Best Alt-Country & Americana
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great music!"
"The Band, in its full form, is great...no matter which DVD/CD."
"Can't get a better cd than this one, if you like The Band."
"Wonderful music that keeps my feet tapping."
"Just what I was looking for."
"My husband purchased this CD for me and I wore out the first one I had...do a lot of long road trips and it is the best traveling music ever!!!"
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon""April The 14th" is divided into two parts with two songs separating them, the second titled "Ruination Day" and the whole song is a rumination on the assassination of Lincoln, the Titanic and the fate of the 'Okies' among other things. "My First Lover" is a bittersweet reminiscence enhanced with a reference to an old Steve Miller song. A sort of opposite of Dylan's "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" or "Desolation Row" in that it's more hopeful and the narrator of this song is more confident than Dylan's dazed and confused suitor though there are subtle similarities in both songs."
"It was inspired not only by this CD, but by the pleasure of hearing Gillian and David at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco last weekend, and again in Paradise, California two days later. In an era when so many of the voices we need in society -- literature, philosophy, film, classical music, jazz, rock -- are losing their impact and even dying out, leaving us with empty slogans and no direction, it is more important than ever to praise and support the few great artists still working. Gillian and David have found truth and light in a time of darkness."
"I'm not a critic, I just feel that Gillian and David are great song crafters."
"The first cut I heard on this CD was "I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll", which sounds like it could have been sung at either a pentecostal camp meeting or by someone asserting their rights to come onstage for amateurs' night at the Palais."
"She sings these songs with just the slightest bit of world-weariness, which seems to enhance and deepen their impact. Welch's songs have a visceral directness that is both refreshing and troubling."
"A wound down, old south country star."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A smart, sweet, and tuneful album from a really wonderful singer."
"I can't stop playing this wonderful album."
"This woman is fantastic."
"This is one the best albums I have heard this year."
"Very nicely crafted album."
Best Contemporary Country
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love the more lively rocken songs he had previously recorded and I have a single cd that I prefer and play all the time."
"He is a wonderful singer.....look at me now!"
"Hell yeah!"
"One of my favorite musicians long lasting music...."
"I don't trust anyone who doesn't love Toby!"
"Great product!"
Best Traditional Country
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I LOVE TRADITIONAL COUNTRY MUSIC!"
"Truly a classic for country music fans, and this album has all of buck best."
"enjoyed these buck owens hits."
"Occasionally, I listen to it, my mind reaching to much younger years. In the late sixties, I had the good fortune to meet Buck and Don after a life performance I attended."
Best Outlaw & Progressive Country
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's one of the first albums that I check out when I have a new piece of gear, and one that sounds better every time I make an improvement where a lot of other recordings start to reveal flaws."
"The Wailin'Jennys produce such lovely harmonies and melodic songs."
"Wonderful harmonies and great songs by the Wailin Jennys."
"Good album, but doesn't come near their Bright Morning Stars album."
"Their harmonies and easy voices really put one at ease and provide a relaxing atmosphere for just enjoying some calming music after a hectic day at work."
Best Western Swing
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Vietnam War, the assassinations of public figures, and seeing part of my city burn the previous summer during riots-- it was a lot to handle. The first side of the record ends with the sad longing and fears of Old Friends, who sit on a park bench and reminisce together. The fears and sadness of 1968 are long past, but a final memory remains: As I lay in bed early that Christmas Eve, the colored glow of tree lights seeped into my room. Off in the distance were disembodied television voices of Apollo astronauts circling the moon-- they read passages from the book of Genesis, and wished well the "people of the good Earth.""
"The Vietnam War, the assassinations of public figures, and seeing part of my city burn the previous summer during riots-- it was a lot to handle. The original first side of the record ends with the sad longing and fears of Old Friends, who sit on a park bench and reminisce together. The fears and sadness of 1968 are long past, but a final memory remains: As I lay in bed early that Christmas Eve, the colored glow of tree lights seeped into my room. Off in the distance were disembodied television voices of Apollo astronauts circling the moon-- they read passages from the book of Genesis, and wished well the "people of the good Earth.""
