NEWS & PUBLICATIONS
The All-Music Guide
This massive on-line encyclopedia has a few errors (and an awful
layout) yet is still a valuable resource.
The Big Takeover
The appropriately named Jack Rabid's zine.
Comes With a Smile
An irregular publication from the UK with coverage of some of the
finest musicians in the United States and Europe.
Harp
A more indie-rock take on the alt.country/indie rock territory also
mined by No Depression.
ICE
Release dates for music in a variety of genres.
Living in Stereo
No Depression writer David Cantwell's blog.
Magnet
Alternative rock, plus other music you might hear on college radio.
Bob Mehr
Chicago-based music journalist who covers a wide variety of commercial
and noncommercial musics.
Mojo
Online version of the exhaustive British monthly.
Neumu
Alt.music news from the editor of the late, lamented Addicted to Noise site.
No Depression
Alt.country bimonthly.
Okayplayer
The Roots, Erykah Badu, Blackalicious, and much, much more.
Perfect Sound Forever
Jason Gross's online music magazine.
Pitchforkmedia.com
Daily news, reviews and features on alternative music.
Post No Bills
Chicago Reader critic Peter Margasak's blog.
Trouser Press Record Guide
A useful guide to rock, rap and experimental music from the 70s and
80s.
Carl Wilson
Toronto-based music critic, one of the most thoughtful ones working
today.
LABELS
12XU
Home of Joel Phelps, Silkworm, and Chris Brokaw.
Bloodshot
Insurgent country.
Drag City
Home of Gastr del Sol and like-minded musicians.
Fie!
Peter Hammill's label.
Flying Nun
Kiwi pop.
Glitterhouse
German Americana.
Grifter
Tom Mallon's label, onetime home of American Music Club and Thin White
Rope.
Kranky
Drone.
Magnetic
Victor Krummenacher and Jonathan Segel's label.
Matador
Indie rock and more.
Pitch-A-Tent
David Lowery's label.
Rykodisc
Rock, jazz, and folk reissues (label family includes Hannibal and
Grammavision).
Smithsonian Folkways
American music.
Southern
More indie rock.
Sugar Hill Records
Folk, country & bluegrass (not related to the pioneering rap label
of the same name).
Thrill Jockey
The sounds of indie Chicago.
Yep Roc
Everything from Robbie Fulks to Radio Birdman.
ARTISTS
GATHERINGS AND LISTS
fearnwhiskey
A free-ranging discussion list based loosely on the playlists for my
show. Discussion includes talk of many of the artists and labels
on this page.
Rural Route to
Insurgent Country
Includes dozens of links to alt.country/cowpunk/insurgent
bands.
Postcard2
An alt.country/cowpunk/insurgent country discussion list,
whose activities include the annual Twangfest
extravaganza in
St. Louis. (Photos from the 2001
Twangfest may give you an idea of what goes on at these
shindigs.) November of 1998 saw a Pittsburgh variant called Twangburgh.
In October of 1999, Twangburgh mutated into the
Haunted Hillbilly Hoedown at the 31st Street Pub.