#son volt

[dollarbin]

Nickel Bin #23:

Jay Farrar's Rex's Blues

There was a sweet second in 1995 when Jay Farrar was the next Neil Young.

Like Shakey in 68, Farrar had just very publicly shrugged off every member of one of the most gifted and original bands of its day at the very moment they turned corporate so as to quest off down his own brooding pathway.

And, like Neil in 69, he'd already made his mark as one of the angriest Dylanesque songwriters of his day.

Plus, like Neil, Arthur Lee, Jimi Hendrix, Prince and his 90's peer Ira Kaplan, Farrar could simultaneously sing the blues and absolutely shred on lead guitar.

And then he alluringly rejected all chance of mass popularity by laying this on us:

Honestly, I thought Rex's Blues was a Farrar original upon its release. My dollar bin was nacent at the time; I had yet to face the dilemma of how to alphabetize Townes Van Zandt in either of my two milk crates of records.

But tracking down Townes' tossed off original only made me more impressed with Farrar's glacially paced dirge of a take. Like The Band's self-titled second record, Farrar's Rex's Blues transcended any specific moment for me: it could as easily have come from 1895 as 1995.

Suffice it to say that I was glad he'd ditched the lesser, grinning members of Uncle Tupelo; those guys seemed like dopes who'd never amount to much, and it sounded like Jay was heading straight for Neil's own Ditch. I couldn't wait to hear what he'd do down in there.

My Famous Brother was just 16 at that point but he was already heisting unauthorized music from who knows where: a tape arrived for me in the mail just around then that had just three songs on it, all of them deeply bootlegged: Farrar, it seemed, had named his new band something perfectly unmarketable, Son Volt, and made a demo that sounded incredibly fruitful and wonderfully bleak.

Farrar, it appeared, was indeed the real deal, my generation's Neil Young:

So what the hell happened? Trace came out and it was pretty great - but the warning signs were already there. Instead of harrowing rust and guitar meltdowns we got VH1 vibes and Farrar letting someone else take the solos.

Live the band were more of the same. Note-by-note album recreation was the focus and Farrar literally sighed before playing his only guitar solo on Chickamauga.

For god's sake, why didn't he just keep this kind of thing going? He's so good here - and meanwhile, maybe it's my imagination, but he also sounds a little bored.

I really couldn't tell you a damn thing about him ever since. There was a second Son Volt record I nodded off during, then a solo record with some keyboards on it I heard once while waiting for Gillian Welch to take the stage, then an album that seemed focused on George W. Bush's Vietnam-ditching stint in the National Guard that I listened to once while driving solo to Sacramento...

... and I'm just so bored already writing about Jay's career since 1995.

But I am clinging to my thesis here: almost a decade before Jeff Tweedy, the guy he later referred to as nothing more than "his band's bass player", went a long way toward growing Bob Dylan's beard, Jay Farrar donned Neil Young's shabbiest coat.

And it looked so good on him.

[bandcampsnoop]

7/12/23.

I've heard of both Modern Baseball and Slaughter Beach, Dog (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), but I don't think I ever listened. The common denominator between the two is the music of Jake Ewald.

Too bad I didn't tune in before now. Slaughter Beach, Dog's music scratches my itch for Americana. Think Tom Petty, Son Volt, and The War on Drugs.

But there's more at work here. There's a songwriting/melody structure that reminds me a bit of Zusammen Clark, Fortunato Durutti Marinetti or at times Black Country, New Road (without the orchestration).

Lame-O Records (Philadelphia) is releasing this in late September 2023.

[tuuneoftheday]

Son Volt - Loose String

[sandybrett]

I'm trying to make WOE.BEGONE character playlists, and ironically I've got an Uncle Tupelo song on there ("So Called Friend", on Hunter's playlist) and a Son Volt song ("Out of the Picture", on Edgar's playlist), but no Wilco so far.

(For those who don't know, Uncle Tupelo basically split into two bands, Son Volt and Wilco, after the two main guys, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy, had a falling out. Wilco is somewhat better known, but I'm a lot more familiar with the other two.)

