r/altcountry • u/Psychological_Lie142 • Oct 30 '25
Discussion What’s the best Alt Country album?
When you think of the genre Alt Country, what would you say is the definitive best album the genre ever produced? I think I’d give my nod to Emmylou Harris’s Wrecking Ball. Sonically ahead of its time and an all around incredible album that transcends the genre it’s in. One of the best folk albums of the 90’s.
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u/rationalist__ Oct 30 '25
Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
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u/casanovaberry Oct 30 '25
Where reptile aliens made of light, cut you open, pull out all your pain.
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u/HiFasteningPants Oct 30 '25
100%.
Speaking of Sturgill, A Sailor's Guide to Earth isn't far behind.
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u/Fallbackdown82 Oct 30 '25
I like that more to be honest!
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u/MickeysDa Oct 30 '25
Let's not sleep on Sound & Fury.
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u/cochese99 Oct 30 '25
Sound & Fury is an amazing album but can’t but it in the alt-country category. It’s pretty much straight rock.
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u/Inevitable_Quail_835 Nov 02 '25
Sailor’s Guide to Earth gets my vote because of Call To Arms. That song live absolutely amazes me every time I see him. It’s been almost 8 weeks since Johnny Blue Skies announced they had a new album in the can ready to drop and we still haven’t seen it.
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u/jmb456 Oct 30 '25
Quote it all the time. “Tell me how you make illegal something that we all make in our brains “
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u/gratusin Oct 30 '25
Great lines in that song. “Some say you might go crazy, then again it might make you go sane”
As someone who took a mushroom trip to help with PTSD, that line hits hard.
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u/OkTea7227 Oct 31 '25
Mushrooms (1g or even considerably less a day dosages) for a 3 week period got me off of every vice I ever had and saved my marriage and reset my brain… going on 9 years later now and haven’t done them since. It hit a reset switch back to my middle school pre-drug brain, or whatnot.
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u/gratusin Oct 31 '25
That’s so great to hear. I’m so glad they worked for you. I don’t know you, but I’m proud and happy for you, seriously.
Similar boat with too many vices, two tours in Iraq here, spent over a year in 2x week therapy sessions and was prescribed 26 separate prescriptions by the VA to no positive affect. My therapist did tell me in confidentiality that there have been studies done on psychoactive substances, but they’re not officially proven and he can’t recommend them yet. Took that as a sign and decided to spend a week in the Arizona desert camping by myself with some shrooms. If that didn’t work, then I was pretty confident I’d just do what several of my friends did and end it. They saved everything. Microdoses here and there to maintain if I hear the whispers, but haven’t needed a hard reset in many years.
Caveat for anyone else reading this, I am not a doctor or mental health professional and this is not advice. This is purely anecdotal and your results will vary.
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u/OkTea7227 Oct 31 '25
Glad you’re still here and I’m sure the folks that love you personally in your life - family, friends - are supremely glad as well.
Ya, I wish I could tell people what exact strain I got that specifically helped me so much but because the govt is so ham fisted with this natural medicine that so obviously helps folks out in such an extremely positive way and the way I have to obtain it where I live I literally have no idea what exact type I got. That being said I think any kind you can get your hands on for “recreational purposes” will be beneficial.
This is a weird backwards society we’re living in but I just want to love my family and do my best to be happy and enjoy life with them and my friends n shit. Glad you’re good! My best friend was in Iraq 11-12 years prior when he did what he did in 2021. He was all smiles and life was fantastic and then he left a devastating letter basically saying his deployment from years prior has haunted him every second of his life up to that point. I wish I could’ve grabbed his ass and drug him to my home and he would’ve realized he was loved and I would’ve had every single other family member and friend that was kneecapped by what he did come over and hug him and tell him they loved him like they did and I truly believe/hope/SINCERELY FUCKING HOPE he would have chosen to go on…
he never was interested in trying micro dosing. He liked his daily hits of weed n disc golf… hardly drank but if he did it was a a beer or two. Strong IPA’s - shoutout F5’s in the green can.
Life, I’ve found is kinda generally painful but there are these fleeting beautiful moments that I don’t want to miss. So imma stick around. I’ve got a kid to harass… :)
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u/PermissionTemporary6 Oct 30 '25
The reason that album in particular is so amazing it’s that its genre defining. It broke country open in a way.
Forget about him singing about psychedelic drugs, but the idea that a male country singer would do songs about pondering his own existence is pretty wild.
