Being There
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 October, 1996)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $9.99
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Editorial Review

Wilco's follow-up to A.M. impresses first with its size: 19 tunes fill the double-CD package, and the packaging unfolds like a larger-than-life 1970s-era gatefold album cover. But the love affair with the artwork is short-lived, fading as the music takes center stage, making plain the band's overwhelming stretch into innumerable styles. Jeff Tweedy's love of pop and the mechanics of making pop albums is clear almost immediately, as he and his cohort utilize the studio to create and manipulate undertows and snaky recorded elements throughout many of their tunes (a keyboard touch, a guitar's flair, a cymbal's unexpected crash). There are the plainspoken acoustic numbers, recalling Tweedy's tenure in Uncle Tupelo, and there are also unwinding swoops of tinted, guitar-heavy rock--one of which collapses into chromatic jabs at a piano only to resolve in silence on "Sunken Treasure." Oodles of influences fill Wilco's collective mind, and they're perfectly content to pile the trace elements atop each other and make scrambled pop perfection. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Good, not earth-shattering
I really like Wilco.Jeff Tweedy has a far better sense of how to craft songs than most any songwriter out there nowadays.And he does a very good job on Being There.My complaint is, and I can hear the screaming already from other devotees, that the vast majority of songs on this disc are forgettable.Wilco really isn't trying anything radical here, and as a result most of the songs end up feeling like filler.That said, there are a handful of very good songs here.Say You Miss Me and Sunken Treasure are beautiful and mesmerizing, Red-Eyed and Blue is great, and there are some fun songs on here like Got You (At the End of the Century) and Monday.

I recommend this album for either people who've already bought later Wilco albums and loved them or people who like relatively unproduced, unrambunctious rock.If you're not sure, buy Summerteeth first.If you think you would like it if it were stripped down to guitars, then go buy Being There.

On the cusp...
This album is best enjoyed on big headphones plugged into a hi-fi. Both of the discs compare favorably to any of the best country-infused rock of the last 30 years, exploring the deep personal issues seldom heard on older recordings yet burdened by none of the naval-gazing of the more confessional singer-songwriter types. The songs and the music are beautiful, whether you're talking about anthemic rock songs like "Monday" and "Outtasite (outta mind)" or piano-driven laments like "Sunken Treasure."
Wilco has continued to release excellent records, but this is the one that finds them on the cusp between where they were going and where they had been. You can see the more varied musical landscapes Tweedy and company would later explore, but they're still safely off in the distance. This record occupies a space in your parent's basement, your childhood room, the first bar where they knew your drink. At about the length of a single CD (with at least a couple duds on the second disc), it's hard to say why this album occupies two discs, but allow them theindulgence. I never get tired of this record.

Wilco Finding Their Voice
This double-disc album is loaded with stunning tracks.

Some highlights:

"Misunderstood"is reminiscent of The Velvet Underground's "Heroin," with the juxtapostion of noise-rock and the consonance of Jeff Tweedy's simple song.The use of changing textures here is masterful.Tweedy's lyrics come across as clever without be self-conscious or trying too hard.

"The Lonely 1" is one of my all-time favorite Wilco tracks, beautiful and bittersweet.The arrangement is well-crafted, with understated strings and steel guitar.This song is featured prominently in "Chelsea Walls," a film that Tweedy scored.

There are a number of songs that remind me of Johnny Cash or Bob Dylan, played and sung in a straight-forward style with brilliant lyrics (songs such as: "Someone Else's Song," "What's the World Got in Store," and "Forget the Flowers").

The straight-ahead rock stuff works well too, simple, catchy, optimistic songs with tasteful vocal harmonies and driving guitars (songs such as: "Monday," "Outtasite (Outta Mind)," and "I Got You (at the End of the Century)").

Then there are the songs that are hard to categorize, floating somewhere between the world of folk, pop, country, and alt.-rock.These songs take chances and are worth a listen (songs like:"Sunken Treasure," and "Hotel Arizona").

Why only 4 stars? The album is too long.It could have been cut down to one fantastic disc.Wilco comes across as indecisive, trying to figure out what their sound should be.For example, they include two versions of the same song ("Outta Mind (Outta Sight)," and "Outtasite (Outta Mind") are the same song, one is done in a sing-songy Beach Boys style, and the other is done in a heavy rock style).Make up your minds guys! Pick the best version for the album and go with it.Save the alternate version for a Beatle-esque Anthology in 20 years.

This one gripe aside, there are many tracks here that are worth your time and money.If you like this album, order "Summerteeth" and "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot."I would only recommend their latest album, "A Ghost is Born" for super-fans of Wilco.It has some solid tracks, but it is a big departure from the albums mentioned above. ... Read more

Asin: B000002N7G
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Alternative Pop/Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Smile
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 May, 2000)
list price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

In the mid-1980s, this Minneapolis band shared tavern stages with fellow hometown punk bands like the Replacements and Soul Asylum, dishing out a then-unique blend of country-rock that pre-dated "alt country" by a decade. More than 15 years later, their sixth album is also their second without cofounder Mark Olson. Led by Gary Louris, the newfangled Jayhawks play pop music in the truest sense of the word, and Smile is another trademarked batch of their heartrending laments: hooks that you can't get out of your head ("I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"); melodies snatched off of '70s AM radio ("Mr. Wilson"); epic harmonies from the Big Star handbook ("What Led Me to This Town"); and even a modest attempt at Midwestern hip-hop ("Somewhere in Ohio"). Produced by Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd's The Wall), Smile is a tad slicker than 1997's Sound of Lies. But like its predecessor, this record's charm rests in a handful of dazzling ballads ("Better Days," "A Break in the Clouds" and "Broken Harpoon")--polished, yes, but never overbearing. --Scott Holter ... Read more

Reviews (77)

What is wrong with you people
Who cares about production or selling out? I used too but not anymore. I've reached a point in my life where if the music is good, I'll listen to it. Not to say I listen to just any album, I'm still some what selective. Take this album for example. I love The Jayhawks early stuff, it's raw but their new stuff has merit too. You can feel a totally different band on Smile. A band that is trying to find it's place after Mark Olson left. That's not a bad thing, it fact it's great. We, the listener, get a chance to see a group of Artist evolve into a new creature. I wouldn't say The Jayhawks were trying to sell out or get radio play with this album, I think they were just trying something different. Be supportive and give this album a shot. Who says all of a bands albums have to sound the same? Not me.

2 stars for the songs and cheesy production...
The Jayhawk's 'Smile' is the reason why Mark Olson left the band.He had the foresight to see that the band would have to literally "get slick" if they wanted to survive.'Smile' proves it.The production is like anything you would hear on top 40 radio in the late 90s.The CD does warrent 2 stars for the excellent Louris song writing, however.Unfortunately, I cannot listen to the songs because I hate the production with its keyboards and overdubs galore.It's ironic that the Jayhawks would finally garner public and critical acclaim with their most recent release 'Rainy Day Music' because it is a return to form.A form that is characterized by sparse, warm production and simple, intentional song writing.Now if Louris had just recorded the songs on Smile with guitar, bass, drums,vocals, and little pedal steel...it would have been awesome.Thank God for Mark Olson's solo output.It's been a refuge to fill the gaps in the Jayhawk's discography.
One final note...Gary, why did you name the album 'Smile'?I mean, come on, how unoriginal can you be?It's ultimately as unoriginal as the actual CD.

