Joe Shaver - Live Forever



YouTube - Jimmie Dale Gilmore : Just A Wave Not The Water