Anyway, I will try to get some Wilco on there, as well as some Sufjan Stevens and Arctic Monkeys.

[musiconspotify]

Son Volt

Day Of The Doug (2023) … revisits Sahm’s legacy …

#SonVolt

[dinosaursr66]

Uncle Tupelo touched a nerve or nerves almost every time I listened to them. I was so fortunate to see them.

SONG OF THE DAY - Thursday. September 12, 2024

[artjipson]

Rocking The Year Away: Simon Powell

Notes from a small island. Finally, Autumn’s here (or ‘Fall’ as I believe my colonial chums prefer it!) and we’re back into the proper ‘grown up’ seasons.  No more adverts with teeth-whitened, permatanned ‘eejits’ enquiring whether you’re body’s ‘beach ready’ in the accusative tone that suggests they’re talking about the latest pod of whales that’s lost its way and floundered!  At last, we’re…

[mitigatingchaos]

May The Wind Take Your Troubles Away

From the 1995 Album, Trace, by Son Volt.   Have a great weekend, everyone. “If I were a “country star” working today, and I saw this, I would be embarrassed to be alive.”   @steverok67 . Windfall Now and then it keeps you running It never seems to die The trail’s spent with fear Not enough living on the outside Never seem to get far enough Staying in between the lines Hold on to what you…

[thevinylcornerblog]

It's a Good "Day of the Doug" with Son Volt Tribute LP

[americanahighways]

Music Reviews: Expanded Reissues of Little Feat ‘Dixie Chicken’ & ‘Sailin’ Shoes,’ plus Son Volt, Ags Connolly, and Bob Bradshaw

Music Reviews: Expanded Reissues of Little Feat ‘Dixie Chicken’ & ‘Sailin’ Shoes,’ plus Son Volt, Ags Connolly, and Bob Bradshaw #littlefeat #bobbradshaw #sonvolt #byjeffburger #americanahighways #agsconnolly

Expanded Reissues of Little Feat Dixie Chicken & Sailin’ Shoes, plus Son Volt, Ags Connolly, and Bob Bradshaw With varying lineups over the years, Little Feat has released well over a dozen albums, but anyone who wants to explore its catalog needn’t think twice about where to start: the clear high points are Sailin’ Shoes, the Los Angeles band’s 1972 sophomore release, and Dixie Chicken, that…

[radiomax]

Friday, June 16, 2023 8pm ET: Feature LP: Son of Volt - Day of The Doug (2023)

Son Volt is an American rock band formed in 1994 by Jay Farrar after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo. The band’s current line-up consists of Farrar (vocals, guitar), Andrew DuPlantis (bass guitar), John Horton (guitar), Mark Patterson (drums), and Mark Spencer (keyboard, steel guitar). In addition to playing alternative rock, the band is considered a staple of the alternative country rock movement of…

[bandcampsnoop]

11/8/23.

I've been a fan of Sophomore Lounge for years. From Bill Direen to Huevos, Ryan Davis' label (originally in Louisville, now in Jeffersonville, Indiana) has been releasing diverse sounds for going on 20 years.

It seems appropriate that the label's breakout release would feature Davis (also in State Champion) himself under the name Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band. Pitchfork reviewed it on November 3rd and gave it an impressive 7.9. This LP brings to mind Wilco, The Jayhawks, Son Volt and The Silos. One of the fans who bought this wrote, "David Berman was right when he called Ryan our [Louisville's] best living lyricist."

Joan Shelley is a guest vocalist. Check out her split single with Myriam Gendron on No Quarter.

[sandybrett]

A rough chronology of the extended Wilco family

1990

Uncle Tupelo, consisting of Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn, release their first album, No Depression.

1991

Uncle Tupelo release Still Feel Gone.

Titanic Love Affair, led by future Wilco guitarist Jay Bennett, debut with Titanic Love Affair.

1992

Uncle Tupelo release March 16-20, 1992. Mike Heidorn leaves to spend time with family and is replaced by Ken Coomer. John Stirratt and Max Johnston are also added.

The Bottle Rockets, led by UT's friend and roadie Brian Henneman, debut with Bottle Rockets.