Meh, M-E-H, meh
I guess I set my expectations a bit too high here. Hell, the album's called 'Smile,' which I have to admit is pretty ballsy. I was expecting an effortless fusion of alt-country and pop (in the good, Beatles-ie sense). This, frankly, ain't it.

Which is not to say this is a horrible album.Not so.There's at least three tracks on here that are truly excellent - 'Smile,' 'Somewhere In Ohio,' and 'Queen of the World.'All three certainly suffer from the over-production that plagues the rest of the album - the studio sheen is damn near blinding - but all three are catchy little songs that won't leave my head.

As for the rest of the album, I don't hear anything special.I know a lot of people have said that there's good songwriting at work here, behind the too-polished sound.I don't hear it - the songs are adequate, but not, to my ears, mind-blowing.Still, it's all pleasant enough.

Until the closing track, 'Baby, Baby, Baby,' which is just an embarrassment that makes me question the sanity of everyone involved in this project.It sound like it was created by an unexceptional bar band that won some free studio time in an under-attended battle of the bands.Thankfully, it's the last track, and easy enough to skip.

So, I wouldn't advise rushing out to buy this album, but it's worth a listen or two.Three exceptional tracks is, these days, not all that bad.And more forgiving ears than mine might like the rest of the album just fine. ... Read more

Asin: B00004SUGH
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

On Golden Smog
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 May, 1996)
list price: $9.98 -- our price: $9.98
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Editorial Review

Following the success of Golden Smog's second release, Down by the Old Mainstream, Rykodisc has managed to reissue this 1992 debut EP (originally released on the now-defunct Crackpot Records). Unlike their later release, this disc contains no originals. Rather it is filled with five unlikely covers ranging from Bad Company's "Shooting Star" to Thin Lizzy's "Cowboy Song." This early lineup features the best the Twin Cities had to offer--Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum), Gary Louris and Marc Perlman (the Jayhawks), Craig Johnson (Run Westy Run), and Chris Mars (the Replacements)--all billed under Golden Smog pseudonyms, of course. While it doesn't resonate with any majestic brilliance, On Golden Smog sounds remarkably like five friends jamming over a few cases of beer, which, according to legend, is how Golden Smog came to be. It's not heavy. It's not deep. It's just a lot of fun. --Bill Snyder ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Worth it , even for the casual fan
This debut EP from the "supergroup", Golden Smog is actually very lacking....but only in it's brevity.This beautiful and rockin' disc is brought to you by members of Wilco, The Jayhawks, Soul Asylum, and RunWesty Run.But you wouldn't know that from the liner notes, due tocontract stipulations they couldn't use their real names on this debut (instead they use aliases created by combining their middle names and streetthey grew up on ) Luckily their real talent still shines through.Andalthough all the songs on here are covers,the Smog breathes new life intothese 70's rockers."Son" opens the CD with a bouncy, funhook that you can not help but tap along to."Easy To Be Hard"is a slow ballad that explodes in the chorus and will bring a tear to youreye, no matter how hard you fight it back. Then we move on to "Shooting Star " , a cover so good that Bad Company called up theSmogsters and asked them record their next album for them since these guysplay the material better than the Not-So- Good Corporation ever could. ( Ican't back that claim up )Anyway what it all boils down to isyou're a fan of the No Depression " movement" and you need toknow whether this one is worthwhile. So, I answer you by saying,if Wilcoand The Jayhawks are your breed of cat....click that shopping cart icon. And if not, give it a try anyway, I bet it's better than that BritneySpears CD you're debating over......and cheaper too.

A Delicious Before Dinner Snack
A precursor totheir later super collaberation "Down by the OldMainstream," this short and fun collection is a rocking must have foranyone whose ever admired the likes of Soul Asylum, Wilco, the Jayhawks,Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Run Westy Run, or any other member of the NoDepression, Wheatfield Soul movement.Combines the elements of rock,country/bluegrass and others to make a smorgesborg of sound. ... Read more

Asin: B0000009VL
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock   

March 16-20, 1992
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (03 August, 1992)
list price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

After ripping it up on No Depression and Still Feel Gone, their first two albums of twangy punk rock, Uncle Tupelo unplugged for this remarkable tribute--half originals, half political and religious covers--to the band's old-time influences. While the new songs of frontmen Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy are consistently strong here (especially Farrar's "Grindstone"), it's the album's haunted covers of old folksongs that are the true keepers. Tweedy's apocalyptic version of "Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down" and Farrar's earnest readings of the beat-down "Moonshiner" and the labor song "Coalminers" are as frightening, beautiful, and passionate as anything the band ever recorded. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Solid American Genius
A phenomenon like Uncle Tupelo is at times hard to comprehend. This album solidifies them as one of the best bands of the last twenty years. Moving away from their earlier brilliant albums that meshed rock and country they bring it all home by devoting themselves to daunting and beautiful renditions of traditionals and new material. This is an obvious tribute and demonstration of where they derived their unique sound.
Haunting renditions of songs like Coalminers, Criminals and Lilli Schull do what Tupelo does best: reminds us that music is both a potent tool for protest and catharsis. Farrar's bold lyrics ironically contrast with the fatalistic topics that the songs treat.
This album is very different than their first two but the themes and motivation stay the same. They are a constant lament of loneliness, exploitation and isolation. They are songs about the system manifest in the individual. They reject the morbid romanticism that a lot of the alternative scene seems to attach to the woes of the modern man, which is in a way endorsement of the system that rejects them but gives them identity. This music is not about Tupelo. It is about man, and it is beautiful, haunting and an absolute work of genius...

DOES this cd need reviewing?
...This cd is wonderful. It's all that music should be. The acoustic simplicity, the picking, the grating voices, the poignant themes, all of them blend together to make one [heck] of a satisfying cd. As previously said, if you listen to Uncle Tupelo, you'll form a band.

But it doesn't matter, because no one (not even Wilco or Volt) will EVER be Uncle Tupelo.

On tour with Mould
read the other reviews for all the hoohah.what most of them neglect to tell is that this cd was recorded while uncle tupelo was on tour with Bob Mould, who is absolutely legendary as an acoustic performer.i missed these shows, and i'd give my left noogie to have seen them. ... Read more

Asin: B000003JYH
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. United States of America    6. Urban Folk   

Dog Days
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 July, 1995)
list price: $17.98 -- our price: $17.98
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Reviews (11)

A great piece of work!!!!
This one is a little obscure and relatively unknown.If you have come this far and found this CD, and it is not in your collection....pick it up today.I have been listening to this for several months, and it gets steady rotation on my car radio.

