After the first time I heard "Guitar Town" I became a Steve Earle junkie and thru him, I've come to appreciate all kinds of lesser known yet equally high quality performers. The man is an American icon IMO. While I don't always agree with his politics, I definately respect his musical abilities and contributions. I'm not surprised that he wasn't on O'Reilly's show. His ascerbic nature would have definately been a challenge that I don't know if even a haughty O'Reilly could have overcome.
"In a way, our perceptions are based on the tastes of the masses and it takes a conscious act to seek out the better stuff."
I don't really subscribe to this theory personally because my friends have always thought I lean towards the bizzare (at least to them) in terms of music. Bluegrass, for example, totally eludes most of them. Maybe most people are influenced by the masses, but I don't think I ever really was to a great extent.
In that spirit, here's an interesting Brooklyn band you've probably never heard of called The National that ironically enough has a lyricist and singer that I noticed has recently been compared by theVillage Voice to our very own "great L.A. singer - songwriter" DB himself on their new release ""Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers". While probably not music for the masses, I think they are definately worthy of attention.
Here is a good description of them from No Depression Nov/Dec 2001
Originally from Ohio and now based in New York, The National has created nearly a dozen picture-perfect Americana bar-soaked gems with its debut album. From the opening notes of "Beautiful Head", the delicate line between polished roots-oriented pop and alt-country has rarely been walked so deliberately with the payoff so favorable.
Singer Matt Berninger will draw comparisons to Leonard Cohen at times, but Ryan Adams and even Tom Waits come to mind in certain instances. Particularly pretty is "American Mary", which veers toward Wilco territory minus the spacey guitar-jangle climax.
Most of the songs revolve around booze, women and the difficulties and joys of both, including "Bitters & Absolut" and the twangy "Watching You Well", the latter reminiscent of the Rolling Stones circa Let It Bleed. Only on "Son" does the idea of filler rear its ugly head.
The highlight by far is "Theory Of The Crows", a slowly building waltz through everyday impersonal life and youthful dreams dashed. "And if I forget you/I'll have nobody left to forget/I guess that's what assholes get," Berninger utters over a simple front-porch backbeat. Listening to it, you can imagine him ordering another double.
—Jason MacNeil
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