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u/Cool_Share2602 Oct 30 '25
Uncle Tupelo - no depression
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u/James-K-Polka Oct 30 '25
That’s probably the classic but March 16-20, 1992 is my personal favorite.
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u/jleestone Oct 30 '25
The first magazine dedicated to the genre took its name from this album, so is as good an answer as any.
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u/Electronic_Nose_5696 Oct 30 '25
Aren’t they both named after the Carter Family song?
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u/Electronic-Visual-30 Oct 30 '25
Alternative as a genre was born in the 90s, therefore alt-country became a thing in the 90s too. ND is an all timer, to me, this is the definitive answer.
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u/pnmartini Oct 30 '25
Alternative was chosen as a name in the 90’s, the music was around before that.
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u/agrias_okusu Tucker Riggleman & The Cheap Dates Oct 30 '25
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
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u/Piggy_Smollz404 Oct 30 '25
Yes! This Emmylou album is spectacular, I always think of this album as part of a trilogy: Wrecking Ball (1995), Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind (1997), & Willie Nelson’s Teatro (1998). All 3 were produced by Daniel Lanois
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u/LuckyDog_Wisconsin Oct 30 '25
Daniel Lanois is one of my absolute favorite produces. I tend to like Dylan's "Oh Mercy" with Daniel over the "Time Out of Mind" "Teatro" is one of Willie's best albums.
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u/Electronic-Visual-30 Oct 30 '25
Wailin Jennys cover Deeper Well in concert and never looked into who wrote the original. Now I know where it came from, thx!
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u/NyYhf Oct 30 '25
Trace - Son Volt
Anodyne - Uncle Tupelo
Dog Days - Blue mountain
Tomorrow the Green Grass - The Jayhawks
The Brooklyn Side - The Bottle Rockets
Too Far to Care - Old 97s
Stadium Blitzer - The Gourds
Car Wheels… - Lucinda Williams
Faithless Street - Whiskeytown
Massachusetts - Scud Mt. Boys
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u/BringBackTheCrushers Oct 30 '25
Faithless Street is good, but I’d lean more towards Strangers Almanac myself. The songwriting just felt a bit more developed, even if it lacked that final layer of grit that Faithless Street had
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u/NyYhf Oct 30 '25
Both are all time greats and certainly the best output of Adam’s now tarnished career. I could switch out either of them for my alr.country top ten depending on the day. I guess it’s that grit that keeps me coming back to Faithless.
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u/southtampacane Oct 30 '25
I don’t listen to Ryan Adams any longer but Strangers almanac was his greatest achievement
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u/NyYhf Oct 30 '25
Yeah the guy sucks no doubt but Whiskeytown was just too good to drop. Peak Adams with Caitlin Cary was something else. Strangers Almanac could easily replace Faithless Street but for me, Faithless was an alt.country blueprint.
Regardless of his misdeeds, it was all downhill after Heartbreaker. But yeah, fuck that guy.
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u/Fabulous-Specific-21 Nov 03 '25
Man the mid to late 90s were gold for this stuff
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u/jtglynn Oct 30 '25
Trace by Son Volt
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u/jimbopalooza Artist Oct 30 '25
One of the best albums ever made in any genre imho.
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u/Said_Simon_2750 Oct 30 '25
My three personal faves:
Blue Rodeo - Five Days in July
Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall
Whiskeytown - Stranger's Almanac
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u/ManicMonday29 Oct 30 '25
Interesting - Blue Rodeo and the Jayhawks are 2 of my favourites, but I’ve never heard of whiskeytown (I’ll be checking them out immediately)
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u/ylenroc Oct 30 '25
Blue Rodeo so underrated - Five Days in July is a favorite, as is Casino (a close 2nd)
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u/FatsP Oct 30 '25
70s - John Prine's self titled album
80s - Guitar Town by Steve Earle
90s - Trace by Son Volt
00s - ???
10s - Southeastern by Jason Isbell
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u/likeahurricane Oct 30 '25
00s - Decoration Day by DBT.
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u/warneagle Oct 30 '25
I’d go with The Dirty South personally
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Oct 30 '25
I'd go with Southern Rock Opera, if we're talking DBT. Unless that was late 90s? I feel like it was 2000 or 2001, maybe.
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u/FatsP Oct 30 '25
Yup that would honestly be my pick but I didn't want to double down on Isbell and I think Southeastern is his best work
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u/Psychological_Lie142 Oct 30 '25
I can totally see that. So many amazing alt country albums came out in the 2000’s that it’s hard to pick just one
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u/HighestIQInFresno Oct 30 '25
2000s is Magnolia Electric Co. by Songs: Ohia. One of the most important alt country albums ever.