I cannot think of who to compare BM to, they are a bare bones southern rock band. No frills here, but this type of music is getting very hard to find.Great songs, catchy lyrics.Blue Canoe starts out: "Ridin round the county, drinkin from a jar....Big blue canoe up on top of the car.".....come on, it don't get any better than that. This is a big slice of fun and no thinking required.Another line: "knoggin'sgettin saggy and my spirits are draggin, got to take a ride in my blue-eyed wagon."You get the idea...there is not a bad track here.

Music is a matter of personal taste, and customer ratings should all be taken in stride. If any of you out there like this style of rock, I challenge you to purchase this CD and give it a listen. I would be surprised if you did not find this CD as enjoyable as I did.Check out Carey's solo efforts as well.

Ah...Welcome to Alt.Country at its Finest
I friend of mine handed me this album in high school and said, "You like that down-home stuff, so I think you'll love this."So here it is about seven years later and I'm still in love with Blue Mountain (although I'm very sad that they broke up).You can put this album on, close your eyes,and feel a nice warm Southern breeze bring a smile to your face as you sit in your rocking chair on the front porch."Dog Days" breathes through your very soul with folky acoustic and raw electric guitars. "Mountain Girl" forces you to sway as you become a little misty, then "Let's Ride" takes you on a determined cruise downtown in search of trouble."Dog Days" possesses a duality that's as close to real life as any album has ever come.A wonderful mix of bittersweet sadness and childhood memory, this album is a must for anyone who longs to hear something sincere. Cary Hudson and Laurie Stirratt are my down-home heroes.'Nuff said.

Interesting Stuff Part II
In my search of Alternative Country/roots rock/Americana bands, I narrowed my search down to Blue Mountain. Man I have good research skills! I am as excited about finding this cd as I was when I discovered Blue Rodeo, Golden Smog, and Wilco for the first time many years ago... This is a fine cd of good songs that are well played and that make you want to listen to them again. This cd is growing on me....Go ahead, get your credit card out and buy it! ... Read more

Asin: B000000H5V
Sales Rank: 41070
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Sweet Relief: A Benefit For Victoria Williams
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 July, 1993)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98
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Reviews (10)

A victory for "Victoria'.
This disc was released as a benefit for "Victoria Williams", but I feel like I've benefited from it myself as well. Her songs are all good, but the group of musicians covering them is even better. "Pearl Jam" probably got the most people to buy this, however I like the songs done by "Soul Asylum", "Evan Dando", "Waterboys", and "Lucinda Williams" just as much. "The Jayhawks" and "Matthew Sweet" do a good job too. Basically it's just a really good bunch of music. Also, there's currently 121 used copies on here for sale, so it shouldn't be too hard to come by.

Some missteps, but not bad
Summer of Drugs/Soul Asylum
Probably the darkest song Victoria has ever recorded. Soul Asylum does a good job. Almost as good as the original.

Main Road/Lucinda Williams
Victoria's version is kind of hard to crack, somewhat overproduced. Lucinda does a great job finding the "song" and bringing it into sharp relief. One of the CDs highlights.

Crazy Mary/Pearl Jam
Not a Pearl Jam fan, but this is the definitive version of Crazy Mary. I sure don't miss the Van Dyke Parks string arrangement that bothers me on the original. Eddie Vedder sounds awesome.

Merry Go Round/Buffalo Tom
A delightful, punky version of the original.

Weeds/Michael Penn
Penn does an admirable job. Instrumentation/arrangement is tops, but this is one of those songs that only Victoria can really bring to life.

Animal Wild/Shudder to Think
Indie guitar rock version of one of Vic's lesser-songs sounds like it was written just for them.

Tarbelly and Featherfoot/Lou Reed
I know Lou Reed is a big Victoria fan, but this sounds like a reject from Songs for Drella. Doesn't come close to capturing the wonder of this classic Victoria song.

Opelousas/Maria McKee
McKee sure has a big voice and this is a big production. An interpretation that doesn't stray to far from the original

This Moment/Matthew Sweet
Too bad this has yet to appear on a Victoria studio album. Very nice.

Frying Pan/Evan Dando
Another Victoria classic. I had the fortune of hearing Vic's version first. Some songs just shouldn't be slowed down.

Lights/Jayhawks
Another Victoria song that is kind of hard to grasp. But the Jayhawks turn it into a memorable, twangy treat. Another highlight. The best cut on the CD.

Why Look At The Moon/Waterboys
Fluffy, jaunty, entertaining version, played like an Irish jig or something by the Waterboys.

Big Fish/Giant Sand
Unrecognizable in the hands of Howe and friends. Not very listenable either. For much better Giant Sand/Victoria collaborations, check out Ramp, by Giant Sand.

Holy Spirit/Michelle Shocked
Shocked's dramatic bellowing doesn't really do this song justice. She tries hard. It's okay, I guess.

Great intentions, fair CD
Sweet Relief is proof that the best of intentions don't necessarily guarantee a great CD.

The first and foremost goal of this CD was to raise money for musician for Victoria Williams, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and had no medical insurance.

The CD's songs are written by Williams and covered by some of the hottest "alternative" bands of the 90s. How disappointing, then, that the disc's inspired performances are the exception rather than the rule.

Things start out promising enough with Soul Asylum's acid-tongued performance on "Summer of Drugs", which arguably features some of Williams' best lyrics:

"Sister got bit by a copperhead snake in the woods behind the house/Nobody was home so I grabbed her foot and I sucked that poison out/Sister got better in a month or two when the swelling it went down/But I'd started out my teenage years with that poison in my mouth."

Equally outstanding performances are logged by Michael Penn on "Weeds", Pearl Jam on "Crazy Mary" and the Waterboys on the bouncy "Why Look at the Moon", but the rest of the 10 songs are merely fine to passable.

As a Williams fan, it's also worth asking why there isn't a song included by Williams herself, especially since she has a wealth of overlooked music and has continued to tour and record since her diagnosis and this CD's release.

Think about it: if more people bought her original recordings, her relief might be even sweeter. ... Read more

Asin: B00000297H
Sales Rank: 54545
Subjects:  1. 90's    2. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Album Rock    4. Alternative Country-Rock    5. Alternative Folk    6. Alternative Pop/Rock    7. Americana    8. College Rock    9. Contemporary Folk    10. Folk & Traditional    11. Folk-Rock    12. Glam Rock    13. Hard Rock    14. Indie Rock    15. New York Punk    16. Pop    17. Pop Underground    18. Pop/Rock    19. Power Pop    20. Proto-Punk    21. Rock    22. Roots Rock    23. Singer/Songwriter    24. Tribute Albums   

Loose
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (18 October, 1994)
list price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

