Insurgent Country, Vol. 2: Hell-Bent CD

The second volume of Bloodshot Records' alt country sampler boasts an early track by the hauntingly voiced genre superstar Richard Buckner, whose "22" sounds like it was written in the 18th century, as well as one of the first stirrings of alt country bad boys the Waco Brothers with their prophetic "Bad Times Are Coming Round Again." The movement's developing popularity is displayed by the Old 97s, who are glimpsed on their meteoric rise to alt country fame on the perky "Por Favor," but it's the World Famous Blue Jays who bring the whole enterprise back down to earth, closing the bar down with their impeccable truck-driving instrumental, "Mud Flap Boogie."

Personnel: Cornell Hurd, Gwil Owen, Jon Langford (vocals, guitar); Alan Wooley (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo); Rhett Miller, Richard Buckner (vocals, acoustic guitar); Debra Hurd (vocals, piano); Chris King, Murry Hammond, Paula Frazer (vocals); Tom Parr, Jay Sherman-Godfrey, Moose Harrell, Lincoln Allen, Matthew Smith, Paul Skelton (guitar); Barry Kooda (acoustic guitar); Matt Sullivan (lap steel guitar); Lloyd Maines (banjo, mandolin); Elijah Shaw (banjo, background vocals); Steve Rosen (fiddle, background vocals); Lanny Fiel (fiddle); Darren Wilcox (upright bass); Jeff Finlin (drums, background vocals); Mark Ortmann, Richie Vasquez, Scott Michalski, Michelle Cernuto, Albert Caiati, Steve Goulding, Ralph Power (drums); Steve Meador (percussion); Chris O'Connell, Eric Elliot (background vocals).