Best Compilations
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Band recorded a lot of music, but when they were "on" they presented a sound like no other."
"A classic that is a great addition to our collection."
"Just what I was looking for."
"Excellent CD, could be "The Band" 's best CD."
Best Bluegrass
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"LOVE STEEP CANYON RANGERS .... Steve Martin okay - more for kids. I am sure that Steve Martin has really helped them though by giving them professional pointers - because this is a "slick" group - love their suits ...... their lighting .............. love the fiddle player!"
"Steve Martin is a rare bird, his singing and playing with multiple artists."
"When Steve Martin decided to share his love of banjo music with us, I bought "The Crow". "The Crow" was all about the banjo, but here it is featured in good company with guitars, fiddle, and mandolin, all superbly played. "King Tut" was novel when Steve wrote it for a Saturday Night Live skit, many moons ago, as a spectacular exhibit of items from the tomb of ancient Egypt's Pharaoh Tutankhamun was touring the country. The song escaped it's SNL bounds and wound up high on the pop charts. Well, on "Rare Bird Alert", you can hear it performed with it's original, authentic, bluegrass instrumentation."
"The humor, the music & the group is awesome."
"This music will not disappoint, especially if you like Steve Martin and banjo music."
"Wonderfull music."
"He and the Steep Canyon Rangers are a wonderful match and the music they make on this album is the best. Steve Martin wrote most of the songs and his talent shows in the word play."
"Steep Canyon Raiders, Steven Martin's witty comments and lyrics and banjo, Dixie Chicks, Sir Paul, amazing packaging and graphics that recall the late 1960s (I have the deluxe edition, with the addition only of the musician trading cards), joyful ditties, reference to Lawren Harris' outstanding Canadian paintings, and . I have always appreciated bluegrass because, first, the banjo IS a happy sounding instrument, and, second, because the harmonies, speedy rhythms, and direct lyrics often are cheerful."
Best Cowboy
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Vietnam War, the assassinations of public figures, and seeing part of my city burn the previous summer during riots-- it was a lot to handle. The first side of the record ends with the sad longing and fears of Old Friends, who sit on a park bench and reminisce together. The fears and sadness of 1968 are long past, but a final memory remains: As I lay in bed early that Christmas Eve, the colored glow of tree lights seeped into my room. Off in the distance were disembodied television voices of Apollo astronauts circling the moon-- they read passages from the book of Genesis, and wished well the "people of the good Earth.""
"The Vietnam War, the assassinations of public figures, and seeing part of my city burn the previous summer during riots-- it was a lot to handle. The original first side of the record ends with the sad longing and fears of Old Friends, who sit on a park bench and reminisce together. The fears and sadness of 1968 are long past, but a final memory remains: As I lay in bed early that Christmas Eve, the colored glow of tree lights seeped into my room. Off in the distance were disembodied television voices of Apollo astronauts circling the moon-- they read passages from the book of Genesis, and wished well the "people of the good Earth.""
Best Honky-Tonk
![American Made [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61EkML8rIhL._SS600_.jpg)
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good music if your into it."
"Awesome music."
"We listen to Big Smo almost ever weekend."
"Sometimes moving, sometimes a little cheesy but always a good time when Big Smo is on!"
"awesome sound, excellently mixed, Big Smo"s sound is right on point with the emotions."
"Loved the kuntry living CD."
Best Live Recordings
![Europe '72 [Live] [Expanded]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41H4d%2B7O-ML._SS600_.jpg)
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Hands down the best live album EVER made."
"The recording quality was excellent and came in nice paper disc packaging."
"Excellent sound."
"I had this on vinyl back in the day and I can't believe I waited so long to get this on CD."
"One of my top 10 albums of all time."
"Jerry Garcia...Bob Weir anything else?"
"Nice memories from a time long ago..."