Uncle Tupelo is generally given credit as the "seminal" alt-country band. But I never really paid much attention to them (still don't), though I'm a pretty die-hard Wilco fan these days.
Long before I had any idea that there was anything revolutinoary about blending country and rock (and before I knew who Gram Parsons was), I loved The Jayhawks. Probably due to their friendship with The Black Crowes, I discovered Hollywood Town Hall early on. By the time Tomrrow The Green Grass came out, I was a big fan. I have been ever since, despite many twists and turns in the story of The Jayhawks.
The best-known twist came when co-founder Mark Olson split to live out in the desert with his wife Victoria Williams. He took with him arguably the most defining trait of the band, the vocal harmonies he shared with Gary Louris. But Louris soldiered on and redefined the band, clinging to his impeccable melodies but also embracing a wider range of influences. In doing so, The Jayhawks became one of the first recognized alt-country acts to truly challenge that label and no doubt inspired other similar acts (Wilco, Old 97's) to follow suit. My favorite albums are actually from the post-Olson years, especially the dark and sometimes weird Sound Of Lies. Smile is probabaly a close second, even though it was clearly the band's stab at mainstream acceptance. The Jayhawks never really moved beyond a cult following, but Louris has found a niche as a song doctor and producer. After many years of circling the idea, he and Olson recently reunited as a duo to record Ready For The Flood. And, best of all, The Jayhawks themselves (including Karen Grotberg on piano and vocals) have reconvened for a handful of shows, with future projects a distinct possibility.
All this is to remind you that a very fine anthology of The Jayhawks' work is now on record shelves, called Music From The North Country. You can also select either the single-disc collection or a deluxe edition, with an extra CD of rare tracks and a DVD of videos and press materials from the various eras. The first disc is absolutely jaw-dropping if you've never explored the work of The Jayhawks, and every albums is given fair and equal representation. The rarities disc is equally indispensable if you're a fan, and there are detailed comments and notes for each track on the disc. The DVD is pretty cool, too, and it's sort of a kick to recall how important music videos used to be to the marketing of music.
You can order either edition at a really great price over at Amazon, here and here.
