Son Volt"American Central Dust"
Jul 7, 2009
Rounder
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REVIEW
by Mark Deming
Jay Farrar resurrected Son Volt in 2005 after his solo career seemingly ran out of gas, and the two albums that followed -- Okemah and the Melody of Riot and The Search -- were the best and most compelling music he'd made since Son Volt's masterful debut Trace in 1995. However, the new albums didn't connect with an especially large audience, and the band was dropped by Sony/BMG; 2009's American Central Dust, the third set from Son Volt 2.0, has been released by the venerable independent roots music label Rounder Records, and while there's little telling if it was dictated by finance or esthetics, the album sounds austere in a way its immediate predecessors did not. Okemah and The Search found Farrar and his new bandmates edging into new musical territory while embracing a bigger studio sound; by comparison, American Central Dust feels more organic and intimate, recalling the simplicity of Trace without delivering the bracing rock & roll of songs like "Drown" or "Route." However, if American Central Dust takes a few steps back in terms of energy and impact, Farrar still sounds thoroughly engaged as both a songwriter and performer, and his band -- Chris Masterson on guitars, Mark Spencer on keyboards and steel guitars, Andrew DuPlantis on bass, and Dave Bryson on drums -- is tight and sympathetic, finding just the right angle to approach this material. And from the fiery love of "Dynamite," the environmental and economic commentary of "When the Wheels Don't Move," and "Down to the Wire," the tribute to the joys of a good honky tonk in "Jukebox of Steel," and the glimpse into Keith Richards' psyche of "Cocaine and Ashes," Farrar has rarely spoken his mind so clearly in his songs as he does here, and if he still reaches for a spectral feel, his meanings are more clearly felt than ever. American Central Dust doesn't have the feel of a step into new territory the way Son Volt's past two albums did, but it consolidates old strengths and confirms Jay Farrar is still an artist worth caring about to 20 years after Uncle Tupelo cut their first album.
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1 Dynamite 2:49
2 Down to the Wire 4:19
3 Roll On 3:10
4 Cocaine and Ashes 4:31
5 Dust of Daylight 3:07
6 When the Wheels Don't Move 3:21
7 No Turning Back 3:35
8 Pushed Too Far 4:25
9 Exiles 4:22
10 Sultana 3:48
11 Strength and Doubt 3:35
12 Jukebox of Steel 2:56
All Tracks by Farrar
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Dave Bryson Percussion, Drums
Andrew DuPlantis Guitar (Bass), Vocals (bckgr)
Jay Farrar Guitar (Acoustic), Piano, Vocals, Lap Steel Guitar
Dave Godowsky A&R
Chris Masterson Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Vocals (bckgr), Lap Steel Guitar
Mark Spencer Guitar (Acoustic), Pedal Steel, Keyboards, Vocals (bckgr), Lap Steel Guitar
Eleanor Whitmore Violin, Viola
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BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Huey
Formed 1994
After touring in support of their 1993 masterpiece Anodyne, the seminal alternative country band Uncle Tupelo split up over long-simmering creative differences between co-leaders Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy recruited much of the band to form Wilco, while Farrar teamed up with original Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn to form Son Volt, the more tradition-minded of the two Tupelo offshoots. Joined by brothers Jim (bass) and Dave Boquist (guitar, fiddle, banjo, fiddle, steel guitar), the band signed to Warner Brothers and released its debut album, Trace, in 1995. It was greeted with excellent reviews from most critics, offering a set of stark, subtle, mostly downbeat songs that drew from traditional country, folk, and roots rock. The single "Drown" was successful on both college and rock radio, and the band subsequently added unofficial fifth member Eric Heywood on mandolin and pedal steel for its second album. 1997's Straightaways mined territory similar to Trace and again received positive reviews, though some found Farrar's lack of creative progression troubling. 1998's Wide Swing Tremolo was a somewhat harder-rocking affair, but the erosion of critical support for the group continued. They ended up on an unofficial hiatus (rumors of their breakup were denied), and Farrar debuted as a solo artist with 2001's Sebastopol, putting the future of Son Volt in further doubt. He continued with his solo career throughout 2002 and 2003, and in 2005 Rhino issued Retrospective: 1995-2000. But Son Volt wasn't over. Farrar revived the nameplate in July 2005 with the issue of Okemah and the Melody of Riot (Legacy). For the album, recorded in St. Louis, Farrar was joined by drummer Dave Bryson, bassist Andrew DuPlantis, and ex-Backsliders guitarist Brad Rice. Search arrived in early 2007, followed by American Central Dust in 2009.
Formed 1994
After touring in support of their 1993 masterpiece Anodyne, the seminal alternative country band Uncle Tupelo split up over long-simmering creative differences between co-leaders Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy recruited much of the band to form Wilco, while Farrar teamed up with original Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn to form Son Volt, the more tradition-minded of the two Tupelo offshoots. Joined by brothers Jim (bass) and Dave Boquist (guitar, fiddle, banjo, fiddle, steel guitar), the band signed to Warner Brothers and released its debut album, Trace, in 1995. It was greeted with excellent reviews from most critics, offering a set of stark, subtle, mostly downbeat songs that drew from traditional country, folk, and roots rock. The single "Drown" was successful on both college and rock radio, and the band subsequently added unofficial fifth member Eric Heywood on mandolin and pedal steel for its second album. 1997's Straightaways mined territory similar to Trace and again received positive reviews, though some found Farrar's lack of creative progression troubling. 1998's Wide Swing Tremolo was a somewhat harder-rocking affair, but the erosion of critical support for the group continued. They ended up on an unofficial hiatus (rumors of their breakup were denied), and Farrar debuted as a solo artist with 2001's Sebastopol, putting the future of Son Volt in further doubt. He continued with his solo career throughout 2002 and 2003, and in 2005 Rhino issued Retrospective: 1995-2000. But Son Volt wasn't over. Farrar revived the nameplate in July 2005 with the issue of Okemah and the Melody of Riot (Legacy). For the album, recorded in St. Louis, Farrar was joined by drummer Dave Bryson, bassist Andrew DuPlantis, and ex-Backsliders guitarist Brad Rice. Search arrived in early 2007, followed by American Central Dust in 2009.
3 comments:
Grande post, Oldrocker, há algum tempo eu estava atrás desse disco do Farrar.. Eu começei a postar no seres-da-noite.blogspot.com material em homenagem ao Gram Parsons, nada exatamente raro, mas meu plano é disponibilizar a obra desse cara tão influencial para gente como Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt, Jayhawks, Whiskeytown, Old '97s e toda a galera do alt-country. Parabéns.
Ok Yerblues, é bom que serviu para você. Sempre que posso coloco no blog sons desse pessoal. Se precisar de algo relacionado mande um email. Um abraço.
It was certainly interesting for me to read this article. Thanks for it. I like such themes and everything connected to this matter. I would like to read a bit more on that blog soon.
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