Autumn Souvenir

Similar to the New York Yankees, I didn't have much of a choice here. In my pre-teen years, I'd spend every-other-weekend, or sometimes, every-so-often, at my father's house a few towns over in Jersey. In the late 70s/early 80s, my father was obsessed with Springsteen. Sure, he mixed it up with some Bob Seger, Dylan, Jackson Browne and other songwriters of the day, but his love for Bruce was on a different plane. I remember our living room walls being blanketed with framed Springsteen memorabilia. And he was always, always playing throughout the house. All those early records. My dad had a lot of parties during this period, and I recall The River being on until all hours of the night. Then Born to Run would find its way, and of course, when Bruce became the biggest act in the world, with the summer 1984 release of Born in the USA, that record was played over and over and over. When that tour kicked in, and Bruce loaded up on Jersey dates, I begged to go. I'd only be

I probably don't need to say much here. If we've met for even ten seconds, I probably talked about this band. I mean, I named my dog after former Wilco lead guitarist, Jay Bennett. If I ever have a kid, he or she will likely be Jeff or John or Coomer or Pot Kettle Black. 70-80 shows. Every record purchased on every format imaginable. Three Solid Sound Festivals. Couple pics with JT, one taken by John Stirratt. Jeff Tweedy's songwriting, along with the band's evolving sound, seemed to perfectly complement what I was experiencing in my 20s, through to my 30s, and even today, in my 70s. AM were the leftovers. Being There was them breaking beyond alt.country. Summerteeth was their breezy, pop gem. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot remains their masterpiece. A Ghost is Born was an extension of YHF . Sky Blue Sky was back to Americana. And The Whole Love was their last great record. As I sit here listening to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot , for what must be the first time in a few yea

Discovering Uncle Tupelo felt like a moment in time. Or rather, moments in time. It all started in the spring of 1994, just outside of Boston. I was a sophomore in college, hanging out with my housemates, recounting the events of the night before. Some party, another party, bar, bar, etc. We’d all trudged around the night prior, with the exception of our friend Flanders, who was visiting from Maine. Flanders broke from the pack and saw a show downtown. I asked about the band. “They're called Uncle Tupelo. Want to hear them?” was all he could muster. He stepped out and grabbed a CD from his car. A few minutes later, he hit play on track six from one of their records. The song was “New Madrid” from Uncle Tupelo’s final, and perfect, swan song, Anodyne . It took but a few seconds and I was floored. It was Neil Young, Johnny Cash, The Clash, all in one. I’d never heard anything like it. By the end of the day, I'd made my way to Tower Records on Boylston and had my own copy . An

If Memphis' Big Star weren't plagued by one terrible set of label/management/etc. circumstances after another, which basically buried each of their three records from the public, I truly believe that they could've been the greatest rock n' roll band to ever come out of the US. I mean, even given the awful circumstances that they faced, at least to my ears, they're right up there. And had they been delivered a few breaks, Alex and Chris would be regularly thrown around alongside John and Paul, Mick and Keith, and hell, for purposes of this list, Jay and Jeff. But that's not at all what happened. Even with the current always flowing the wrong way, thanks to a cult following that seems to balloon each year, and countless musicians who point to Big Star as not just an influence, but possibly their greatest influence, the band has only grown in popularity over the decades. Three records from 1972-1975 and that's it. The last of the trio, Third , which is easil

Neil is one of the few mainstays in my musical life. I found my way to him early in my teen years and he set the stage for a lot of the music I'd explore in the decades that followed. I started with the basics, mostly listening to Decade (basically, greatest hits) throughout high school, and then I hit his "grunge" phase in college, playing Freedom , Ragged Glory , and then the slow-down gem, Harvest Moon . But it was post-college that I really dug into the archives and found Neil's best work. On the Beach , Comes a Time , Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere , Zuma , and ultimately my favorite Neil record, the dirtiest of all Neil records, Tonight's the Night . When considering the history of rock n' roll, Neil Young sits atop the heap with the likes of Chuck Berry, Mick/Keith, Paul/John, Bruce, and a select few others. In addition to his staggering solo work, which spands six decades, his contributions to Buffalo Springfield, CSNY and many others put him i

This story's been told a million times over, but when Jay Farrar opted to bail on alt.country pioneers, Uncle Tupelo, fans of the genre and beyond, were left with two new options: Son Volt and Wilco. For years, the debate of Jay vs. Jeff raged. Purists tended to side with Farrar, while those open to Tweedy's more experimental side, landed with Wilco. At least out of the gates, there was wide consensus that Farrar's Son Volt held an edge with 1995's absolutely brilliant, Trace . Wilco's first effort, A.M. , had its moments, but altogether sounded like a collection of UT b-sides. Son Volt followed with 1997's underrated Straightaways , and closed out their first run as a band with 1999's fantastic, Wide Swing Tremolo . Farrar's backing band of original Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn, and brothers Dave and Jim Boquist, likely represented the best alt.country band of that decade. And then, following this trio of classics, Farrar once again departed a band at

Speaking of great songwriters.... Favorite record: Devotion & Doubt (1997) Where are they now? Though not nearly as prolific as he was in the 90s, Buckner continues to make records and tour.