When quirky folk songstress Williams emerged from her falling out with Geffen Records, she laid down this deft and stirring album with little guys Mammoth. The transition didn't hurt a bit. Enlisting the help of friends like Dave Pirner and Mike Mills, Williams produced this jittery, sometimes downright loopy, batch of songs. Loose may not stand among her crowning accomplishments, but tracks like the bluesy "You R Loved" and the quasiretro "Polish Those Shoes" may wind up in her greatest hits repertoire. If the album feels a bit self-indulgent, that's only because Williams knows where to find her most compelling material. --Nick Heil ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Eccentric and brilliant
When I taught a fine arts survey course, I asked each student to bring in a favorite song to share with the class. One student introduced the class and me to Victoria Williams. I was so ecstatic about her, I went out and bought Loose. I have listened to this CD countless times and still marvel at the talent of this artist. What I especially want to share is that Victoria Williams was in the first class of Conversational French I taught at Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, LA. She was eccentric and brilliant even then as a senior in high school. After 34 years of teaching and now retired, I can admit to having all-time favorite students. Vickie was one. The other kids did not quite understand her quirkiness even then in 1974 after a decade of quirkiness. I recently replayed Loose on a road trip and made my brother listen to it. A country music lover, he finally had to admit, "Her voice kind of grows on you." What I hear is honesty, integrity, a deep appreciation for nature, people, and Christ's redeeming love, that eccentricity, and her sublime brilliance in every song.
December 19, 2003
Since I reviewed Loose, I bought all Vic's others. This woman/child is Soooo talented!!!! Every CD is a brand new experience in brand new ways. I am a BIG fan of this supremely talented artiste!! I highly recommend ALL of her CD's.

Readerjpol2@aol.com

Loose, by Victoria Williams.
When I listened to this CD for the first time, it really made me think about the things she was saying. After I listened to it again, some of the topics made more sence and really made me have a good feeling. She is very good at expressing herself in her music and I share many of the same ideas and tastes as her.

a moving and sincere effort
This CD has to be one of my favourite of all time. The songs are all sung with such sincerity that even the most cynical amongst us can't help but warming to her songs about her grandparents, love, growing up in the deep south and other themes that seem alien to modern day music. Her music is a pot-pourri of influences making classifying her difficult - definately roots-folk but with enough rock (with members of REM and Soul Asylum moonlighting here) and jazz influences to spice up her unique blend. Her slightly high-strung voice can take some getting used to but the emotional depth of her songs more than offset any effort incurred... ... Read more

Asin: B000002JSD
Subjects:  1. Folk & Traditional    2. Pop    3. Rock   

A.M.
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 March, 1995)
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Editorial Review

Comprising frontman Jeff Tweedy and other former members of alt.country legend Uncle Tupelo, Wilco was an apple that didn't fall far from the tree. A.M., the band's debut, continues that older group's brand of updated country-rock (emphasis on "rock") and emotionally powerful songwriting. However, many of the best creations here--the driver's-licenseless drunk in "Passenger Side," the bar-band celebration of riverboat gambling on "Casino Queen"--sport an unprecedented sense of humor and are unexpectedly catchy, too. Best of all might be "It's Just That Simple," in which Tweedy turns the mic over to the high and mournful singing of bassist John Stirratt.--David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (40)

from an expat in Manila
Wilco's music makes you want to dance.And some of the lyrics are laugh out loud.Great stuff.Even the searingly hot, dirty streets of Manila are tolerable listening to this cd.On On Wilco

Strong Songwriting on a Strong Debut
Being a band like Wilco has got to be hard.Every album is a step forward, revealing something new about the musicians, both as musicians and as human beings, and displaying a new depth and lyricism that builds on their previous work and is absent from so much contemporary music on the radio and on TV.Unfortunately, it is for this reason that 'A.M.' is to many Wilco fans what 'Pablo Honey' is to many Radiohead fans: a debut album, worth owning but not their best (and so rarely listened to).

Despite 'A.M.' being a debut record, there is nothing really amateurish about it.The songs are solid, well-written pieces, performed with energy and well recorded.What changes with each album is the way Wilco approaches the songs: how can the music change? How can the music be recorded to add meaning to the lyrics?The straightforward nature of this album is not something to be ashamed of.It takes a little time for some newer Wilco fans to open up to the more obvious country stylings of 'A.M.' (myself included...it took me a good two years to finally appreciate Wilco's debut), but once one does, there is a great bunch of songs to be heard."Should've Been In Love" and "Dash 7" are probably the emotional cornerstones and I consider them to be the strongest songs on the album.To be honest, the weakest song on the album isn't even a Jeff Tweedy song."It's Just That Simple" is written and sung by John Stirratt.It isn't a bad song, it just has trouble standing next to the high caliber songwriting of Tweedy.

All in all, this is a very strong album.I urge newer Wilco fans that haven't heard it or haven't really listened to 'A.M.' to give it a chance; let it grow on you.It may not have the subjective flare of 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' or the subtle silences of 'A ghost is born', but it is a Wilco album, with the same great songwriting and the same great love of music that has been with the band from the start.

the only wilco album i play all the way through
my favorite wilco album.the lyrics on this album are great.i feel like there music has grown over the years, but the lyrics are never as good as this album.i have all their work and really enjoy it, but there is not a bad song on this one. ... Read more

Asin: B000002MWY
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Sound of Lies (Reis)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (11 August, 1998)
list price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

This 1997 release was slow to catch on with Jayhawks fans; the departure of founder-guitarist-vocalist Mark Olson seemed destined to mark the band as one that had seen better days. But not only do the impeccable country-rock leanings of singer/songwriter Gary Louris shine as always here, his vocals soar beautifully with pianist Karen Grotberg's (as they did with Olson's), and the band isn't shy about genre hopping. Psychedelic pop makes a cameo appearance ("Think About It"), Tom Petty-esque, AOR-friendly rock is perfected ("Big Star," "It's Up to You"), and gorgeous, genteel ballads ("Sound of Lies," "Trouble") continue to impress. Louris wears his heart on his sleeve in the raw-nerve musings of "Dying on the Vine," and "The Man Who Loved Life" is a perfect Jayhawks moment: a quiet, lone piano opens the song, which builds slowly with layers of vocals, guitar, and piano, resulting in a majestic coda. --Lorry Fleming ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Pretty Good Stuff
Since this is the only Jayhawks album I've ever owned, I have nothing else to compare it to other than what I've listened to by other artists.With that said, the Jayhawks sound pretty unique based on this one album.They definitely have that NPR vibe about them, so if you listen to any of the folksy music shows on NPR, I'm sure you'll like these guys.

This particular album is heavy on harmony and piano.The vocals are excellent.They are tight and consistent throughout the album.The music ranges from melancholy to somewhat edgy.They remind me an awful lot of groups influenced by the Beatles that came out in force in the late 60's.The sound can get a little sleepy at times, but overall it's pretty good.

My favorite songs on this album include "Think About It," "It's Up To You," and "Haywire."This might seem a little left of center, but I definitely hear some Crowded House in here, though I enjoy Crowded House more.

Overall, a pretty good album if you like the folksy, mild country-rock music.

Recommended.

This might not be the first Jayhawks album you should try...
...but you should definitely try the Jayhawks. If your taste leans toward rock, The Sound of Lies is the place to start. If you like a little more folk/country influence, then start with Rainy Day Music or Tomorrow the Green Grass. It seems that Smile was produced more with the radio in mind. As you can tell from the poor reviews of this album, Hollywood Town Hall is much loved as well. They are all favorites of mine. I hope these guys never stop recording.

