Uncle Tupelo

This edition of The Essential 10, our quickfire introduction to a wide range of my favourite artists, features Uncle Tupelo; an act that managed four albums over a career that spanned 1987 to 1994.

I have trawled the entire catalogue to come up with ten of my favourite tracks by them, including a few surprises (although, if you don’t know much about them, they may all be surprises).

Uncle Tupelo came into my life in the late 1990s; a friend included a couple of tracks on a mixtape for me. I was intrigued and eventually got hold of the album they were from (second record, Still Feel Gone). They were formed around friends Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy, from the Illinois side of St Louis (Belleville) - fusing together punk energy with folk and country rootsiness, becoming one of the pioneer bands of what is now known as Alt-Country. It was not an obvious choice for me at that time, and what's more, Farrar's voice was not one that would instantly grab you. And yet... and yet, something hooked me in.

And here I am, thirty odd years later, still listening to them and writing about them. The shame for me is that four years before I first heard them, the band had dissolved in a cloud of anger, frustration and discontent. The two main protagonists wouldn't talk to each other for several decades (or so I'm told), but they did alright on the other side - Farrar kept ploughing the same furrow with Son Volt and Tweedy formed indie darlings, Wilco.

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1. No Depression: we might as well start at the beginning, with the title track of their debut LP and a song that would lend its name to the main Alt-Country / Americana magazine. It was actually a re-working of a tune by A.P. Carter, the patriarch of the famous country Carter Family. Like the rest of the record, it fused their take on the country punk of bands like Green On Red, with a rootsy take. (audio only)

2. Watch Me Fall: we follow that up with the original song that got me hooked. This driving, arpeggiated jangling track is one of the standouts of the second LP, Still Feel Gone. The negativity of the lyrics is lost as the drums kick in and lift the song into a relentless shuffle, heightened by some lovely accordion and slide guitar. (audio only)

3. Postcard: another gem from Still Feel Gone; this is a song of contrasts - the riff heavy staccato verse, leads into a more restrained country-esque chorus. The lyrics are war torn - is that real war, or a relationship battle? (great live version from the last tour - in Las Vegas)

4. Grindstone: it was almost a case of 'difficult third album' for Uncle Tupelo. They were unhappy with record label, Rockville (stiffed them on their royalties), but needed to deliver a third record, so went back to basics. What resulted was March 16-20, 1992, a more acoustic affair, recorded over the titular five day period, which had the added benefit of having Peter Buck producing it (and David Barbe of Sugar was the engineer). The album mixed arrangements of older folk songs with originals, like this Jay Farrar penned country-rock gem about economic frustration. (audio only)

5. Graveyard Shift: the opening track on that pioneering debut, this is a defining song of the early Alt-Country scene - cow-punk energy delivered through a stop-start song, full of this rolling recurring guitar riff, Jay Farrar's urgent vocals and the wild thrash as it heads into the chorus. (early TV appearance on St Louis cable show Critical Mass, in 1989)

6. Still Be Around: a heartfelt and beautiful acoustic ballad from Still Feel Gone, lifted by some lovely 12-string. It is a break from the rowdier, punk-ish elements, with Farrar full of insecurity and pleading for help - "If I break in two, will you put me back together. When this puzzle's figured out, will you still be around?". (audio only)

7. We've Been Had: by the time Anodyne came out, it was obviously going to be the last album, as Farrar and Tweedy were constantly at each other's throats (when they were talking). They only did the tour as a favour to manager Tony Margherita, as he had accrued debts on behalf of the band - but it's just as well, as we got some great live versions that really bring We've Been Had to life, giving it a harder edge. One such version turned up a few years later on their excellent 89/93 Anthology, which is a great place to start if you have liked any of this music. It's such a shame it fell apart as they were on the cusp - Anodyne sold 150,000 copies and they got an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. (live version at Lounge Ax, Chicago, 1994)

8. Gun: a rambunctious rock number, with a hint of shambolic Replacements energy about it, and another with a bit of a stop-start tempo. Definitely one of their songs that is closest to pure punk in feel. (live in Bloomington, Indiana, 1992)

9. New Madrid: you need a song about a major U.S. earthquake fault line? Well, wait no further - as this track from last album Anodyne, fills that gap perfectly! From the delicate banjo opening onwards, this is a fantastic harmonious tune, that bridges acoustic love song and glorious singalong about impending natural disaster. It is laid-back, catchy and curious - oh, and Mr Browning was a real person; he predicted the devastating earthquakes there in 1811-12. (audio only)

10. Fifteen Keys: a fine way to end. The guitars (including a dobro) are layered up here, to provide a dense alt-country punk feast of a song, with some strong hints of bluegrass. If push comes to shove, my favourite of their songs. As they say, "Always leave them wanting more".... (audio only)