MIXTAPE: BEN KWELLER
The indie rocker trades his vintage tees for cowboy hats. Yee-haw!
We couldn’t help but groan when we heard Ben Kweller was making a country album. What happened to that indie prodigy we knew and loved?
And then we listened to Changing Horses, out February 3. Turns out, Texas-raised Kweller knows a thing or two about singing the blues over a soundtrack of honky-tonk guitars. Because we weren’t that well-versed in country classics, we asked him to put together a playlist of his favorite hits to help the uninitiated. Welcome to Heartbreak 101; please turn up your speakers and open your notebooks, class is about to begin.
Hank Williams - "Window Shopping"
One of my favorite Hank Sr. songs. Hank could bring you to tears through his ballads, but I really admire his mastery of "the ditty". One thing I love about classic country in general is clever rhymes. "Window Shopping" is one of those sweet ditties that just comes together—it feels like a song that came out quickly. It's an example of how Hank was similar to Smokey Robinson, Carole King, or the old-school musical writers who could write a sweet pop song for what it was.
George Jones - "You Gotta Be My Baby”
My favorite version of this tune comes from the album Live Recordings From The Louisiana Hayride. This tune really showcases the vocal range that made "Possum" a country legend. Sweet high voice, smooth midrange, and a manly bass when he goes down low. It'll kick your ass.
Garth (do I really have to write “Brooks”?) - "Rodeo"
I don't care what any of you say, Garth is the f*¢4ing MAN! When Ropin' The Wind came out, I. Wore. It. Out. It's the only country song I know that uses Fender Rhodes piano, which now makes it "Indie Rock"! It's a song that just makes you wanna hop in the cab of an F250 pickup and go bail some hay.
Gram Parsons - "$1000 Wedding”
Such a sad song. Check out that early ‘70s busy-as-hell bass drum—awesome! Of course, you need to know Gram's version because he's the author, but I gotta tell ya, Evan Dando might do the best version of all.
Alan Jackson - "Little Man"
AJ is my fave when it comes to modern day Nashville country. He writes all his own stuff, calls the shots, and makes me want to wear a mullet because his looks so damn good. This tune features a sweet pedal steel nugget that tags the chorus each time.
Bob Dylan - "To Be Alone With You”
This is from one of my favorite Dylan albums, Nashville Skyline. The whole album is great. It's a quick listen, only 27 minutes long, but the material is airtight. I love this cut because it has that R&B backbeat—it shows what happens when country gets funky. Dig Bob Wilson's honky-tonk piano playing alongside a young Charlie Daniels' Telecaster chickin' pickin'.
Merle Haggard - "Mama Tried"
It's hard to make a country playlist without this tune. It's probably the most important Ramblin' man songs. Outlaw country before there was outlaw country; musically, it was ahead of its time. The acoustic guitar intro is something Jimmy Page would be proud to call his own. The electric guitar lick is as good as a hook gets, and before you know it the song is over, so you gotta rewind and listen to it again!
Hank Williams Jr. - "Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound"
You either love Hank Jr. or ya hate him. I love him. He's written some classics. I dig how he's not afraid to talk about his father in his songs. "Whiskey Bent" has this honesty to it that I love. And how can you reject his voice when it goes down that low!
Wilco - "Pick Up The Change”
I got A.M. when it was the only Wilco album. After growing up on Garth and the other pop country of the ‘90s, I was so psyched to discover a band that was making good country music below the radar. When I toured with Tweedy around the time of Summerteeth, he told me that he really didn't like A.M. anymore, didn't like how it sounded. I understand the feeling of moving on from past work, but this is still some of my favorite Wilco and "Pick Up The Change" might be my favorite tune.
Johnny Cash - "Mean Eyed Cat"
Unchained is one of the best Cash albums, and one of his last. "Mean Eyed Cat" is an uptempo number full of spunk. It's a little-known fact that the backing band on the album is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers! Yuh huh!! You can totally hear Tom and Mike on those electric geetars! Damn it's good...
Ben Kweller - "Things i Like To Do"
Well, I never said these were the best country songs ever, I said they were my favorite! I'm not throwing it in here because its mine, I'm throwing it in because it's got one of the best pedal steel solos ever. Kitt Kitterman shreds on this thing... Look out!
Roger Miller - "Dang Me"
Now we come full-circle to simple, clever song craft. This guy was a genius. He knew the balance of humor and heartache like no other.