I would not give too much consideration to comments about what a Jayhawks album is supposed to be. These albums all stand on their on merits. People would be equally unhappy if a band made the same album over and over.

I agree with the praise of this album that you read in the other reviews. Gary Louris is a special talent. Karen Grotsberg's contribution is noteworthy both vocally and on keyboards.

There are the albums you say you like, and there are the ones that you play and play and play. After 7 years, I still play this one. I can't say that about many albums.

Just plain awesome
If traditional Jayhawks fans will get their heads out the past for a second and listen to Sound of Lies, they will become reaquainted with an old familiar friend who happens to be wearing new clothes. Arguably, not better clothes. Just newer and different. You can't judge Sound of Lies by what it is not; you are setting yourself up for disappointment. If you judge Sound of Lies by what it is, you will be dumbfounded by its combination of grace, grit, and all-around exceptional songs.

The Jayhawks of the past featured Marc Olson and Gary Louris singing the same lyrics in perfect harmony. Now without Olson, Louris takes the lead and various "oohs" and "aahs" creep in and out of the background. Musically, their previous albums were built upon a template of twangy folk pop. Without Olson, the Jayhawks were free to explore whatever style they wanted. They tackle punk pop equal to their Minneapolis peers (past and present) on Big Star and trample all over Americana's tradition with dizzying key changes and blistering lead guitar work on The Man Who Loved Life. Think About it can rival any grunge band, even if it does have Beach Boys/Beatles inspired "woohs" in the backdrop. Dying on the Vine is probably the Jawyhawks at their most dramatic and overblown, but I rarely complain. It's Up To You serves as a link to the Hollywood Town Hall era while Poor Little Fish demonstrates that it only takes one song for the Jawyhawks to catch up to the mid-90s music scene.

I remember listening to Sound of Lies as heavily as Radiohead's OK Computer when they both came out. Sound of Lies, dare I say it, is just as good. I've said it before and I'll say it again: who needs Marc Olson? ... Read more

Asin: B000009QOK
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

My Own Jo Ellen
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (17 October, 2000)
list price: $17.98
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Editorial Review

Formerly the frontman for alternative country's Jayhawks, Mark Olson here offers the musical equivalent of comfort food: hand-canned, home-cooked, soothingly hearty in an all-you-can-eat sort of way, with melodies like recipes passed down through generations. The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers (the warbling harmonies of wife Victoria Williams and the violin of buddy Mike "Razz" Russell) support Olson's reedy tenor on plainspoken songs of environmental concern ("Meeting in Lone Pine," "Ben Johnson's Creek") and familial intimacy ("Someone to Talk With," "Rainbow of Your Heart"). Though their fourth album occasionally flirts with rock & roll electricity, the Dippers continue their antislickness campaign, matching simple songs to complex times, with the best recalling the hard-won innocence of early Neil Young and earlier Buffalo Springfield.--Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (10)

THE Best Album of 2000!
I was surfing amazon.com when I came across Mark Olson's "My Own Jo Ellen" and, upon reading the reviews, realized I hadn't written one! I couldn't believe it! "My Own Jo Ellen" was, without doubt, THE best album of 2000. What "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" did for Lucinda Williams' career, "My Own Jo Ellen" should have done for Mark Olson and the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers. This is the Creekdippers' fourth effort with the former Jayhawk bassist, and the first to feature his name. Perhaps name recognition was expected to help boost sales. (If you haven't checked out the three previous Creekdippers CDs, they all come HIGHLY recommended.) The CD begins with a soft, loving, "Someone to Talk With" and just keeps moving non-stop through the great "Meeting at Lone Pine" right on through to the end. There's not a single weak track here. If you expect Jayhawks' style music, you'll be a bit disappointed. This is more, well, funky Americana-folk, not the more commercial Jayhawks material. I've listened to this CD hundreds of times over the past couple of years and it has never gotten old. My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that Olson & Co. apparently don't realize that CDs hold more than 70 minutes of music. All of the Creekdippers CDs, this one included, can be burned two to a CDR, which is convenient for making copies when traveling. But it hurts at the cash register when forking out regular-price for what are 30-minute CDs that many bands would almost consider EPs. The music of the Creekdippers is so nice, quirky and fun that I wish they would extend some of their tunes to 5-6 minutes and have some fun jamming a bit. That would also expand the length of the CD. I know, I know. What do I want, quality or quantity. Ideally, both. But with the Creekdippers you'll get quality but not quantity, so just be patient and wait for the next CD. Don't worry. It'll be worth the wait!

Music the way God intended.
In these days of corporate drivin music it is brilliant to see someone in the business for the craft rather than the fame attatched. Mark Olson is an outstanding songwriter and storyteller! Ever since his early days with the Jayhawks the song has been the most important thing. If beautiful stories and lyrics over haunting melodies and mellifluous harmonies are your thing then get not only this but everything this man has recorded.

Humble, Naive Brilliance
This is one of my favorite releases of 2000.

Working completely outside the music establishment that he soured on years earlier as a member of the Jayhawks, Mark Olson and cohorts have released their fourth CD. My Own Jo Ellen is more fully realized than any of the prior Creekdipper efforts, with an expanded rhythm section on most songs and a little more variety in the music. The inclusion of guitar whiz Greg Leisz is a wise choice-he never overwhelms, but always stands out. And any release with fiddler/multi-instrumentalist Mike Russell (a long-time Dipper) should not be overlooked.

What this release lacks in stunning production values and technical acrobatics is easily made up for with Olson's sincerity. There is not a false sentiment or hollow emotion to be found in Olson's songs about his grandmother (the title track), government land grabs (Ben Johnson's Creek), economic downturns (Meeting in Lone Pine) and lost souls who find their way back (Diamond Davey). Walking Through Nevada, Linda Lee, Letter From Africa are all fine examples of 'folk rock'. Only Rainbow Of Your Heart, a moody, slow-paced blues/rocker, seems out of place.

I came to Olson through the Victoria Williams connection. While their styles may be somewhat different, the dynamic that underlies their music is the same. In fact, My Own Jo Ellen is almost my favorite Williams disc. Even though this is not a 'Victoria Williams' CD and her involvement is limited to singing back-up and occasional guitar playing, her spirit pervades this disc. ... Read more

Asin: B00004YR3A
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Americana    4. Pop    5. Rock   

No Depression
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 July, 1991)
list price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

