No, this ain’t no Lynyrd Skynyrd, but one could be forgiven for associating Drive-By Truckers’ The Dirty South with that awful band at first. This alt-country group definitely leans towards the country side of the genre, with banjos and harmonicas making frequent appearances. Let’s just say that Drive-By Truckers don’t hold back their inner redneck. However, instead of the pride in and celebration of the United States’ more embarrassing half that dominates Skynyrd records, The Dirty South tells stories of Southern-style debauchery and delinquency, while painting it as a generally unpleasant place to be. The “we don’t like yer kind round these parts, Jew boy” feeling that I get from listening to a Skynyrd record is completely absent as well, which is always a plus.
In all honesty, Drive-By Truckers are too good for comparisons to Skynyrd, so I feel like a bad person now. It is bands like this that make me want to get into country music. But then I turn on country radio, and that desire is brought to a halt pretty quickly. I still win any music discussion that goes off on a country tangent, though, even with my limited knowledge of the genre. Here’s how they usually go down:
Ignoramus: “All country is terrible.”
Swole Ear: “Johnny Cash.”
Argument over.
But seriously, maybe there’s an underground country music scene of sorts that I’m not aware of. I can’t reasonably assume that the best of modern country is what’s played on the radio—that’d be like thinking that Nickleback and Coldplay are the best that rock has to offer. It’s time to do some research.
But, I digress. The Dirty South is a sick record that I highly recommend. It is quite possibly even a gateway into the secret world of good country music that I so desperately hope exists.
Swole Ear 
C’mon Swizzy Earizzle, the Skynyrd hating has gone on long enough. I think when no one is around, you crank up Freebird and air guitar yourself to complete exhaustion. There are no bigger Skynyrd fans than the DB Truckers, so you have a little problem on your hands.
Finally, J. Cash as alt-country? Like Barbara Mandrell, he was country when country wasn’t cool. What makes it alt? That it isn’t played on country radio? I’ll give you that, but Johnny Cash bleeds country.
If some country with a sense of humor about country is what you crave and if the D-BT’s float your boat, you might want to check out Southern Culture on the Skids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOgUIvxUJkY&feature=related