americana

Camper Van Beethoven is an alternative rock band that was founded in 1983 in Redlands, California, though the band soon moved to Santa Cruz, California. Camper Van Beethoven mixed elements of pop, ska, punk rock, folk, country, and acid rock into an eclectic, catchy and sometimes mysterious ensemble, years before the so-called alternative rock moniker came to mainstream attention. The group's trademark violin-coated melodies and their ironic take on American culture put them one step away from being a novelty act in the eyes of many critics.

Read more about Camper Van Beethoven on Last.fm.

Alex Lowe has gone back to his roots. On his new album, the Scottish songwriter has returned to the country rock sound that he grew up with. Written in five days, "Step Forward All False Prophets" is the work of a man who has rediscovered the power of classic songwriting, featuring whiskey-soaked tales about preachers, angels, whores and devils. The ghost of Johnny Cash looms large over these acoustic recordings, coupled with the storytelling tradition of Bob Dylan and the tear in yer beer melancholy of Gram Parsons, Jayhawks and early Wilco.

Richmond Fontaine is a four-piece alt country band based in Portland, OR. The band was formed in 1994 by guitarist / lead vocalist willy vlautin and bass player Dave Harding at the Portland Meadows horse race track. Known for Vlautin's incredibly rich and evocative lyrics, several of Richmond Fontaine's songs relate to horse racing specifically and gambling generally. This is largely an artifact of Vlautin's upbringing in Reno, Nevada, a place that is heavily referenced in his lyrics, along with Portland, the U.