The album that named a movement (and a magazine), No Depression rocks and twangs in just about equal measure, though the rock side wins out most of the time. Even when a song downshifts from full-on punk to banjo- and mandolin-graced interludes, it usually shifts back again, seemingly even louder and angrier than before. Beyond the influential sound, though, are some great songs--whether they're raging originals like "Graveyard Shift," where the job's literally a killer; an earnest, acoustic cover of the Carter Family's title track; or a decidedly desperate portrait of Leadbelly's "John Hardy."--David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The seminal Alt/Country Album
The only drawback about this album is its sound quality. Apart from that, this album should be listed as the definition of the Alt/Country genre. This album, which is impossible to tire of, addresses traditional country themes (alcholism, labor, loneliness, waste, and inequality) while deceiving the listener. Graceyard Shift rips right off from the start reminding us of the Replacements as its hard chords seem more rockish, while country-ish twangs pervade the background. And Tweedy sings of man's great lament in the industrialzed society, loss of self, dispersed power, Foucault's panopticism.
The irony of Uncle Tupelo is that the music while implicatory in nature also sooths and reminds us of something better. The pastoral is the loss ideal, mans self is lamented in hard-driven rock n'roll and we are all mourning the loss.
There is a maturity here that is incomparable in the alternative scene. Rather than letting hypocrisy, exploitation and capitalism make them morphous blobs of lamenting self-effacing crooners, they dare to sing about it. Adopting a tradition laid down by Guthrie, they employ their own passions (punk, hard rock, country) and mesmerize us musically while reminding us that there is something more important than the song.
Cumulatively, this album is rock's great treatise against capitalism, idustrialism, and modernization. We meet characters who no longer fit and destroy themselves with liquor and debauchery. But, the morality in the music extends further than alcoholism and morbid romanticization of man isolated and forgotten. It is a smart and convincing treatise that is Tupelo's best and an absolute classic...

Meanwhile, just outside St. Louis
Back in 1990, I thought I was pretty `with it'.In addition to indulging my omnipresent metal fetish, I was listening to Mother Love Bone, Green River, Soundgarden and whatever else I could get my hands on coming out of Seattle.Yeah, I was big man on campus at William and Mary - at least in my own mind.When the Seattle scene exploded I got the kudos owed to someone who was hip to the scene before it went nationwide.Pretty cool, huh?

Perhaps not as cool as I thought.By the mid-90s, Kurdt Cobain's suicide had pretty much signaled the end of the grunge movement and made it possible for rap metal lunkheads like Limp Bizkit and a second generation of grunge imitators like Creed to take over.Suddenly, a genre that had seemed so vital and revolutionary became dated.Old Soundgarden records no longer sounded as good and new ones like Down on the Upside just sounded horribly anachronistic.

The Seattle grunge scene was great while it lasted and we may never see another revolution in popular music quite like it.However, maybe if I'd been paying a little closer attention to a musical scene developing in America's heartland at the same time grunge was developing in Seattle, I'd have caught on to a second musical revolution during that era occurring in a genre that would prove to have more staying power than grunge.I'm talking about alt-country, aka "the movement".

The band credited with jumpstarting "the movement" was Uncle Tupelo which featured two brilliant songwriters, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy, who were heavily influenced by both traditional country and punk rock.What Lennon and McCartney were to classic rock, Farrar and Tweedy were to alt-country.

If you can actually get your hands on Uncle Tupelo's hard-to-find debut, No Depression, it won't be long before you put an end to your habit of telling new acquaintances, "I listen to all kinds of music, except country".The opening track, "Graveyard Shift", grabs your attention immediately with its breakneck riffs and aggressive vocals - it's heavy enough to practically qualify as country-metal.The title track reveals a totally different side of UT as they cover the country traditional "No Depression" with such honesty and skill that it would later be adopted as the name of alt-country's biggest magazine."Whiskey Bottle" is a favorite of many a UT fan and it is easy to see why.On the song, Farrar's voice exudes such raw desperation you start to genuinely worry for the guy.Fortunately, the spirits of the whole band seem to pick up during the country raveup, "Screen Door", an ode to sitting out on the porch playing music with friends.

The seminal nature of No Depression makes it hard to rate it as anything but 5 stars, though the production quality is some of the worst I've heard since on Metallica's ...And Justice for All.Fortunately, Farrar and Tweedy are said to be remastering the album and a more widely available reissue will probably be available some time in the next year or so.It's your call whether you want to pay the exorbitant sums dealers are charging for No Depression these days or wait for the better sounding and cheaper reissue to appear.If you make the latter choice, I strongly recommend you pick up the excellent UT Anthology 89/93 to tide you over until you can procure a copy of No Depression.

Trust me, if you overlooked "the movement" when it was developing like I did, there's still plenty of time to catch up.A little remedial work on Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt, Whiskeytown, the Old 97s, the Bottle Rockets, and the Drive-By Truckers and you'll have at least an elementary education in the ways of "the movement".

Not as good as Still Feel Gone, but still good...
After reading a few of the reviews written about this album, I'm afraid that some people may be a bit disappointed by their whole Uncle Tupelo experience. I don't want to be misunderstood because I do feel that this is a good CD and my all time favorite Uncle Tupelo track is 'Life Worth Living', but this CD also lacks the overall consistency displayed on 'Still Feel Gone', and there are times when I want to forward through parts of this disc to get to the good songs, like 'Whiskey Bottle', 'Graveyard Shift', or 'Life Worth Living'. If this were the first Uncle Tupelo album that I'd bought, I believe that I'd have purchased another, but I'd have done so with the understanding that they're a good band and not the great band that I've read so much about. If you really want the great band that you're reading about, buy 'Still Feel Gone' because that's the album that almost lives up to this band's monster billing. Actually, all of this is pretty moot anyways because as of right now you can't purchase either album here. If you really like alt-country and you want to check out a CD that you can actually purchase, go to a band called '16 Horsepower' and listen to the audio clips of 'Secret South', 'Low Estate', or 'Sackcloth n Ashes'. '16 Horsepower' is light years better than 'Uncle Tupelo', and I promise that this is a decision that you'll love yourself for, for the rest of the day. ... Read more

Asin: B000003JXX
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Trace
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 September, 1995)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Trace is obsessed with time. "Can you deny there's nothing greater ... than the traveling hands of time?" asks frontman Jay Farrar early on, and song to song, he deliberates time's tyranny. Farrar's voice always sounds beaten but never quite broken here, and when on the impossibly catchy "Windfall" he wishes "may the wind take your troubles away," it feels like nothing short of a blessing. Trace is alternative country's most perfect moment: the Uncle Tupelo-ish electric crunch rocks for something better, even as its twangy steel and fiddle never forget the very country fact that time will beat us all. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Gets better with each listen...
I am a bit different than most of the other reviewers, in that i still like the other two Son Volt CDs a bit better than this one.

However, that's saying I like gold over diamonds, if you catch my drift. I'll take both if you please, and a whole pile's worth while you're at it...

This is good, good stuff, and I would like nothing better than to meet in person all the other people that wrote reviews and said that they "get it"... Y'all must be good people to feel this music the way I do. It sure does get you to thinking about life and where you've been and where you are going and...

"Ten Second News" is worth the price of the whole CD, it gets better and better with each listen...

And for what it's worth, how come no one else really commented on "Mystifies Me"? I think it's the perfect close to this CD - rolling, rambling, rythimic, and very haunting in a certain sense. I'm 6 listens in a row as I type this...

Good music is timeless - I still listen to my Poco and Little Feat and Jackson Browne and Steve Earle from when I was just a teenager, and I am willing to bet this one will be with me for the rest of my life too...