Steve Earle once said, " Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." I'm not sure Townes is better than Dylan, but he's certainly in the conversation. He really only had one "hit": "Pancho and Lefty", which was made famous by Willie and Merle. But Townes has hundreds of fantastic songs. Like Chris Bell and Alex Chilton, Nick Drake and countless others who flew under the radar in the 90s, Townes never got his due. Not even close. I discovered Townes late. My closest buddy in college, who turned me onto countless artists that I'd embrace post-college (Smog, Oldham, Drake) was a fan early, but I still had much digging to do before I'd make my way to Townes. Must've been a few years after his death in 1997, that Townes started to hit. I remember buying the collection, High Low and In Between , at Sounds on St. Marks and immediately putting it

With the shocking passing of two cultural icons  in one week , we're seeing a similar collective reaction to what we see when faced with such difficult realities. Basically, on this front, there's a deluge of posts sharing suicide hotlines. Of course, I'm in favor of making these numbers widespread. A good friend of mine volunteered at a suicide hotline in New York City for many years, and I'm certain his work, and the work of his colleagues, saved countless lives. But there's something about these soft, predictable posts that gets under my skin. It's somewhat similar to the gun reaction. Post something, move on. Did your deed. I guess it irks me for two reasons. First, depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, and countless other mental health maladies, are issues that can't be solved with a phone number. There are many massive challenges facing mental illness in this country. Health care is an abomination. Only the wealthy can afford regular mental-hea

The Gourds may be the best pure "alt.country" band to come out of that movement. In addition to a recorded output that matches anyone from that period, The Gourds' live shows were explosive, jubilant and incredibly communal. They were events. The songwriting/singing pairing of Jimmy Smith and Kev Russell, to my ears, should be mentioned in the same breath as, yes, Paul and John and Mick and Keith. From 1997-2002 their records as well as their celebrated live shows may have places them as the band of that period. Favorite record: Stadium Blitzer (1998) Where are they now? The Gourds broke up in 2013. Kev Russell has embarked on a successful career under the moniker Shinyribs. Jimmy Smith has relocated to Montana and plays shows in around the around the area.

Let's move this along... #18 Josh Ritter #17 Pavement #16 The Beatles #15 Elliott Smith #14 Bonnie "Prince" Billy #13 Nick Drake #12 REM #11 Rolling Stones

After departing the Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell held onto the bottle and recorded a few solid, but inconsistent, records, along with his band The 400 Unit. Then, sometime around 2011 or 2012, Isbell got sober, and similar to Steve Earle with I Feel Alright in the 90s, released his best record, 2013's Southeastern . Not just his best record, but via my ears, the best record so far in the 2010's. Though different in subject, Southeastern is as personal as Dylan's Blood on the Tracks or Springsteen's Tunnel of Love . An artist at his best, laying it bare for all to see.  A heart on the run Keeps a hand on the gun  You can't trust anyone I was so sure what I needed was more Tried to shoot out the sun Days when we raged, we flew off the page Such damage was done But I made it through, 'cause somebody knew I was meant for someone At what seemed like a bit of a  cooling off period in the singer-songwriter world, Isbell released an all-

Like no other band on this list, Denton, Texas' Slobberbone hold a piece of me that I'll cherish until my last day. I've told this story before, but I'm so appreciative of what Brent Best, Brian Lane, Jess Barr and Tony Harper (unknowingly) did for me, that I keep repeating it. 1999 was my first SXSW. I made my way down to Austin, 25 years old, with what felt like the weight of the world on my shoulders. Decades-long family issues were finally being brought to the surface, and I was having trouble processing all of the rapidly moving stories, once hidden/now exposed secrets, and what all this news and emotion would do to my often-confused family situation. And it literally all dropped as I was heading to Texas. As the drama piled on, I was a few thousand miles from home, attempting to usher it aside and enjoy myself. But I couldn't. Was just too much, at the time. I had glimpses of fun the first few days, but my mind was back in New Jersey/New York. I considered l

One of the greatest living songwriters. Favorite record? Civilians (2007) Where are they now? Still making incredible records, blending jazz, Americana and rock n' roll. Also one of the greatest living producers.

