Five Dollar Bill
Corb Lund · 2002
37 min · 13 tracks · country music
A vibrant blend of honky-tonk rhythms and storytelling that captures the spirit of rural Canadian life.
Top tracks — play these first
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Five Dollar Bill — The title track encapsulates Lund's signature storytelling style, weaving personal narrative with humor and social commentary about everyday life.
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Expectation and the Blues — This song showcases Lund's ability to blend traditional blues elements with a country sensibility, highlighting themes of longing and unfulfilled dreams.
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Roughest Neck Around — This track stands out for its gritty depiction of working-class life, using vivid imagery to capture the struggles and pride of Alberta's laborers.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases solid songwriting and traditional country elements but lacks standout moments that elevate it significantly.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent use of traditional country instrumentation, including steel guitar and fiddle, throughout its tracks.
- Several songs incorporate narrative storytelling, with lyrics that reflect personal and regional experiences.
- The tempo varies across the tracks, with some maintaining a lively honky-tonk rhythm while others slow down for reflective moments.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Little footprint beyond its audience. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady narrative with heartfelt storytelling
- for evening unwind sessions
- twangy melodies evoke prairie imagery
- short tracks for quick enjoyment
Maybe skip if you
- seeks high-energy party vibes
- prefers lengthy, sprawling albums
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Five Dollar Bill is Corb Lund's debut studio album, released in 2002 when he was establishing himself in the country and folk music scene. Following his previous work with the band The Smalls, this album marked his transition to a solo career, showcasing his unique voice and lyrical style rooted in Alberta's culture.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Sturgill Simpson· Kacey Musgraves· Jason Isbell
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Five Dollar Bill 2:33
- 2 Expectation and the Blues 2:56
- 3 Short Native Grasses (Prairies of Alberta) 3:46
- 4 No Roads Here 3:21
- 5 Apocalyptic Modified Blues 3:03
- 6 Heavy and Leaving 3:25
- 7 Intro/Jack of Diamonds 0:36
- 8 Time to Switch to Whiskey 2:53
- 9 Roughest Neck Around 3:12
- 10 Daughter Don't You Marry No Guitar Picker 2:23
- 11 (Gonna) Shine Up My Boots 2:13
- 12 Buckin' Horse Rider 3:34
- 13 She Won't Come to Me 3:45
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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