Transcendant.From the first listening , Even more now
Before being able to fully explain the beauty of a lyric your attention turns to the beauty of a harmony and melody remains like a familarscents that accompanies one of those memories you love. Or something
Great album. i was lucky to find it after hearing something in 'Drown' that has now become a after-thought on this beautiful completely transcendantalbum.
it's a good

Epic, magnificent
Jay Farrar is a unique talent, and all the Son Volt albums are great.Real music that smears the boundaries of country, folk, and alt-rock, and you won't even know it. ... Read more

Asin: B000002N1V
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Blue Earth
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (11 April, 1995)
list price: $15.98
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Editorial Review

In the mid-'80s, the last thing the world expected from the frosty hometown of Prince and the Replacements was a band that perfectly captured the spirit of Gram Parsons. Long before anyone had heard of alt-country, the Jayhawks redefined the Minneapolis sound and damn near perfected it on this 1989 sophomore effort. From the evocative pop of "Two Angels" to the hauntingly resonant "I'm Still Dreaming, Now I'm Yours," it's less rock-centric than the group's subsequent George Drakoulias-produced albums, but no less memorable. All in all, a perfect showcase for Mark Olson and Gary Louris's songwriting and harmonies. --Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A timeless classic....
Theres no getting around it, with or without Mark Olson, The Jayhawks are undisputedly some of the most talented musicians in the music world today. It is interesting to see the evolution of their sound, almost starting with this cd (their first cd is rare, and few people have it). "Blue earth" is mesmorizing in its rich, organic, country-pop sound...Yes, the sound is country but still instinctly pop, and the songs resinate over and over in your head. Its a good thing, because these songs are incredibly well written with a raw energy. Once you get a taste of this album, you will hear these songs over and over again in your head, and you will want to play the album repeatedly. This one is a real classic, perhaps a one of a kind sound that stands alone compared with other alt-country music giants like Uncle Tupelo, Gram Parsons, Lucinda Williams, Whiskeytown, etc..I have plenty of alt-country music cds, and this one is unique. How can such musicians blend pop, rock, and country so well? These guys have done it for a long time...and even though "Rainy Day Music" is far away from "Blue Earth" in sound, you can still hear the genuine quality songwriting and pop eloquency that reigns with every album.

Great but the Jayhawks have done well without Olson
This is a great album but a tinge too country.Louris and Perlman have certain proven that they can put out an excellent recording without Olson.Louris has matured quite well as a song writer.The Jayhawks are quite a refreshing sound from the trash on the radio

A bit too much of traditional country
"Blue earth" is the most country inspired album by Jayhawks. Although it's a good debut (?), things got better for the second release: "Hollywood town hall" and the third one: "Tomorrow the green grass". On these albums I think Jayhawks got the right mix of country and rock. Although "Blue earth" clearly shows the talent of especially Mark Olson and Gary Louris, I think it has too much of Gram Parsons in it, too much of traditional country. "Blue earth" is in my opinion very similar to The Byrds "Sweetheart of the rodeo" from 1969. I miss the edge and I believe too many of the songs are predictable and not too far from the Nashville sound. But of course there are highlights included,and a song like "Will I be married" is absolutely comparable to Jayhawks better tunes.

The thing is that this album (like many others) gets better with repeated listenings, and what first appeared as nothing specialturned out to be rather good after all. ... Read more

Asin: B0000018VH
Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Down By the Old Mainstream
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (16 January, 1996)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Made by a sloppy bunch of midwesterners with names like Jarret Decatur, Raymond Virginia, and Leonardson Saratoga (better known to us as the Jayhawks' Gary Louris and Mark Perlman, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, Soul Asylum's Dan Murphy, and a couple of their friends), Down by the Old Mainstream is like a piece of pecan pie, both literally and figuratively. Literally because, well, the CD design looks like a pecan pie. Figuratively because more than a dozen slices of wholesome goodness are packed inside--a little messy and syrupy at times, but altogether filled with the comforts of home. It's best not to question why guys from successful rock bands--roots, country, and mainstream--would get together ad hoc, apparently to make a record none could make in their main gigs, and then fill it with the same kind of roots, country, and mainstream rock songs we've heard from them all along. Sure enough, Golden Smog sounds a lot like the Jayhawks on Louris's "V," like Wilco on Tweedy's "Walk Where He Walked," and like Soul Asylum on Murphy's "Red Headed Stepchild." Still, there's a joy, looseness, and conviviality that comes across in songs like "He's a Dick" and "Pecan Pie" that only Down By's brand of stress-free anonymity and lack of purpose could produce. What Golden Smog misses in factory polish, it makes up for in homemade warmth--just like the goodies Grandma used to make. --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Stars Behaving Badly
Though one might call Golden Smog a supergroup, the fact is that this collaboration is actually the exact opposite.Depite bringing together a bunch of musicians who have achieved fame in other places, "Down By the Old Mainstrem" features them kicking back and having fun without letting individual egos get in the way."Mainstream" is a particular triumph for the Jayhawk's Gary Louris and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy.Louris because the style of the album represents a more rocking departure from his usual work and Tweedy because he lightens up like he never has before (or since) in his career.Tweedy's throaway ode to "Pecan Pie," in fact, is highlighted by the visuals both on the CD booklet and the CD itself.

The other highlights include an ace cover of Ronnie Laine's gorgeous "Glad and Sorry," "Won't Be Coming Home," Kraig Johnson's hilarious "He's a Dick," "Friend," the rocking "Red Headed Stepchild," and the fine closer "Radio King."Every song has the kind of loose, devil-may-care feel that is all-too-lacking in much of today's rock music.In fact, "Mainstream" is more fun than the more recent "Weird Tales," from this same bunch.

Overall, a rollicking, spirited album showing the playful side of some very fine musicians.

Good but...
This is a good album but by no means a great one. With members from Soul Asylum, Wilco (and incidentially, Uncle Tupelo) and the Jayhawks, the songs evoke each of these bands, but not in the way one might hope. This is one of those albums that's good, until you hear the band's other work and then it's thrown to the bottom of the pile, though it's still pretty darn high on the pile. There are some truly great songs (V, He's Such a Dick, Pecan Pie, Radio King) but there are also many decent but decidedly filler tracks. Down By The Old Mainstream seems to be the bands "tryout" album, before they really hit one home with Weird Tales. IF you're a Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Soul Asylum or Jayhawks fan you probably already have this, but if you're not, get Weird Tales instead.

not revolutionary, but very nice
OK, it doesn't break any new ground. OK, you may not need this to make your cd collection more complete or coherent. But why should yuo care? If you can have this music and listen to talented people with a taste for nostalgia and harmony, why don't you? It can stand next to the Jayhawks and Wilco (the other bands I do not know) and it's great fun to listen to. Buy it and warm your heart. ... Read more

Asin: B0000009PS
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Trampoline
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (26 March, 1996)
list price: $9.98 -- our price: $9.98
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