One of the bands most responsible for my explosive and never-ending interest in music that hit in the mid-90s. Right around the time I discovered Uncle Tupelo, there was Minneapolis' The Jayhawks. The perfect sound for what I was seeking out at the time. As much as folks have credited Uncle Tupelo with being the fathers of the alt.country movement, The Jayhawks released Bunkhouse in 1986, and the more widely-adored Blue Earth in 1989. Gary Louris and Mark Olson were the Everly Brothers of that time: gorgeous melodies, beautiful songwriting, and to this day, they remain one of the most unfairly under-appreciated bands ever. If the Avett Brothers could reach the masses, The Jayhawks should've been stars. Think the Avetts or any other "Americana" band of the day, but with depth and longevity. Best record? Hollywood Town Hall (1992) Where are they now? There have many, many incarnations of The Jayhawks, but the real nucleus broke up in 1995, later to re-form a fe

When I reflect on the years that I lived in Brookyn, I'm not sure there's a band that brought more joy to my group of friends and I than Dallas' Old 97's. Shows at Irving Plaza and Rhett Miller solo sets at Fez and around Manhattan, represent some of the most joyful nights of my life. As Rhett sings, "I just might get drunk tonight and burn the nightclub down." There was also a lot of drinking. A lot. Late nights, edging into the morning. Bar 119 adjacent to Irving Plaza. Mayhem. The backdrop of it all was often those early 97's records. Favorite record : Too Far To Care (1997) Where are they now? I sort of stopped following the new rel3eases after 2008's Blame It On Gravity (which is fantastic), but they're still putting out records and touring the country.

When the alt.country scene was slowing in the early 00s, no band filled that void more than Okkervil River. 2005's Black Sheep Boy came at the perfect time, and I ran with the band for a good decade. Favorite record : The Stage Names (2007) Where are they now?  About to start touring behind their upcoming release, In the Rainbow Rain

Word of Russ Solomon's passing has left me thinking about Tower Records throughout the day. As a kid, when a career in hoops or baseball finally sailed away, music quickly became my biggest passion. I mean, I'd had some solid introductions as a child. My dad used to throw raucous parties in the 70s and 80s, and the sounds I heard careening off the walls of his Jersey home: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Stones, Seger; they all not just peaked an early interest, but became the foundation for a musical exploration that's now hit four decades. First few years of high school, many weekends (and weeknights) were spent about ten miles down the road at Tower Records in Paramus, New Jersey. Before we had driver's licenses, our parents would drop us off, and return hours later. We'd walk into a mecca of music: CDs, vinyl, music magazines, books, singles, EPs, rarities. Every genre under the sun. But we were mostly rock kids. Raised on classic rock, but starti

Another "moment in time" band for me. In late 2003, frustrated with many areas of my life, and about to hit 30, I quit my job without a new one (this is way before it was hip/safe to do so) and spent a year volunteering for John Kerry's presidential campaign. When Kerry lost, and my dreams of moving to the West Wing vanished, I headed to......Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.... for a few months to work in a family restaurant. As I tried to re-engineer what to do with my career, a call came from a recruiter in "Mountain View." A company was looking for someone with skills loosely related to what I'd done for the first 6-7 years of my career, but moving more into digital. A few weeks later, I was boxing up my stuff in Brooklyn and heading to the Bay Area. Upon arrival, I found a place in Sunnyvale and for the next year, prior to moving to SF, spent most of my free time either at the gym, in a Barnes and Noble or buying records. And with the move, I was looking

Arguably the individual most responsible for alt.country movement that spawned many of my favorites, including Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt, Old 97's, and on and on and on.... Favorite record : Grievous Angel (1974) Where are they now? Gram died of a drug overdose in the 1973 at the age of 26.

Arguably the best band ever to come out of the United States. Favorite record : Music From Big Pink (1968) Where are they now? The Band disbanded in 1976 as chronicled in the greatest music documentary of all-time, The Last Waltz .

