Beyond Nashville: the Twisted Heart of Country Music
Beyond Nashville: the Twisted Heart of Country Music
Nashville is the centre of the country music industry, but the driving roots of “real” country extend far beyond its boundaries, from Memphis and San Antonio to NYC. Beyond Nashville, an exploration of this “real” country music, features copious sleeve notes and tracks by key artists from the hillbilly 1920s to the present. There are rich pickings: from the bluesy yodelling of consumptive pre-war star Jimmie Rodgers, to Woody Guthrie’s fiery harmonica and social realism (forefather of Bob Dylan), to Carl Perkins’ joint-jumpin’ rock & roll take on country. Also here are 1970s groundbreakers such as Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris and the Flying Burrito Brothers–who fused country with rock–and current young turks such as Alejandro Escovedo and Jim White who play a cowpunk groove. In fact, this 42-track double CD has too many artists to mention, making this a highly recommended sterling collection. –Lucy O’Brien
Customer Review: Beyond belief
This is an exceedingly good introduction to all those of us who thought that country music was restricted to blankets on the ground and D.I.V.O.R.C.E. The chronological approach clearly demonstrates that there has always been ‘alt-country’. Indeed, the royal familay of country music, The Carter Family have been peddling high quality music from at least the thirties.
The first CD is very good, but the second is excellent. I’d not heard of many of these artists before, but I sought them out and am now happy to have albums by ‘The Handsome Family’ in particular in my collection.
There is so much heart in nearly all these tracks, but the soul of some of them is dark, to say the least.
This is what country music is all about, the inclusion of a less well known Johnny Cash track exemplifies the depth of variation that is possible under the umbrella description of country. There is life outside of Nashville, but not as we know it, and nary a sign of a rhinestone or dodgy stetson.
Treat yourself to something different, you won’t be dissappointed.
Customer Review: The whole doggone’ history…on 2 CDs
I got into Bluegrass while living inTexas (returned to UK recently for a couple of years before going back). this CD explains it all, without any books…..great historical insight into origins of genre. recommended
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