Beyond Nashville: Twisted Country [Audio CD] Various Artists

Nashville is the centre of the country music industry, but the driving roots of "real" country extend far beyond its boundaries, from Memphis and San Antonio to NYC. Beyond Nashville, an exploration of this "real" country music, features copious sleeve notes and tracks by key artists from the hillbilly 1920s to the present. There are rich pickings: from the bluesy yodelling of consumptive pre-war star Jimmie Rodgers, to Woody Guthrie's fiery harmonica and social realism (forefather of Bob Dylan), to Carl Perkins' joint-jumpin' rock & roll take on country. Also here are 1970s groundbreakers such as Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris and the Flying Burrito Brothers--who fused country with rock--and current young turks such as Alejandro Escovedo and Jim White who play a cowpunk groove. In fact, this 42-track double CD has too many artists to mention, making this a highly recommended sterling collection. --Lucy O'Brien