What's that famous line about Nick Drake's music? Something about Nick's catalog sounding like "what you'd hearing upon stepping through the gates of heaven." Whatever it is, that pretty much sums up how I felt upon hearing Gillian Welch's first record, Revival , sometime in 1996. I listened to the first track, "Orphan Girl," about 20 times before even making it past that track. It honestly wasn't that far off from how I felt when I heard Springsteen for the first time, or Uncle Tupelo. It nearly knocked me over. Only a few months later, I saw Gillian Welch and David Rawlings open up for Son Volt at The Paradise in Boston, and it was everything I heard on record and more. Gorgeous melodies and phenomenal songwriting matched with Rawlings' breathtaking guitar chops. They closed the night, paired with the original Son Volt lineup, and blasted through a raucous take on Neil Young's "Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown." What

My timeline for interest in Earle is oddly almost exactly as #30 on this list, Damien Jurado. I discovered Earle in the early 90s, right before the best output of his career. Fresh out of the pen, Earle was sober, still young, and clearly hungry. The quick output of Train a Comin' (1995), I Feel Alright (1996) and El Corazon (1997) represents the epicenter of Earle's recorded output and fit perfectly with the alt.country movement that was ballooning at the time. In addition to these masterful records, Earle was also running E-Squared Records, where he introduced the world to the likes of The V-Roys, 6 String Drag, Bap Kennedy and Cheri Knight. All four of those remain among my favorites of that period, and Earle's impeccable ear and desire to raise awareness to these acts is something I'll forever cherish. Favorite record : I Feel Alright (1996) Where are they now?  I can't claim to follow much anymore, but Earle's out there still touring and making re

There are points in your life when a certain act or sound just fits a period of time. I discovered Damien Jurado in 1999 when he released the fantastic Rehearsals for Departure . And I was off. For a solid decade, through to 2008's Caught in the Trees , I was hooked. If you look at my last.fm from that period, Jurado checks in at #7. For reasons I can't really explain, I then abandoned ship. Jurado has released four records since, and with a few exceptions, I've been on the sidelines. But tonight, as I listen to 2003's Where Shall You Take Me?, I'm reminded. These songs are gut-wretchingly gorgeous. On the level of Nick Drake or Elliott Smith. At times, better. And just like that, I'm back. Maybe it's time I explore those four new ones. Favorite record : Where Shall You Take Me? (2003) Where are they now? Still out doing his thing...

There are few songwriters that I relate to more than Aimee Mann. The former Til' Tuesday singer has had a stellar solo career. I fell for Mann after seeing PT Anderson's phenomenal Magnolia in 2000. That movie wouldn't have had nearly the impact if not for Mann's soundtrack additions. The "Save Me" scene to close the film remains one of the most memorable scenes in film history. And well, here it is: 2005's The Forgotten Arm remains one of my favorite records of the past 20 years. For those keeping score, it was actually my eighth favorite record of the 2000s via Huffington Post . A concept album for the ages, Mann's mastery of the spoken word and chilling vocals to match is pure perfection. Bachelor No. 2 , Mental Illness , Smilers -- all albums with phenomenal moments. Aimee Mann is one of the best songwriters of our time. Or any time. Favorite record : The Forgotten Arm (2005) Where are they now? Still out there making great records...

CCR were only a band for 4+ years. From 1968-1970, they released five records, each of which is either great, or damn near close. When you consider their hits, "Who'll Stop the Rain," "Lodi," "Bad Moon Rising," "Green River," "Fortunate Son," and on and on and on, it's flat-out remarkable that they were able to accomplish as much as they did in what was a flash. As soon as they hit the masses, they were done. And the acrimony of their split, remains to this day. John Fogerty, the clear leader of the band, went on to a successful solo career, with the rest largely falling into obscurity. But what they accomplished in that short window is one of the greatest achievements in rock n' roll, if not music, history. Favorite record : Cosmo's Factory (1970) Where are they now? CCR disbanded in 1972. Frontman, John Fogerty, has had a long, successful solo career. His biggest hit was 1985's Centerfield .

I moved to the Bay Area on January 1, 2005. I'd spent the previous six years living in Brooklyn, and those entire six years were were awash in music. My friends and I saw endless shows, all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. And Philly. And wherever. Tons of nights drinking and bobbing our heads to Marah, Star City, Old 97s, Wilco, Mendoza Line, The Strokes, GBV and the endless line of great bands from that period. When I decided to leave the East Coast for a few years (now 13+), there was a feeling that that period of my life, in many ways, was over. Was  living inside the rock n' roll that filled the clubs in New York now behind me for good? I clearly recall driving around the South Bay in the spring of 2005, playing the records we listened to in New York, and feeling distanced. I needed something new. Something outside of the bands we listened to in New York. In June of 2005, LCD Soundsystem released their self-titled debut. I remember hearing "Losing My Edge" for th

