Various Artists Nashville, The Other Side of the Alley

Sure, the very name "Nashville" has become synonymous with the putrefaction and commodification of a rich tradition of folk artistry, but we still chose to go straight to the enemy's own backyard and dig up some fine tunes they unwittingly forgot to destroy. As it says in the liner notes: "Overlooked by many and resented only by those who require an unnaturally manicured environment." There's good stuff down there, it just took us foolish Davids to take on this Goliath.

Nashville, The Other Side of the Alley features unaffected, unpretentious, unvarnished, un-sanitized, and, most importantly, un-Nashville-ized cuts from Tim Carroll (ex-Blue Chieftans), Phil Lee (the potentate of haulin' freight), Hayseed, Jason and the Scorchers, Lambchop, Dan Baird (you know, formerly of The Georgia Satellites and currently of The Yayhoos), Mekons drinkin' buddy Lonesome Bob, Greg Garing, Paul Burch, and Courtesy Move (members of Wilco). Sure to flip a couple 'o' Nashville toupees. Jon Langford continues his tradition of cryptic artwork.