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The Wonderful World Of Depressing Country Music (Righteous/Cherry Red)
Those who appreciate the recorded output of The Rolling Stones, Norah Jones, Mark Lanegan or even Richard Hawley might want to check out the pick’n’mix of classic and obscure country treats that make up The Wonderful World Of Depressing Country Music. None of those mentioned are country musicians per se; all have, at times, flirted with tear-drenched ditties soaked in tragedy and audibly influenced by the genre.
The songs on the album (subtitled “as dug by Lux and Ivy” on the sleeve, slotting it into Cherry Red’s occasional series of compilations hailing the taste of the Cramps couple) comprise an influential blueprint for what came later. The inclusion alone of Kitty Wells’ I’ve Got A New Heartache and Patsy Cline’s A Church, A Courtroom And Then Goodbye make this compilation essential – but the deal clincher is Don Gibson’s version of Lonely Street, covered by the late Mark Lanegan on his Imitations album. Similarly, Cat Power covered Kitty Wells on her recent Covers album: all proof of these old country gems’ ongoing longevity.
words DAVID NOBAKHT
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