Tennessee Pusher

Old Crow Medicine Show | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 23, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nettwerk Records
• ASIN: B001DXF9MM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,505 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #6 in Music > Country > Classic Country > Old-Time Country
  • #47 in Music > Country > Americana
  • #79 in Music > Folk > Traditional Folk

Editorial Reviews

Old Crow Medicine Show release in 2008 their third Nettwerk album called Tennessee Pusher. Produced by the legendary Don Was (Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones), the album features the first single "Caroline" along with 11 other Old Crow originals and an American standard called "Lift Him Up" by Blind Alfred Reed. Having sold over 290K albums, OCMS can attribute much of their success to their relentless touring schedule. Between headlining shows and countless festivals (Bonnaroo, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, etc), the band lives on the road - they thrive on the communal experience of the live shows. OCMS have made a name for themselves as energetic performers with an unbridled spirit."as musicians, songwriters and singers, they are the smartest and finest purveyors of American music to come down the pike in decades." - Don Was

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The bar just hit the roof October 1, 2008

By Kevin T. Briggs

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a big Old Crow fan, but didn't indulge in their newer stuff until last week.

Let me say that I was floored by "Tennessee Pusher." I play bluegrass mandolin in a bluegrass band and love bluegrass and old-time music as much as anyone, but I am glad that these guys blossomed on this CD. It's not the typical Old Crow ram it down your throat fast, old-time medicine show. It's more Bob Dylan and Neil Young than the Skillet Lickers. There are traces of R&B in there too, with a country sound throughout.

If you like Old Crow because they are an old time band you won't like this CD as much. But, just remember that Old Crow isn't really an old time band, and most of the guys are northerners who just love that music. They grew up in the 80s and 90s listening to what was on the radio, then chose their favorite music as they matured. It shows on this CD, and it's the most natural and unforced they've ever sounded.

I love it because it's a collection of finely crafted songs that reflect themes faced by young people today. I can also actually believe what they are singing about, instead of just getting hyped by these young guys doing an old thing fast and sublimely reckless.

The Old Crow Medicine Show has matured, and the result is a masterpiece.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best OCMS Yet September 26, 2008

By Nicholas J. Whitehead

Format:Audio CD

I have listened to this album about 40 times since I first got it about 2 days ago, and it is excellent. Granted, it is somewhat of a departure from the eponymous OCMS first album, but it seems to me to be a progression, through Big Iron World and into Tennessee Pusher. They have matured, and aged their sound, sanding off some rough edges but the music remains passionate and moving.

It also sounds like the new producer and better mixing has created a deeper and higher quality sound. I really like the whole effect on every song. In prior albums I sometimes felt like that guy stuck standing right next to the fiddle speaker, and on the next song, the vocals. The songs cover a good range of moods, from the frolicking Caroline (one of my favorites amongst all bands for a while) and the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle humour of Mary's Kitchen to the soulful and mournful Tennessee Pusher and Hotel in Memphis. I don't think there's a weak song on here.

I love this disc, but I am ready for a change. On play 41, I'm switching it to shuffle play.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars such a disappointment October 22, 2008

By Eazy-E

Format:Audio CD

Gosh I am just so disappointed with this album! I LOVE these guys and the old school sound they've reinvented, but here... i don't know.... it's like they just totally lost their edge. It's got no 'umph' to it. The vocals are thin, lacking the great harmony that they are known for, the instrumentals are overly heavy on the guitar, pushing the other instruments to the background. All and all, it's just kind of boring. Nothing special at all.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Get The Vinyl! January 10, 2009

By Karsen Stanley

Format:Audio CD

This is my first introduction to OCMS and I can't get enough of it. Nearly flawless all the way through. The vinyl version is a double LP set (same track list as CD) that really sounds great. They got it right in the mastering -- didn't simply transfer a compressed digital master onto vinyl, and the result is a high quality sounding record (imagine that -- "a record"!!)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Different from the last but still real nice October 20, 2008

By Larry M. York

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

As has been noted this album is quite different from their previous stuff. It is more produced, less ruckus, more country-western than new-timey string band. However, it is NOTHING like pop-country, which I've never liked. This is REAL music expressing real and powerful emotions, a real ballad of our time, especially for young people from the southern Appalachian region.

The songs on love express the negative side... being ripped off by the girl you desire, cheating and murder... good stuff. There is a song about the death of MLK Jr. I s'pose it sorta hinges around how his death may have been symbolic of the death of a movement. I'm pretty sure these guys are all about social change. They have another song about the destructive force of meth, which I saw myself in south-central Kentucky.

But it's not all sad, you're sure to have a humdinger with this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Methanphetamine, a real Humdinger. October 11, 2008

By Chastity Lowell

Format:Audio CD

Old Crow Does what they do. It is the essence of the band not to give two hoots and a holler on what is expected and to give fine music and they have done that again. Oh, they sure have. This time they dug deeper in their heart and gave a little more of theirselves and I love it. I LOVE IT. Meth is a masterpeice. The Martin Luther King song is haunting and on par with Bobbie Jo Gentry's Ode to Billy Joe and how often does that Happen? HUMDINGER is a stomping, banjo slice of perfection. And its delicious to hear them sing , LOW DOWN HOOCHIE COOCHIE on Greatest Hustler of All. DONT MISS THIS WORK. Go to their MySpace and read what KETCH has to say about the Production of the album with Cowboy Jack Clement....and the others that were involved. This band is one of the most important torchbearers in existence and will gather more and more respect with time. They have mad music skills. This album is Terrific and doesnt need a cheerleader. It stands on its own. It bears no weakness. Amen.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Very Disappointed October 16, 2008

By Dane Sears

Format:Audio CD

I fell in love with this genre of music once I heard their first album. Then their second album(Big Iron World) was even better! Then I found Eutaw and played the hell out of it! So I found out they were producing a new album and I was so excited for it to come out. I previewed it before I bought it and was like "What the hell?". So I got it and I can say I am very disappointed with it.

I cannot stand country music and they sound really close to it on this album. I don't know if it's because of another producer they got but whatever it is, I prefer the old stuff anyday over this new album and I think a lot of people are with me on that. Lets just hope the feedback they get is somewhat negative and they realize the old sound is much better than this modern day stuff.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this band and will support them always. But I just wasn't expecting them to change their style like most all other bands today. What made them so unique before was their old timey sound that is nowhere to be found on this new album. I guess if you like the slow, serious style then you will like this. Me, I prefer upbeat, fun and happy sounding tunes. I think they made a change for the worse but I will always be a die hard Old Crow fan.