Wow, they're really coming in now. This is a much stronger compilation than the Exposed Roots disc put out on K-Tel by the No Depression guys. While that mix had some great tunes, it was a double disc that dragged a little, despite heavyweights like Johnny Cash. Alternate Roots, on the other hand, opens up with Blue Rodeo's Hasn't Hit Me Yet and has a much more mainstream backbone, but is therefore more accessible. Can't Let Go, Steve Earle passes it to Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and so on.
Some weird choices are nonetheless good songs.
Bruce Cockburn's Last Night in the World or the John Hiatt track. The McGarrigles even show. It's largely Canadian, with a nice Deep South flavour. And Emmylou Harris's cover of Wrecking Ball is simply evil, as they say in jazz circles. Whatever this alt.country thing is, the record companies are starting to clue in to it.