Not many artists can claim to have accomplished what Tom Petty has: Moved from a critics' rock n' roll darling, to a pop star, back to a late-career songwriting genius, while also playing fantastic live shows for decades. Most of the greats have their slips, usually significant ones, but never Petty. His career began with 1976's self-titled and he went on to make records for just shy of 40 years, and with maybe an exception or two, his catalog is shockingly consistent. Even with changes in style, it all flowed perfectly. For some odd reason, Petty is often left off the list of greats; ya know, Dylan, Bruce, Paul and John, Mick and Keith, but he shouldn't be. Tom Petty's achievements are mind boggling. 1979's Damn the Torpedos is one of the best rock records ever recorded. Fast forward to 1989 and Full Moon Fever stands as one of the best pop/rock records of that period. And later came the brilliant songwriting found on 1994's Wildflowers and 1999's g

There will be more to come on this list, but Scott Miller is among the most under-appreciated songwriters I've ever heard. His command of putting words to song should put him in the conversation with the greats. From his days with Knoxville, Tennesssee's V-Roys, through to his many solo records, Miller has been a favorite of mine for 20+ years. And he sings and performs with such a charm and grace that it pains me that he never makes it West. If you care to see him live, you best be in the Southeast, as that's really the only place he plays. This cover of the Statler Brothers' "I Will Go To My Grave Loving You" is probably the video I've watched most on YouTube over the years. He plays it so perfectly, and seems so nervous, that it's nearly impossible not to be moved. This is just perfection: I saw the V-Roys once, in New York at the now-defunct Wetlands, sometime around 1997 or so. I've seen Miller live once, at the also-shuttered Lakeside

I’ve often said that if I could head back in time and see one performance, it would be the evening that Cooke recorded Live at the Harlem Square Club . In terms of live recordings, this is up there with Springsteen at Hammersmith and Dylan in 1966. The version of "Bring It On Home To Me" is about as good as a live recording as you'll ever hear. To my ears, I think Cooke is the greatest singer to have ever lived. He seemed to sing so effortlessly, but the delivery was damn-near religious. The kind of sound that erases everything around you and finds you locked in to nothing but the jaw-dropping delivery. Like many of the greats, Cooke left us too early, but his songs will carry on for generations to come. Favorite record : Night Beat (1963) Where are they now? Cooke was killed in 1964 at the age of 33.

I discovered the Eels a decade after their first record. I was making the move from Brooklyn to the Bay Area, and a friend in SF, who'd been an Eels fan since day one, pushed them on me. This is right when the double-album Blinking Lights and Other Revelations was released. This record, along with Arcade Fire's first, are the albums that are most attached to my re-location from the East coast to the West. Something I never imagined until an opportunity presented itself, I'm now fairly certain that as long as I remain in the US, I'm likely on the West side for good. And Blinking Lights was, and remains, the soundtrack for that life change. My love for this band is almost entirely around their mid-career. I listened to their first four records but they never fell in for me. It was Blinking Lights , as well as 2009's Hombre Lobo and 2010's End Times , that grabbed me. And then I lost interest. For some reason, Eels represent a moment in time, and it was fleeti

Right in the heart of the 90s alt.country "movement" there was Oxford, Mississippi's Blue Mountain. Fronted by Cary Hudson and Laurie Stirratt, if there was ever a band to grab the Americana mantle, it was Blue Mountain. 1995's Dog Days remains one of the best records not just of the alt.country (re)birth, but of the 90s, all told. And live? Wow. Cary Hudson is one of the best frontmen from that time and the threesome played with a Southern fury like I'd never heard or seen before. When I think of Southern Rock, Blue Mountain is the pinnacle. They went on to release a number of records on Roadrunner, before calling it quits, then re-forming, then finally calling it a day again. Once a national touring act, Hudson now generally sticks around Mississippi, playing solo shows throughout the deep South. His solo records, most notably, The Phoenix , are worth exploration. Favorite record : Dog Days (1995) Where are they now? Hudson continues to play, largely

Throughout this list, you'll likely hear a refrain of, "how could this band have not been huge?" I'm not sure any artist I'll mention is more perplexing, on this front, than Kelly Willis. After leaving (getting bounced from?) MCA just three years into her recording career, Willis went on to release her three best records on the always-great Rykodisc. Her first, 1999's What I Deserve , remains one of my favorite records, simply perfect from top-to-bottom. Her two subsequent Ryko releaseas are nearly as good, and it remains mind-boggling that Kelly Willis wasn't (isn't) a massive star. An incredible voice, matched with beautiful songs and a stage presence that made you feel as though you were standing before one of the greats, Willis' reach should be far greater than it is. She's a treasure and her songs have and will stand the test of time. Favorite record : What I Deserve (1999) Where are they now?  Willis hasn't recorded a proper