Topic: K-man's thread where he obsesses over and subjects you to alt-country music.

[K-man]

Milton Mapes is my new obsession.  And, in typical fashion of being late to the game, they're no longer a band.

Centro-Matic has also getting a significant amount of air play from me.

[K-man]

I've also been enjoying a lot of Hayes Carll lately.  I dig the way he carries his voice.  Plus, dude has a hell of a sense of humor.

[K-man]

Just in case one of you cares, Jason Isbell - Southeastern is my current album of the year.

Him performing a song off the record on Sirus Outlaw Country:

[Cobra951]

Milton Mapes - like!

Centro-matic - meh

Hayes Carll - like the music, wish the humor stayed before and after the song

Jason Isbell - I loved the mellow ballad vibe, but the foul language grated hard against the experience.  Good voice and instrumental performance; lyrics need work, imo.

[K-man]

Jason Isbell - I loved the mellow ballad vibe, but the foul language grated hard against the experience.  Good voice and instrumental performance; lyrics need work, imo.

I'm surprised at that, since his lyricism is generally considered one of his strong points.  Here's an older tune.

And here's a tune he wrote when he was with the Drive-by Truckers, performed with his band.

and more Hayes Carll

[Cobra951]

I just meant that as a reference to the jarring, out-of-place foul language.  As I said, I otherwise liked what I heard.

[K-man]

Yeah the F-bomb was really out of place for me, at first.

[K-man]

James McMurtry (son of Larry McMurtry, author of Lonesome Dove) writes great songs.  This is one of my favorites.

[Quemaqua]

Interesting, I didn't know his son was a musician. I have both of his memoirs.

[K-man]

I've been listening to this guy quite a bit lately. His debut album was on a lot of people's top 10 lists for 2013.  Guy is legit.

[PyroMenace]

I can get behind that.

[K-man]

Sturgill's got a new album dropping in May.  Here's an advance song:

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2014/02/song-premiere-sturgill-simpson---living-the-dream.html

[K-man]

Hey Pyro, the new sturgill album's streaming in its entirety at NPR

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/04/307746474/first-listen-sturgill-simpson-metamodern-sounds-in-country-music