REBECCA WILLA DAVIS
And then we listened to Changing Horses, out February 3. Turns out, Texas-raised Kweller knows a thing or two about singing the blues over a soundtrack of honky-tonk guitars. Because we weren’t that well-versed in country classics, we asked him to put together a playlist of his favorite hits to help the uninitiated. Welcome to Heartbreak 101; please turn up your speakers and open your notebooks, class is about to begin.
Hank Williams - "Window Shopping"
One of my favorite Hank Sr. songs. Hank could bring you to tears through his ballads, but I really admire his mastery of "the ditty". One thing I love about classic country in general is clever rhymes. "Window Shopping" is one of those sweet ditties that just comes together—it feels like a song that came out quickly. It's an example of how Hank was similar to Smokey Robinson, Carole King, or the old-school musical writers who could write a sweet pop song for what it was.
George Jones - "You Gotta Be My Baby”
My favorite version of this tune comes from the album Live Recordings From The Louisiana Hayride. This tune really showcases the vocal range that made "Possum" a country legend. Sweet high voice, smooth midrange, and a manly bass when he goes down low. It'll kick your ass.
Garth (do I really have to write “Brooks”?) - "Rodeo"
I don't care what any of you say, Garth is the f*¢4ing MAN! When Ropin' The Wind came out, I. Wore. It. Out. It's the only country song I know that uses Fender Rhodes piano, which now makes it "Indie Rock"! It's a song that just makes you wanna hop in the cab of an F250 pickup and go bail some hay.
Gram Parsons - "$1000 Wedding”
Such a sad song. Check out that early ‘70s busy-as-hell bass drum—awesome! Of course, you need to know Gram's version because he's the author, but I gotta tell ya, Evan Dando might do the best version of all.
Alan Jackson - "Little Man"
AJ is my fave when it comes to modern day Nashville country. He writes all his own stuff, calls the shots, and makes me want to wear a mullet because his looks so damn good. This tune features a sweet pedal steel nugget that tags the chorus each time.
Bob Dylan - "To Be Alone With You”
This is from one of my favorite Dylan albums, Nashville Skyline. The whole album is great. It's a quick listen, only 27 minutes long, but the material is airtight. I love this cut because it has that R&B backbeat—it shows what happens when country gets funky. Dig Bob Wilson's honky-tonk piano playing alongside a young Charlie Daniels' Telecaster chickin' pickin'.
Merle Haggard - "Mama Tried"
It's hard to make a country playlist without this tune. It's probably the most important Ramblin' man songs. Outlaw country before there was outlaw country; musically, it was ahead of its time. The acoustic guitar intro is something Jimmy Page would be proud to call his own. The electric guitar lick is as good as a hook gets, and before you know it the song is over, so you gotta rewind and listen to it again!
Hank Williams Jr. - "Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound"
You either love Hank Jr. or ya hate him. I love him. He's written some classics. I dig how he's not afraid to talk about his father in his songs. "Whiskey Bent" has this honesty to it that I love. And how can you reject his voice when it goes down that low!
Wilco - "Pick Up The Change”
I got A.M. when it was the only Wilco album. After growing up on Garth and the other pop country of the ‘90s, I was so psyched to discover a band that was making good country music below the radar. When I toured with Tweedy around the time of Summerteeth, he told me that he really didn't like A.M. anymore, didn't like how it sounded. I understand the feeling of moving on from past work, but this is still some of my favorite Wilco and "Pick Up The Change" might be my favorite tune.
Johnny Cash - "Mean Eyed Cat"
Unchained is one of the best Cash albums, and one of his last. "Mean Eyed Cat" is an uptempo number full of spunk. It's a little-known fact that the backing band on the album is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers! Yuh huh!! You can totally hear Tom and Mike on those electric geetars! Damn it's good...
Ben Kweller - "Things i Like To Do"
Well, I never said these were the best country songs ever, I said they were my favorite! I'm not throwing it in here because its mine, I'm throwing it in because it's got one of the best pedal steel solos ever. Kitt Kitterman shreds on this thing... Look out!
Roger Miller - "Dang Me"
Now we come full-circle to simple, clever song craft. This guy was a genius. He knew the balance of humor and heartache like no other.
REBECCA WILLA DAVIS
This story was published on January 28, 2009.
CONTENT RATING:
( 2 )
( 2 )
emilyrose
01/29/2009
OMG! i absolutely love bk! :)
he is amazing. not really all that into country music, but if bk is doing it then it can't possibly be that bad. i cannot wait to hear Changing Horses, but all of bk's old stuff with always be my favorite.
nicole
02/05/2009
i love bk and i really love this kind of not pop but really rootsy bluesy country. i am giving the album its first listen right now and i am digging it.
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