Search - Various Artists :: Beyond Country: The Best of Alt Country

Great but Not Edgy

Thomas A. Holmes | Johnson City, TN USA | 05/31/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The performers on this disc deserve credit for being significant players in "Alt Country/Americana," but the selection of songs seems curious for a 2003 compilation. One would expect, for example, one of Emmylou Harris' edgier performances (such as something from WRECKING BALL, for example) rather than her neo-traditionalist "Two More Bottles of Wine." Steve Earle would have been better represented by perhaps "Copperhead Road" than the mainstream "Guitar Town" offered on this disc. Patty Loveless' nod to her bluegrass roots (MOUNTAIN SOUL) is not represented here; instead, we have "Timber, I'm Falling in Love," another mainstream country hit. That's pretty much the nature of this disc: good but too often safe tracks by some of contemporary country's best singer/songwriters. We hear the Roy Orbison echoes on The Mavericks' "Crying Shame," another of many clever Lyle Lovett lyrics, and an Alison Krauss standard. It's a treat to find Lucinda Williams, Joe Ely, and Guy Clark here. No Wilco, no Son Volt, no Gillian Welch, no politically touchy lyrics, no challenge, and no controversy can be found on this disc. It does serve as a reminder, however, that country music programming directors should be ashamed of themselves for leaving out so many of these fine acts."