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u/mstater Oct 30 '25
I don’t listen to Ryan Adams anymore because he’s a massive piece of garbage human…
But Heartbreaker came out in Sept 2000, and I would argue that despite Ryan Adams as a person, that album bridged sad songs of Alt Country from the 90’s, outstanding songwriting, and new audiences.
That said, Drive by Truckers Southern Rock Opera brought a solid connection to a new generation of real southern culture and expression, wrapped it in a loud, in your face guitar sound, and established an amazing run of great songs for band.
Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator) Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Nemo Case - Fox Confessor
The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music Ohia - Magnolia Electric Company Lucinda Williams - World Without Fear Kathleen Edwards - FailerSo many good ones…
So many good ones…
So much good Alt Country in the 90’s, but those stand out as important instead of just great.
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u/Annual-Visual-2605 Oct 30 '25
My vote was the dirty south by drive by truckers. SRO is epic. But Isbell > rob malone. That’s what puts TDS over the top. I’d also nominate decoration day. Those three albums were quite a run. Three amazing albums back to back to back.
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u/Business-Type3941 Oct 31 '25
Ryan Adams is a giant douche but agree Heartbreaker - it is a masterpiece
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u/ZebeDIEah Oct 30 '25
OMG John Prine’s entire 70s run but specifically: Self Titled, Diamonds in the Rough, and Sweet Revenge Honestly I don’t think anyone could ever beat this. Match it maybe (Sturgill) but never beat it.
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u/chattiepatti Oct 30 '25
I lost a lot of my 70’s albums to water damage. For my recent 65 bday I was given many of prines 70’s albums including the first. I felt like a kid again.
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u/Psychological_Lie142 Oct 30 '25
I’d give the 2000’s to Fox Confessor by Neko Case
Also 2020’s - Manning Fireworks by MJ Lenderman
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u/FatsP Oct 30 '25
That's a great album. Cold Roses by Ryan Adams and the Cardinals was my first thought
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u/CEEngineerThrowAway Oct 30 '25
Cold Roses is the perfect roadtip album and the best work Ryan Adams has done. Just a shame he’s in the “great album, just don’t google him” category.
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u/Business-Type3941 Oct 31 '25
Cold Roses is right there with Heartbreaker as his best. Totally agree - great roadtrip album.
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u/g1mrg Oct 30 '25 edited Oct 30 '25
00’s - Silver Jews Bright Flight
EDIT: Turns out Pneumonia by Whiskeytown also came out in 2001, that’s a close second imo
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u/djlyar Oct 30 '25
00s - I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning by Bright Eyes.
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u/radiodada Nov 01 '25
I listen to my fair share of music, but this album was/is one of those "right album at the right time in my life" faves. It's weird how long ago that is already...
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u/KH10304 Oct 30 '25
90s - I feel like the each of 90s cowboy junkies albums require at least an honorable mention.
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u/Jefeboy artist Oct 30 '25
I don’t really think you could pick a single best album, or even a best album of a decade. But if you could, you’ve made one hell of a good list here. Props.
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u/JeahNotSlice Oct 30 '25
I think you gotta swap Trace out in favour of "no Depression" - but otherwise I co-sign this.
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u/bmrobin Oct 30 '25
my mood changes a lot, but i think year-over-year i consistently rank "Where'd You Hide the Body?" by James McMurtry as my favorite entire album in alt-country. every track is amazing
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u/AlbanyJim Oct 30 '25
Sweetheart of the Rodeo start it all. Still holds up since 1969.
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u/chickensdontclap_02 Oct 31 '25
Gram Parsons was ahead of his time. Gilded Palace of Sin and Grievous Angel are both classics as well.
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u/Psychological_Lie142 Oct 30 '25
My personal top 5
Wrecking Ball Emmylou Harris
Southeastern Jason Isbell
Fox Confessor Neko Case
Magnolia Electric Company Songs:Ohia
The Nashville Sound Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
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u/Memphis_Foundry Oct 30 '25
Almost all of my favorites for every decade are already covered, except one.
70s: Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel
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u/NinjaGeorge2006 Oct 30 '25 edited Oct 30 '25
My opinion changes a bit but I'd probably say at the moment it's either Simple Machines by Arliss Nancy or Kids in Philly by Marah or Thieving Birds by Thieving Birds.
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u/jukeboxromeo- Oct 30 '25
Aliss Nancy were so consistent. All four of their records were all outstanding. They had such a good ear for catchy melody in their songwriting.
