On Thu, 4 Feb 1999, some girl wrote:
> I'm new here, so I hope it works this way (if not I'm sorry); anyway, I
> write a bi-monthly newsletter, and I need some names for the cream of
> the crop in new releases in alt. country, etc., this year so far. I am
> looking for indie bands in particular, but any suggestions will be
> appreciated.
OK. Best alt-country indie band album of '99 (so far):
Hadacol - Better Than This (Checkered Past)
After that, it's kinda slim pickins, although a coupla Portland bands have
released decent debut albums: the Flatirons' Prayer Bones (also on
Checkered Past) and the Countrypolitans' Tired Of Drowning (on
Ultrapolitan). And as much as I try to resist being assimilated by the
Bluegrass Borg, my favorite twang albums so far this year happen to be
Ricky Skaggs' Ancient Tones and Steve Earle & the Del McCoury Band's The
Mountain. Thank god there's still 11 months to go...--don
