The Fat Angel Sings

Uncle Tupelo was an alt- country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active from 1987 to 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend college. The trio recorded three albums for Rockville Records before signing with Sire Records and expanding to a five-piece. Shortly after the release of the band’s major-label debut album “Anodyne”, Farrar announced he was leaving the band due to a soured relationship with Tweedy. Uncle Tupelo split on May 1994, after completing a farewell tour. Farrar then formed Son Volt with Heidorn, while the remaining members continued as Wilco.

Although Uncle Tupelo broke up before it achieved commercial success, the band is renowned for its impact on the alternative country music scene. The group’s first album, “No Depression”, became a byword for the genre and was widely influential. Uncle Tupelo’s sound was unlike popular country music of the time, drawing inspiration from styles as diverse as the hardcore punk of Minutemen and the country instrumentation and harmony of the Carter Family and Hank Williams. Farrar and Tweedy’s lyrics frequently referred to Middle America and the working class of Belleville.

Uncle Tupelo is one of the most influential alternative country acts ever. Releasing four amazing records before splitting into Wilco and Son Volt, they truly left a mark on the music scene. Pre-order their first three albums, “No Depression”, “Still Feel Gone” and “March 16-20, 1992″.

Released in October 1993, “Anodyne” was the fourth and final album by alt-country pioneers Uncle Tupelo. Cut live in the studio in Austin, Texas, the record moves from the driving energy of “Chickamauga” and “The Long Cut” into “Anodyne” and “Acuff-Rose,” where fiddle and pedal steel add a flash of Cosmic American colour.

The album ended Uncle Tupelo’s short-but-remarkable run, with the breakup soon giving rise to two new bands: Wilco and Son Volt. In the new liner notes, music journalist Mark Deming reflects on the album’s lasting weight. “”Over those two weeks in Austin, Texas, recording “Anodyne”, Uncle Tupelo created both a grand finale and a new beginning, and the music and the emotions ring just as clear more than three decades on.”

These are official European pressings from Music On Vinyl, a reissue label that is known for high quality sound, art, and TLC. All three have been out of print since 2021,

“Still Feel Gone” (1991) is the second album by American alternative country pioneers Uncle Tupelo. While its predecessor “No Depression” was filled with uptempo tracks, their follow-up effort showcases a band taking a closer look at the middle ground by acoustic guitars. “Still be Around” and “Looking For A Way Out” are great examples of tracks with high-strung acoustic guitars.

On this album, Uncle Tupelo sounds even more powerful than before. And the broader picture of the abilities of Farrar, Tweedy, and Heidom confirms a strong combination. This reissue gives the album the special treatment it deserves.

“March 16-20, 1992” is the third studio album by alternative country band Uncle Tupelo, released in 1992.

The title refers to the five-day span during which the album was recorded. An almost entirely acoustic recording, the album features original songs and covers of traditional folk songs in near-equal number, and was produced by Peter Buck, guitarist with R.E.M.

With Uncle Tupelo‘s popularity on the rise, “March 16-20, 1992” sold more copies than their first two albums, “No Depression” and “Still Feel Gone”, combined. The album generated positive reviews.

“No Depression” is cited as one of the most important albums in the alternative country genre. Due to the impact of the album on alternative country, the term ‘No Depression’ is sometimes used as a synonym for the genre – especially after a country music magazine named itself after the album.

The album helped kick start a revolution which reverberated throughout the American underground. In 1999, Spin Magazine listed the album as one of the Top 90 Albums of the 90s. Its punk attitude, combined with Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy’s lyrical depictions of rural, blue-collar life paint grim portraits of Midwestern existence, left a long-lasting legacy.

Don’t miss out on these if you’ve been waiting. These are official European pressings from Music On Vinyl, a reissue label that is known for high quality sound, art, and TLC. All three have been out of print since 2021, and those clear versions from MOVLP go for $100+ over on Discogs. They are excellent, and I suspect these will be on par with them, just on black vinyl.