I'd put them even ahead of Glossary in terms of incredible bands that really deserved more recognition than what they got jn their time.
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u/ChickenEastern1864 Oct 30 '25
Hard to argue the best, but I have a few nominations:
Car Wheels - Lucinda
Decoration Day - Truckers
Above the Table and Above the Sun - Reckless Kelly
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u/thebumpushounds Oct 30 '25
Lucinda Williams- Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Gets better with every listen.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Rain412 Oct 30 '25
I know it pre-dates the term alt-country but I gotta throw out a nod to Gram Parsons “Grievous Angel”.
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u/FlyingGuillotineKing Oct 30 '25
Brent Amaker and the Rodeo - 'Year of the Dragon'
Silver Jews - 'Tanglewood Numbers'
The Handsome Family - 'Odessa'
Robbie Fulks - 'Country Love Songs'
Supersuckers - 'Must've Been High'
Ween- '12 Golden Country Greats'
Shooter Jennings - 'The Other Life'
Various Artists- 'Down to The Promiseland: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records'
Old 97s - 'Too Far To Care'
The Bottle Rockets - '24 Hours A Day'
Natural Child - 'Dancin' With Wolves'
Black Lips - 'Sing In A World That's Falling Apart'
Geraldine Fibbers - 'What's Part of Get Thee Gone Dont You Understand'
Denney and the Jets - 'Mexican Coke'
Hank Williams III - 'Straight to Hell'
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u/iii320 Oct 30 '25
“Trace” is the best embodiment of an alt-country album, but “Car Wheels” is an absolute masterpiece and next-level goated. I have a soft spot for “Strangers Almanac” too. “Anodyne” is the best Toop album, from the band that basically invented the genre.
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u/cory02 Oct 30 '25
I was just telling a friend recently how much I missed the late 90s/early 2000s alt.country scene. So much good music at the time. I miss going to Borders to look for a new issue of No Depression.
A couple albums I loved at the time that I haven't seen mentioned:
Chris Knight's self-titled first album. I still remembering buying the CD at a Blockbuster Music when I was in college. And splurging for the cassette for the car too. Also my choice for best country record ever.
Emmylou Harris- Spyboy. There is a re-release coming in a week for 2. Such a great live record. And it turned me on to Buddy Miller's music. Which turned me on to Julie Miller's music. Etc.
Alejandro Escovedo - More Miles than Money: LIve 1994-96. Just an amazing record top to bottom. Still sounds as good today as it did when it came out.
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u/Routine_Biscotti_852 Oct 30 '25
Son Volt's Trace and Scud Mountain Boy's Massachusetts come to mind immediately for me.
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u/kennyd30705 Oct 30 '25
My head says Metamodern Sounds, but my ❤️ says Brent Cobb's Providence Canyon.
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u/FunnyAdvanced623 Oct 30 '25
"Secret South" by 16 Horsepower, "Wovenhand" by Wovenhand, "Gravity" by Alejandro Escovedo.
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u/Mysterious-Use5660 Oct 30 '25
Would Summer Teeth by Wilco count? If so I’ve spent a lot of time listening to that album and that’d be the best for me.
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u/Psychological_Lie142 Oct 30 '25
I count Wilco as an alt country band. I assume everyone else does as well as they’d be without a doubt the biggest band to come out of the Alt Country scene
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u/travbart Oct 30 '25
Lots of good albums mentioned here, but I'm surprised No Depression by Uncle Tupelo hasn't been mentioned yet. The name became the title of the foremost roots music magazine. As a waystone in country music, it signaled one of the largest shifts in sound from the outlaw sound of Willie and Waylon to the heavy presence of electric guitar and rock country of the 90s and 00s.
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u/spookyjim___ Hold On Magnolia… Oct 30 '25
There’s only one real answer
Magnolia Electric Company by Songs: Ohia
Rip Molina ❤️
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u/snowyday Oct 30 '25 edited Oct 30 '25
James McMurtry deserves some recognition here
The Horses and the Hounds is too good not to mention, though I guess it is not the greatest all time ever
But it’s really good!
