STRANGERS ALMANAC was Whiskeytown's penultimate album. The band is still steeped in the sounds of country and Gram Parsons-inspired country-rock here, but one can hear the music moving toward the pop of their final effort PNEUMONIA. Everything still centers around the voice and excellent songwriting of Ryan Adams (who was still only 22 at the time of this album's release).

The song "16 Days," for example, with its breezy, open-road, country vibe and the lovely interlocking harmonies between Adams and violinist Caitlin Cary, was released as a single, and rightfully so. There is also the beautiful, melancholic weeper "Dancing With the Women at the Bar," and a revisitiation of "Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight," which appeared on the band's debut. Adams's talent shines so brightly here, in fact, that it is little wonder he would soon be pursuing a solo career (the internal tensions in the band would hasten its dissolution as well), but STRANGERS ALMANAC captures this fine, short-lived, alt-country band in full effect.

Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Inn Town
2. Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight
3. Yesterday's News
4. 16 Days
5. Everything I Do
6. Houses On The Hill
7. Turn Around
8. Dancing With The Women At The Bar
9. Waiting To Derail
10. Avenues
11. Losering
12. Somebody Remembers The Rose
13. Not Home Anymore
14. Houses On The Hill - Live
15. Nurse With The Pills - Live
16. I Don't Care What You Think About Me - Live
17. Somebody Remembers The Rose - Live
18. Turn Around Live

Disc 2:

1. Indian Gown
2. 16 Days - Acoustic Version
3. Somebody Remembers The Rose - Acoustic Version
4. Avenues - Acoustic Version
5. Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight - Acoustic Version
6. Houses On The Hill - Early Version
7. My Heart Is Broken
8. I Still Miss Someone - Acoustic Version
9. Kiss & Make-Up
10. Barn's On Fire
11. Dancing With The Women At The Bar - Early Version
12. Dreams
13. Breathe
14. Wither, I'm A Flower
15. Luxury Liner
16. Theme For A Trucker
17. Streets Of Sirens
18. Turn Around - Alternate Version
19. 10 Seconds
20. Ticket Time - Early Version
21. The Rain Won't Help You When It's Over - Early Version