Let me try to explain what I mean.
Country music always seems to be about the same stuff over and over again. Your wife leaving you, getting really drunk, talking about driving tractors, being proud to be a redneck, etc.
Can anyone list a country song that truly breaks the mold for the genre, that’s musically complex and has intelligent, thought provocking lyrics?
There’s a whole alt-country genre that might work for you. Try any of Neko Case’s work to start with, particularly the albums Fox Confessor Brings the Flood and Blacklisted.
Try listening to Neko Case, Lucinda Williams, or Lyle Lovett. If all you are listening to is the mass market crud they put on the radio then you’re getting the equivalent of disposable manufactured pop. Case’s “Star Witness” is one of my favorite, noir-ish songs, the sort of thing David Lynch probably listens to when he writes another incomprehensible movie about the evil that lies behind the suburban curtain of politeness and geniality.
Stranger
Rick Moranis has a grammy nominated album of country songs. Funny and intelligent in my opinion.
Lyle Lovett.
Also, listen to his songs very carefully – they often aren’t about what you think they are the first time around. It leads to things like a wife and husband playing a song at their wedding about someone killing a bride and groom.
I came in here to say Neko Case and Lyle Lovett!
One of my favorite Lyle Lovett songs is about that perennial country favorite, adultery. In “Nobody Knows Me Like My Baby” he sings about all his quirks that his girlfriend knows – how he likes his coffee, what he does on Sundays, etc., and how she really knows him inside and out. And then she finds out that he had an affair; he tells her that it meant nothing but “nobody knows me like my baby” – because she knows him so well, she knows he was lying when he said it didn’t mean anything.
I’m rather fond of the music of Paul Burch.
I dunno if their music is “intelligent”, but they’re free from a lot of the baggage you’re trying to avoid, first off just by being female and liberal - I’ve grown pretty fond of The Dixie Chicks in the last couple years. Especially their live stuff. And they’re not just singers and guitar strummers like most country acts these days. They write music and lyrics and play multiple instruments.
some of Rilo Kiley’s stuff qualifies. the best of it kinda toes the line between folk, country, and modern (indie) rock. two songs I love by them have a very country sound, “Close Call” and “Under the Blacklight”.
and I don’t have much experience with them, but from what I’ve heard, I think My Morning Jacket is something like what you’re describing.
Phil Vassar can turn one hell of a phrase. It shows much more in his albums tracks than his singles.
I’m sure others here can expound better than I can on this, but…Steve Earl. Though he’s often political (left leaning)…I find his lyrics to be very intelligent.
I was going to suggest Phil Vassar. But some of the singles are worth a look. “Carlene” is just plain fun, and if you ever wondered what the nerdy high school girl in glasses turned out to be, well…
Martina McBride runs the gamut from cheatin’ and hurtin’; all the way to intelligent and thought provoking. Try “For These Times,” to get an idea of what is possible, or “God’s Will.”
And some mention must be made a Mary Chapin Carpenter. I haven’t been paying attention lately, but she’s done some terrific not-typical-country stuff in her career. Try “This Shirt” or “Why Walk When You Can Fly.”
That’s who I came here to suggest, although he’s kinda Americana, too.
For kind of rockin’ Americana/Country style, maybe Cracker not to be confused with Uncle Kracker).
Robert Earl Keen has lovely songs about things like a lightning storm racing across the prairie, a hitchhiker who turns out to be a ghost, farm fresh onions, and all sorts of things outside of the normal country music genre. Johnny Cash sometimes does–“Ring of Fire” is one of the great love songs, and he’s got some amazing songs about lament and grief and regret, and “The Man Comes Around” is the best apocalyptic song ever.
Daniel
Beat me to it. I would definately recommend Robert Earl Keen. He has one of the greatest Christmas songsof all time.
Nitpick: it’s Earle.
Brad Paisley’s Online is an interesting song. Maybe not some artsy song but it does have an unusual theme for a country song.
I like Neko Case alot, I don’t really think of her as being country though. The music I listen to would mostly be considered “punk”. Maybe I’ll check out Lyle Lovett.
I’d also highly recommend people like:
Blanche
Fred Eaglesmith
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter
Sera Cahoone
ETA: Alejandro Escovedo
…I’m sure I could think of more, but I’m undercaffeinated right now. Also, try listening to the country show on KEXP (Thursdays 6-9 pm Seattle time; show archives are available on the web site)
Do check out Lovett. He rocks. He has interesting lyrics, his band rocks and he puts on one hell of a show. A long time ago the girl I was dating took me to a Lyle Lovett concert. I wasn’t too interested, didn’t really know anything about Lovett except he was country, but we went. That show was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, easily in the top three. The band was way tight and everyone was on. I went expecting a bunch of old guys playing G/C/D and instead got a lesson on playing in the pocket.
Slee