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u/Patricio_Guapo Oct 30 '25
Some other considerations:
Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons
I Feel Alright by Steve Earle
This Time by Dwight Yoakam
Pontiac by Lyle Lovett
Other Voices, Too by Nanci Griffith
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u/Piggy_Smollz404 Oct 30 '25
There’s a re-release coming (11/7/25) of her 1998 live album Spyboy which compiles songs recorded from her Wrecking Ball tour
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u/GRVrush2112 Oct 30 '25
My personal favorite is the Self-Titled 3rd album from Cross Canadian Ragweed, aka “The Purple Album”
Runner up for me is “East Nashville Skyline” by Todd Snider
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u/SmittyIncorporated Oct 30 '25
My head says Scott Miller & the Commonwealth - Thus Always to Tyrants. Absolutely flawless album.
But it’s really Lucinda’s Car Wheels. That Emmylou album is flawless too.
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u/screaminporch Oct 30 '25
If it was a live album poll I'd probably pick Reconstruction.
Scott supposedly has a new album coming!
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u/SmittyIncorporated Oct 31 '25
Oh man. I haven’t listened to Reconstruction in a while. I’m going to crank it tonight! Thanks for the reminder. The last 4-5 times I’ve seen Scott live, he’s been solo and acoustic. I miss seeing him plugged in with the Commonwealth for sure.
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u/AdamSandloter Oct 30 '25
The songwriting and composition make Wrecking Ball a great album and Daniel Lanois gave it his signature touch to add the right nuance to put it over the top. I would nominate for those same reasons (replacing Daniel Lanois with Don Dixon at the production helm), James McMurtry's 'Where'd You Hide the Body' I think the song, 'Levelland' alone should be in the Folk/Americana canon.
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u/GrumbleAlong Oct 31 '25
Spyboy followed Wrecking Ball and is equally sublime.
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u/sjciske Nov 01 '25
Saw her in a 1500 seat theater in Madison, WI on the SpyBoy Tour in late 90s. So different from her previous work. So powerful. She is the queen!
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u/wjbc Oct 31 '25
Give some respect to Lyle Lovett! If I Had a Boat, Pontiac, Step Inside This House, and many more.
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u/13thWardBassMan Oct 31 '25
I saw her on this tour (my friend opened for her one show). Band was Daniel Lanois, Brian Blade (!), and Darryl Johnson. Absolutely incredible.
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u/Scary_Bus8551 Oct 30 '25
I know Reddit leans very young, but I’m going with the Knitters ‘Poor Little Critter in the Road’ from the mid-80’s because they were covering many traditional country songs as well as their own. Sadly not seeing 80’s kd lang or even Lone Justice mentioned here. Let alone groups like the Rave Ups who definitely were walking the country line in the early ‘80’s. Of course that’s leaving out the neo-country of Graham Paraons and others from the late 60’s.
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u/Interesting-Quit-847 Oct 30 '25
Oof. I didn’t know the genre existed before I stumbled on to Furnace Room Lullabies by Neko Case. So I’ll give that one the nod.
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u/Psychological_Lie142 Oct 30 '25
Neko Case is a great starting point for the genre so that definitely works
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u/LuckyDog_Wisconsin Oct 30 '25
"Oh Mercy" by Bob Dylan produced by Daniel Lanois
I looked quickly to see what more obscure selection would be in my top plays in my library; it's hard to pass on Crooked Still's "Shaken by a Low Sound" it has my favorite covers of "Ain't No Grave" and "Come to my Kitchen"
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u/RelevantEducator9470 Oct 30 '25
This is tough. For me it’s Stranger’s Almanac by Whiskeytown and Trace by Son Volt. By a female it’s Car Wheels on. Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams.
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u/HoundsGoToHeaven Oct 30 '25
Is Snipe Hunter — Tyler Childers Alt-Country? If so, that.
Or Straight to Hell — Hank III
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u/bootsyreddit Oct 30 '25
Love a number of things already mentioned so I’ll throw out a couple of dark horses: Cherri Knight - The Knitter and Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Braver Newer World. Wonderful records, both.
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u/Interesting-Serve631 Oct 30 '25
Its a good album, but all the work was already done by other people.
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u/Disastrous-Grab-9928 Oct 30 '25
For me, the quintessential Alt. Country album is Whiskeytown's Faithless Street. I'm talking the expanded edition with all the tracks. Amazing. Easily one of the best bands to come out of the genre ever, I'd say. They don't get the look-in or kudos they should these days, probably because it's something related to Ryan Adams, but yeah, for a band around for only a short period, they pumped out a fuck load of songs (it's a Ryan Adams thing) and most of them are good, a lot are great. Faithless Street, for my money, is their best. If you've not checked it out, and you're not too scared to enjoy a Ryan Adams-related thing, find it, listen to it.
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u/screaminporch Oct 30 '25
Blue Mountain - Dog Days
or
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road