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No Depression, which was released in June 1990, is the first studio album of the American alternative country band Uncle Tupelo. After its formation in the late 1980s, Uncle Tupelo recorded a demo tape titled Not Forever, Just for Now, which received a positive review by the College Media Journal in 1989. The review led to the band signing with what became Rockville Records later that year. The album was recorded with producers Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie at Fort Apache Studios on a budget of US$3,500. No Depression was critically acclaimed and sold well for an independent release. It sold over 15,000 copies within a year of its release, and its success inspired the roots music magazine No Depression. The record is considered one of the most-important alternative country albums, and its title is often used as a synonym for the alternative country genre after being popularized by No Depression magazine. After regaining the rights to the album through a lawsuit, in 2003, Uncle Tupelo released a remastered version through Legacy Records, expanding it to include six bonus tracks.
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No Depression the debut album of Uncle Tupelo. I remember at the time this alt country album was highly rate in alternative magazines and I was impressed too. Listening to it nowadays I'm less convinced. It's a nice record, but the vocals, performance and musical skills and arrangements are a bit mediocre. The songs are ok, some even good, but not great. I think that from the 2000s up the alt country scene has boomed and far better albums have been made by artists like The Jayhawks, Jason Isbell and Ryan Adams. The standard have been raised to the level of the 1970 s in this genre and this example of the 1990s is not that special anymore in hindsight.
I was recently radicalized to the alt country scene and of of course ol' Uncle Tupelo represents the center of many a tale. I'm all in
Alternative country you say? Tell me more. We were going so strong until we devolved into honky christian sing-a-long. Oh never mind, those were the ill considered should-have-been-excluded bonus tracks. You know what? I'm petty enough to deduct a point.
An album probably 10 years late or 15 years early, from a point where most country was shiny floors, rhinestones, and Nashville polished. This is not that, closer to outlaw country or more recent artists, but a good suggestion because of that. Not a band I knew, but I was glad to change that.
Definitely not what I was expecting based on the artist name and album cover. This was so good! I think the more I listen the better it will get. 4/5
I forgot this band existed. They didn’t have hits but their sound is solid and original.
Better than expected. Never heard of Uncle Tupelo. I can definitely get into this. 3.5 / 5
Nailed the rock/Americana thing.
Interesting pick. Less of a ”must hear before you die” and more ”may hear for more context into a subgenre and band’s history”. No Depression was the album that put Uncle Tupelo and member Jeff Tweedy on the map, who later eclipsed his former band with the success of Wilco. This is some good alt-country and good context for a significant career moving into the 21st century.
This was surprisingly good. I like this more 'rock' approach on country music. lyrically, all the cliches are present.
I'm a bit surprised there was no Uncle Tupelo on the original list, given how influential they are. This is a really good album. Interesting to me how grungy it sounds, before grunge was really mainstream. 4 stars.
Loved it
Alternative country, country rock, alternative rock. Está bien. Un 4.
Good country but idk not transcendent for me, sorry Tommy
Some good vibes
Rating: 6/10
Not bad and I get it being here. Didn’t quite hit the sweet spot with me but still pretty good.
A progenitor of a lotnof modern country- and roots-leaning alternative rock, which I became properly aware of latenin the game, resulting in a less deserved sense of been there, done that (though even if they got there earlier, it is all pretty derivative). Overall I like it, more so on the more rock side, less so on the faux old times stuff. Yer old commie work anthem is not convincing to me, comrade.
I expected world music or jazz from the artwork, but what it was more folky rock. I didn’t hate it.
This is probably one of those "historically important but doesn't hold up" albums.
Wilco Beta Version proves to be almost exactly as interesting as regular Wilco (I'm not a roots rock guy).
Alright. I like folk but the songs didn't connect, not a relisteen (2)
Eugh. It's the blandest Americana. But I'm assuming it got carried on that wave of rock that sounded half arsed enough I could kinda be grunge. Boring.
I’ve listened to a few Tupelo LPs, and they all seem to share a key structural weakness in feeling like one giant run-on song. The gritty, genuine instrumentals are right up my alley, the alternative take on country capturing the genre’s warmth and none of its trapping. Even with Farrar’s well-suited vocals, though, too much of a good thing is still a problem. There’s not enough melodic/rhythmic distinction between tracks to make them distinct from one another, all blending together in a way that’s exhausting to listen to. The fundamentals are there in spades, just feels like this album is in desperate need of some variation.
Just not for me