After six albums on which he constantly moved back and forth between classic folk and country traditions, Joe Henry really hit his artistic stride on the brilliant Trampoline. While the album finds him occasionally drifting toward both of those familiar modes, Trampoline also introduces us to Joe Henry, the pop-rock experimentalist. From the exotic guitar strum that opens the album on "Bob and Ray," through a feedback-drenched cover of a Sly Stone obscurity ("Let Me Have It All"), to the dark funeral organ that drives the Blue Oyster Cult-ish "Medicine," to a track featuring a female opera singer ("Flower Girl"), the album allows Henry to use all sorts of musical eccentricities. This certainly both confused and delighted longtime fans, and set the stage for Fuse and the future. Lyrically, Henry seems to be in a pretty dark place--might or might not be about the end of a relationship. And "Flower Girl" may be the most beautiful song Henry's ever written. You could compare Trampoline to that moment when Tom Waits moved from the more traditional sound of his early albums to the Beefheartish experimentations of Swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs--that's how great both the change and growth appear to be here. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Not just any old joe
This was the album where Joe Henry suddenly veered away from the faceless but competent country-rock of his earlier albums and plunged headfirst into capital "A" art. The printed lyrics read like poetry, and the instrumental backing inches ever closer to the supple jazz leanings of his future releases. Guest guitarist Page Hamilton (of Helmet) supplies gently rocking support on the epic mystery of "Ohio Air Show Plane Crash" as well as surprisingly muscular funk on a cover of Sly Stone's "Let Me Have It All", but the remainder of "Trampoline" could almost be termed folk cabaret. The atmosphere throughout is one of almost crushing regret.

After two years this album is still in regular circulation
Joe Henry doesn't have a formula.He takes risks.These songs are beautiul and complete.His hooks are strong and need to be because he'll take you down unexpected avenues.Open you ears and he'll be a teacher for you.In the first song he uses the phrase "about Bob and Ray" and it carries as much rhythem as meaning.He reminds us that music is abstract while offering a lovely door to walk through.Joe does a lot of thinking and he wants you to do that too.There are so many layers the feel is bitter sweet.This conquers any room.I heart Joe!

exudes the charms of the luckless and hopeless
With heartland vocal veracity and grit-poetic lyrics, Joe Henry exudes the charms of the luckless and hopeless in bright rays. Amidst beaten-up percussion and hovering tremolo guitars, he prolongs an anxious expectation on Bob and Ray. As his relationship is shattering, he shares the plummet and crash of a pilot on the wily Ohio Air show Plane Crash. The album's title track, Trampoline, is a vivacious winner, tumbling bitter memories onto thorny guitars.
Featuring an orchestral arrangement, Flower Girl glimmers and shades humbly. Let Me Have It All (the one song not penned by Joe Henry) has cranky guitars and some good thundering drums. The haunting puttering that closes out Medicine recover this shambling track; it seems Mr. Henry is still recovering from his past crash: "Time has run away with us and it laughs at all the tears and fuss, best go with God and let me trust the ghost in here is you." The plaintive cry of Go With God (Topless Shoeshine) ends in this melancholy light. With string arrangement and trombone, I Was A Playboy treads softly but surely. The finisher, Parade, has potent lyrics and a glowing ambience.

A keen lyric and subtle sound is Joe Henry's Trampoline. ... Read more

Asin: B000004ATA
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Americana    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Necktie Second
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (10 August, 1999)
list price: $11.98
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Reviews (10)

Definitive Top Ten Nineties
I can't tell you how much I love this album. This is my music! Unfortunately, Pete Droge & Co. only released one single (the tongue-in-cheek "IF YOU DON'T LOVE ME"). A song-by-song review follows:

1. If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself) - ***** - To youths, this could easily be referred to as the 'Dumb & Dumber' song. Definitely, one of the more underrated songs of our time. Might be the best song on the CD. It speaks to the average, love-sick, southern high-school student like a choir.

2. Northernbound Train - ***** - A song for the brokenhearted. I could listen to this song over and over and over. Pete sings to fit a mood of someone who's downed over an already-leaving loved one, and you can't help but sing along to ever lyric. I'm shocked that this song wasn't a Top Forty hit; then again, as earlier stated, Necktie Second only sported one single.

3. Straylin Street - ***** - The second song I heard from NECKTIE SECOND. Another easy sing-along song. Such an immaculate "nineties\seventies-mix" sound should be illegal.

4. Fourth of July - ****1/2 - This song shows just how much Pete Droge and Tom Petty sound alike (vocally, as well as musically). Another tune for the broken-hearted. The traditional Tom Petty sound, shown in full greatness here, adds a heartland-glossed image that makes you want to turn out the lights and take out your lighter.

5. Faith In You - **** - Similar to Northernbound Train; but this song doesn't have a depressed or sad mood to it. Just a mellow, Hootie & the Blowfish-fried, bar-band subjected mood, buried under a blur of overlapped vocals.

6. Two-Steppin' Monkey - **** - Based on the offbeat, obscure adventures of Dr. Grey (and a rocking drum beat!)

7. Sunspot Stopwatch - ***** - I'll get right to it: this song is hilarious. Even if it was meant to be serious (though I doubt it was, considering the lyrics don't have a point), you can't sing it without cracking a laughing smile. On the musical side, cudos on the intro electric guitar.

8. Hardest Thing To Do - **** - Continuing the string of Tom Petty-like songs on this CD, 'Hardest Thing' emphasizes the difficulties of "having faith".

9. So I Am Over You - ***** - Okay, this is the last time: this song SCREAMS Tom Petty. It always reminds me of Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing", from the verse vocals and chord changes. I have to agree with another viewer, saying that Sheryl Crow could definitely cover it. Probably the most depressing song from the entire record. But listen to it anyway!

10. Dog On A Chain - **** - You gotta love the guitar that starts the song off. A sad story about Davy (and his lesson), 'Dog On A Chain' unleashes Pete Droge in full maturity.

11. Hampton Inn Room 306 - ***** - I have yet to find out if this was recorded in Hampton Inn Room 306 or if it was just writted there. Or both. Or neither. Either way, it's another open melody that speaks to a certain group of people (songwriters).

So, if you plan on going on a road trip anytime soon, be sure to bring plenty of drinks, cash, and NECKTIE SECOND blaring from the stereo. It's definitive Top-Ten Nineties material.

SIMPLY A MUST!!
One of the great underrated albums of the 90s by one of the unsung heroes of the period. Anyone who likes Americana/country rock must get this. The killer is So I Am Over You - hear it now before Sheryl Crow covers it and it becomes a colossal international hit. Picked it up in 1994 and it's been glued to my CD player since!

GREAT cd
I was turned onto Pete Droge by Pearl Jam's guitarist Stone gossard's solo cd.Pete plays all the rythym and some lead guitar and backup vocals.So in turn I wanted to get more of his work and was gladly found this cd.While his playing on Stone's cd is alot more electric guitar, this is mainly acoustical and just as fascinating.This is a great cd to just stick in and get the full effect of Pete's lyrics and phenominal playing.I hope he decides to make another cd. ... Read more

Asin: B00000JT3T
Sales Rank: 110901
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Americana    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter