The End of the Depression....

Got my final issue of No Depression magazine in the mail the other day. After 13 twang-filled years, the leading publication in the Alt-Country music scene is ceasing production. The simple reason for the stoppage is revenue. With the growing popularity of music information on the web (with blogs like this, and sites like Pitchfork and Stereogum), and the more specialized genre of No Depression - as opposed to mags like Rolling Stone - the demand for printed music commentary just isn't there anymore. The good news, however, is that the company will continue with their website. They have a complete update and overhaul planned in order to make the shift to the digital world of publication. No Depression will continue, in print, with a semi-annual 'bookazine'. Focusing on longer, more in-depth pieces, the bookazine will contain material that can't simply be transitioned into web content.

i was a fairly new subscriber, but i managed to make a couple purchases of back-issue bundles on eBay - a steal compared to what, i'm sure, old issues are going for these days. So now i've got another stockpile of music relics to show my grandkids, one day.

The farewell issue (with Buddy Miller on the cover) has a great mix of articles and stories with both new views and sentimental memories of the alt-country world. An aritcle that is perfectly fitting for this issue is a story on the Old 97's - a band that has weathered the storm of the music industry (for just as long as the magazine), only to come out of the ashes still very alive. The band will release their 7th studio album, Blame It On Gravity, on May 13th.
Another great article is a nostalgic look back at Whiskeytown's first major release, Strangers Almanac. The landmark album for one of the leading bands at the birth of the alt-country scene recently saw a re-release as a deluxe edition packed with bonus tracks.
Other articles up my alley are stories on Hayes Carll and James McMurtry. Get you a copy while you still can.

Some fitting songs:

mp3: Uncle Tupelo - No Depression
buy No Depression (1990)
mp3: The Carter Family - Give Me Roses While I Live
buy The Carter Family 1927-1934
mp3: Son Volt - Windfall
buy Trace (1995)
mp3: Whiskeytown - Somebody Remembers The Rose (acoustic)
buy Strangers Almanac - Deluxe Edition (2008)
mp3: Ryan Adams & Caitlin Cary - The Battle
buy No Depression: What it Sounds Like, Vol. 2 (2006)

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Other News:

i've recently switched file hosting services, due to numerous problems with bandwidth. My new one should have enough - i get 9 gigs per day, so even if i do run out, it'll reset the following day. Keep that in mind in you ever run into that nasty little error message.....

i'm still going through and updating file links throughout my blog. i've got the first page done, and i should have the rest fixed sometime this week.