(Since 9/11, country music has made a resurgence as a sincere voice of American nationalism, and is now well back in the mainstream in the US. I wonder how this will affect the cultural stock of alt-country among hipster types; I can't see the twang having the same amount of ironic cachet in the age of Toby Keith and red-blooded patriot anthems all over Clear Channel.)
Oh, and then there's the Dixie Chicks thing too... http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/14/dixie.chicks.reut/index.html
Two-minute Hate anyone?
Aw, that smooth pop crap Nashville calls "country" has been the most popular music for white Americans for decades. "Alt.country" has much more in common with punk rock and wants nothing to do with that other "genre", even if the relationship is purely ironic.
BTW, sorry for all the "quotes" in that last comment.
Would you classify Toby Keith as "smooth pop" alongside the Dixie Chicks and such?
*sigh*. More style over substance cultural riffing, acb? Lesseee...
Ryan Adams: turned into self-aggrandising prat (somewhat appropriate, considering how much he loves the Smiths. Someone needs to sic Mojo Nixon on to him.) Wilco: Not really country anymore. If they ever were. Lyle Lovett: Hmm... Steve Earle: Too open-minded to fall for that bull. Kinky Friedman: Strange love-hate relationship with 43, I suspect...