The Refreshments - The Bottle & Fresh Horses

This is one of my favorite records ever. Go ahead and make fun of me. If you came of age in the '90s, you might remember The Refreshments for their one hit. They also did the theme for King of the Hill, which has them (or whoever owns their publishing) set for life. The Bottle & Fresh Horses is their second album, and it was a total flop. Nobody cared. It didn't spawn another pop hit and they broke up soon afterward. But it rules! It's hooky, poppy '90s alternative rock with a big country twang. The lyrics have a keen sense of humor, but it always seems to serve a more wistful and jaded purpose.
Eh, you'll probably hate this. But since it came out on a major label you can download it guilt-free, so you might as well check it out.
http://www.mediafire.com/?10hc5l6dmvfj48q

The Jayhawks - Sound of Lies

My favorite Jayhawks record. Great songs, great arrangements, great everything. Except for the cover art, which rivals Leatherface's "Dog Disco" for the Worst Ever Album Cover By A Respectable Band. Also, I feel like the chorus in "The Man Who Loved Life" should have been in a James Bond theme of some sort.

I'm way off topic. Just jam this.
http://www.mediafire.com/?0dnmzy1mwyk

The Weight - Ten Mile Grace

Don't discount the dollar bins. This is an album I've seen lurking in cutout bins everywhere across North America, but it's one that I like a lot and have gotten a lot of mileage out of over the years. Slow, downtrodden alt-country with a singer who creaks and croaks with a love-it-or-hate-it voice. Great stuff.
http://www.mediafire.com/?zzen2j0zoan

Son Volt - Trace

Because it's better than Anodyne or No Depression, that's why.
http://www.mediafire.com/?fzj0jzn0x23

.357 String Band - Fire and Hail

Smokin' hot bluegrass played by a bunch of punk dudes from Milwaukee. Tons of great jams on here! Seriously, try to listen to a song like "Down on a Bender" without smiling. It's tough.
http://www.mediafire.com/?ywjznnjmjdy

Dillard & Clark - both LPs

Gene Clark of the Byrds and Doug Dillard of The Dillards came together to produce two brilliant LPs before going their separate ways. I greatly prefer 1968's "The Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark" to 1969's "Through The Morning, Through The Night", but the latter is by no means lacking in great material. The backing band had 3 members of The Flying Burrito Brothers, which should give you some idea of what you're getting into. Of the early L.A. country rock stuff that I've heard (and I am by no means an expert), this is my favorite. Songs like "Out On the Side" and "The Radio Song" kill me every time.
http://www.mediafire.com/?zjgtz0oy3iu

Winfred E Eye - Glasses EP

Kind of an odd little EP here. Members of Evergreen and Cars Get Crushed play two sad, lilting country-tinged originals and... a Randy Newman cover? Yeah. It works for me.
http://www.mediafire.com/?rtjzqzttmxm

Pinetop Seven - The Night's Bloom

Pinetop Seven are a bit hard to pin down. I guess you could draw a comparison to Calexico or Okkervil River, but the arrangements are more ambitious than the former and lusher and more cinematic than the latter. Add to that a gorgeous vocal performance and great storytelling and you have a really engaging and unique record. The LP version has three bonus tracks, which I ripped and aded to the file.
http://www.mediafire.com/?yajdn2z25wm

Uncle Tupelo - assorted Neil Young covers

Don't remember where I got this stuff, but some dedicated fellow compiled 16 different Neil Young covers performed by Uncle Tupelo and Uncle Tupelo alumni. They range from Excellent to Extremely Fucking Excellent. Unfortunately whoever put this together didn't bother to tag the songs with titles or anything... and neither did I. But don't let my apathy give you pause, downloading this should be the easiest decision you make today.
http://www.mediafire.com/?nnqt2zzwjen