FLYIN' SHOES IS DEDICATED TO THE LATE GREAT TOWNES VAN ZANDT

WHAT IS ALT.COUNTRY?
Y'ALL'TERNATIVE?
NO DEPRESSION?
AMERICANA?


AND WHO CARES ABOUT LABELS ANYWAY?
Well here at Flyin' Shoes we care a lot because what these labels try to cover is a new wave of wonderful music that explores the real roots of folk/country and blues and comes as a welcome relief to the chart/indie formula stuff that chokes the airwaves!


WHO IS ALT.COUNTRY?
Here are a few names to toss around!
Whiskeytown, The Jayhawks, Son Volt, Wilco, Gillian Welch, Six String Drag, Freakwater, Dave Alvin, Tom Russell, Lambchop, Vic Chesnutt, Victoria Williams, Steve Earle, Palace, Steve Young, Johnny Cash …all this and more can be coralled under the term. Stateside there's already the long established and wonderful No Depression magazine (named after scene-setters Uncle Tupelo's take on the Carter Family ). Over here Country Music International occasionally finds more than a little room between the manicured hats and lasses for Alt.C and Happenstance magazine does a fine job too.

Mojo features alt-country and Uncut magazine has recently dedicated a special issue to 'New Sounds of the West' complete with a stunning sampler which included the likes of The Handsome Family, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Hazeldine, Red Star Belgrade to name but a few. That's not all as the Vinyl Junkie label in London following the success of the 'Loose' compilation is releasing some of these stateside acts over here - so no more scouring the record fairs for these hard to find gems!

As if this wasn't enough there are now an increasing number of these 'country-punks' touring the UK. Oxford has recently been visited by Athens, Georgia's Vigilantes of Love who have mixed with the great and the good including R.E.M. ( check out neo-gothic country side of new record) and members of Steve Earle's E-Squared label and 'Twangtrust'!

Gloomy song merchants Songs:Ohia supported Arab Strap at the Zodiac -anyone catch that? It's there if you look hard enough -Fan Modine in a field -yup Slow River's answer to Syd Barret was last seen warbling from a truck and biggest of all May '99 sees album of the year artists Mercury Rev playing at Brookes University. Seems the locals are catching on - look out for gigs by Overground and Whispering Bob - the alt-c revival starts here!
Hasta Luego Shaun B.