"At Folsom Prison may be better known,..." more

"At Folsom Prison may be better known, but for my money At San Quentin is the best, most powerful live album ever recorded. Johnny's command of the audience in one of California's worst prisons borders on mystical. The dichotomy of country is laid out on this album with Cash serenading prisoners with gospel songs shortly after singing lines like "San Quentin may you rot and burn in hell / May your walls fall and may I live to tell / May all the world forget you ever stood and may all the world regret you did no good." The prisoners' wild cheers at the line are enough to send shivers down your spine. A definitive album in pop history." less

"CCR produced 6 all-time classic album..." more

"CCR produced 6 all-time classic albums in just 2 years time and have gone down as one of the greatest bands in the history of rock and roll. This anthology captures the essentials and gives the uninitiated a glimpse of the true power of this band at their height." less

"This collection captures the Dead at ..." more

"This collection captures the Dead at a later period than I would have recommended, but it's still worthwhile. The Dead, along with the Rolling Stones, CCR, Neil Young, Johnny Cash and Gram Parsons, form the definitive touchstones of modern alternative country and roots rock." less

"Dwight Yoakam is a defining figure in..." more

"Dwight Yoakam is a defining figure in alternative country. He embodies the classic country sound with a warped, rock n roll twist. Yoakam has achieved modest mainstream success, but somehow has never really become a superstar." less

"Another "too country for country" art..." more

"Another "too country for country" artist. Dale Watson has been producing some of the most authentic honky-tonk in America for years and still tours in relative obscurity instead of headlining the Grand Ole Opry." less

"One of the great lyricists in alt-cou..." more

"One of the great lyricists in alt-country. Smart, witty, moving, and catchy. The perfect soundtrack to closing down a bar and ending up flirting with the waitress in an all-night diner." less

"Psychedelic country-rock that seems t..." more

"Psychedelic country-rock that seems to blend early Rod Stewart, American Beauty-era Grateful Dead, and Dinosaur Jr. in one amazing blender. Next time a summer storm blows in, get high and listen to this album." less

"If there were any justice in the worl..." more

"If there were any justice in the world, Slaid Cleaves would be a giant in the world of country music. As it is, he's toiling away in obscurity in Austin, but that just means you get to see him in small bars instead of arenas!" less

"What can you even say about Hank Will..." more

"What can you even say about Hank Williams? If you don't know him, you should." less

"Displaying the odd fact that actual c..." more

"Displaying the odd fact that actual country music is too country for country radio, Justin Townes Earle (Steve Earle's son) should be a Grand Ole Opry star by now. Thankfully, labels like Bloodshot exist to release amazing country albums like this. More country than his dad, but with that rebel attitude, Justin displays a weariness, wit, and talent belying his youth." less

"The lead singer of Lucero strikes out..." more

"The lead singer of Lucero strikes out on his own with a set based on Cormac McCarthy's magisterial Blood Meridian. Each song (except the title track) tells the story of a character in the novel, all set to haunting pedal steel, accordion, and acoustic guitar." less

"One of the founders of alternative co..." more

"One of the founders of alternative country. This album is a nice retrospective of the career of one of the most influential alt-country bands ever (although you should get the 5 album only songs as they are some of the best on the album). Uncle Tupelo spawned both Son Volt and Wilco." less

"Folky indie rock that is impossibly g..." more

"Folky indie rock that is impossibly gorgeous. The vocals are mainly in a high falsetto, the lyrics are mostly obtuse, most of the album is just acoustic guitar, and one song devolves into a clattering of percussion, but somehow it works...beautifully." less

"The most rocking album Jason Molina h..." more

"The most rocking album Jason Molina has ever made. Pounding songs like John Henry Split My Heart and Farewell Transmission ultimately give way to the beautiful Hold On, Magnolia. Haunting and highly recommended." less

"Along with Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy..." more

"Along with Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy (both of Uncle Tupelo and later of Son Volt and Wilco, respectively), Ryan Adams is one of the giants of alternative country. His band Whiskeytown was, with Uncle Tupelo, one of the most influential alt-country bands ever. Heartbreaker is the start of a long and fruitful solo career and it ranks as one of the most stunning albums I've ever listened to (and is pretty much unanimously agreed to be his best album). Oh My Sweet Carolina (with Emmylou Harris) is one of my all-time favorite songs." less

"Neko has a beautiful, sultry voice an..." more

"Neko has a beautiful, sultry voice and fantastic songwriting skills. She's moved beyond straight alt-country, but is still excellent. Although it's not on Emusic, I highly recommend Fox Confessor Brings the Flood." less

"One of the highlights of 00's alt-cou..." more

"One of the highlights of 00's alt-country is Lucero. A bit unpolished and punk-ish for some tastes perhaps with sloppy, drunken live performances and Ben Nichols' ragged vocals, but a personal favorite. Nichols' lyrics are some of the best in the business and this is one of the most perfect summertime driving albums ever made." less

"Patterson Hood, leader of Drive-By Tr..." more

"Patterson Hood, leader of Drive-By Truckers, shows that his amazing songwriting talents aren't confined solely to his band. This set could easily be a lost DBT album. Patterson is simply one of the best songwriters in any genre of pop music today. Sure to make best of 2009 lists." less

"The best rock and roll band in the wo..." more

"The best rock and roll band in the world. Pure and simple. Let this album stand in for their entire catalog which is a must have. DBT's most country album to date is also my favorite. Check out "Outfit", "Decoration Day", and "Sink Hole" to see why." less

"Phenomenal rootsy gospel album. Mixes..." more

"Phenomenal rootsy gospel album. Mixes gospel, rock, country, blues, and bluegrass into a rollicking whole. This album transcends gospel and religious music to simply be a flat-out great album, regardless of one's personal beliefs." less