Reviews     

    It's safe to say that alt.country is not a nationwide phenomenon. Even with critics piling gallons of praise on anyone with a steel guitar, pioneers like Wilco, Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle don't sell a hell of a lot of records, the public is more enamored with groups like the Backstreet Boys of Matchbox 20. And it's a shame, especially for Jackass Records. The small indie decided to put together a compilation disc that featured unsigned alt.country acts from across the U.S. The 16-track disc is crammed with everything from speedbilly punk to banjo picking ballads to hiccup vocal Hank Sr. homages. Every song clicks. It's worth the scratch just to hear songs like "Gunstore, Liquorstore, Project.'' a goofy old-style hillbilly tune by Wilson Gil and the Willful Sinners, and soon-to-be-Jeff- Foxworty theme "Redneck Riot' by The Countrypolitans. Alternative country will never realIy drive the record industry, but we can still hope.

--Jeff Inman