Two Albums

There are two "country" albums I've been listening to a lot lateley that have even ended up mixed up in each other's CD cases, but which greatly contrast with one another.

One is "Roots and Crowns" by Califone. I failed to report about this record in my "Best of '06" post because I didn't own it at the time. But I just have to say this: BEST RECORD OF 2006! ...well next to Midlake. Tim Rutili is a genius and if you haven't heard these guys, click here and play the song "The Orchids". Check out my wife's review of this song. And if you're the type of person that likes to by single songs off iTunes, buy "The Orchids" ....it's so beautiful.

And I guess when I say this is a country album, I'm stretching a bit. Most of Califone's stuff is "atmospheric", hinging its sound on layers upon layers of percussion (a lot of found percussion) and electronic samples and analog tape manipulations. They blend these lo-fi elements with a folk/country sound and the result is beauty.

The other record is "What aCrying Shame" by the Mavericks. It was released in 93/94 at the height of the whole "young country" thing. So it definately has that pop production style, but the songs are just so great. I find myself playing this loud. Yesterday, I was driving around town playing this record so loud without knowing it that I pulled up next to a car with loud rap music and they sneared at me the way that people snear at them, as if to say, "Young wippersnapper!" Except I was playing early 90's young country.

Love the line:
Hey now, mister bouncer
All I wanna do is dance.
But I swear I left my wallet
Back in my workin' pants.