Alt-country supergroup Golden Smog, of which Tweedy will later be a member, debut with an EP, On Golden Smog.

1993

Uncle Tupelo release Anodyne. Farrar leaves due to the breakdown of his friendship with Tweedy.

Titanic Love Affair release an EP, No Charisma.

1994

The Bottle Rockets release The Brooklyn Side.

1995

Wilco, consisting of the remaining members of Uncle Tupelo plus Brian Henneman as temporary lead guitarist, debut with A.M.

Son Volt, consisting of Jay Farrar, original Uncle Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn, and brothers Jim and Dave Boquist, debut with Trace.

Golden Smog, now joined by Jeff Tweedy, release Down by the Old Mainstream.

1996

Titanic Love Affair release Their Titanic Majesties Request and split up.

Wilco, with Jay Bennett as new lead guitarist, release Being There. Max Johnston leaves soon after.

1997

Son Volt release Straightaways.

The Bottle Rockets release 24 Hours a Day.

1998

Billy Bragg and Wilco release Mermaid Avenue, an album of previously unrecorded Woody Guthrie lyrics set to music.

Son Volt release Wide Swing Tremolo and go on hiatus.

Golden Smog release Weird Tales.

The Bottle Rockets release Leftovers.

1999

Wilco release Summerteeth.

The Bottle Rockets release Brand New Year.

2000

Billy Bragg and Wilco release Mermaid Avenue, Volume II

Tweedy, Glenn Kotche, and Jim O'Rourke start a side project called Loose Fur, although nothing is released yet. Kotche soon replaces Ken Coomer in Wilco.

2001

Jay Farrar releases Sebastopol.

The Autumn Defense, a side project of John Stirratt and Pat Sansone, debut with The Green Hour.

Wilco attempt to release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but their label won't let them, so they buy the masters back and release them for free on their website. Jay Bennett is dismissed from the band.

2002

The Bottle Rockets release Songs of Sahm.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot finally receives an official release.

Jay Bennett and Edward Burch release The Palace at 4am (part i).

2003

The Minus 5 release Down with Wilco, a collaboration with several members of Wilco.

Jay Farrar releases Terroir Blues.

Loose Fur release Loose Fur.

The Autumn Defense release Circles.

John Stirratt and his twin sister Laurie (a member of Blue Mountain) release Arabella.

The Bottle Rockets release Blue Sky.

2004

Jay Bennett releases Bigger than Blue.

Wilco release A Ghost Is Born. Pat Sansone joins the band for the tour and all subsequent albums.

Jay Bennett releases The Beloved Enemy.

2005

A new lineup of Son Volt, with Jay Farrar as the only consistent member, release Okemah and the Melody of Riot.

2006

Glenn Kotche releases a solo album, Mobile.

Gob Iron, consisting of Jay Farrar and Anders Parker, release Death Songs for the Living.

Golden Smog release Another Fine Day.

Loose Fur release Born Again in the USA.

Jay Bennett releases The Magnificent Defeat.

The Bottle Rockets release Zoysia.

2007

Golden Smog, no longer including Tweedy, release Blood on the Slacks.

The Autumn Defense release The Autumn Defense.

Son Volt release The Search.

Wilco release Sky Blue Sky.

2008

Jay Bennett releases Whatever Happened, I Apologize.

2009

Son Volt release American Central Dust.

Benjamin Gibbard and Jay Farrar release One Fast Move or I'm Gone.

Wilco release Wilco (the album)

Jay Bennett dies suddenly of an accidental painkiller overdose.

The Bottle Rockets release Lean Forward.

2010

Kicking at the Perfumed Air by Jay Bennett is posthumously released.

The Autumn Defense release Once Around

2011

Wilco release The Whole Love.

2012

Jay Farrar appears on New Multitudes, along with Anders Parker and two other artists, for another collection of unrecorded Woody Guthrie lyrics.

2013

Son Volt release Honky Tonk.

2014

The Autumn Defense release Fifth.

Max Johnston releases Dismantling Paradise, his only solo album to date. Since leaving Wilco, he has been a member of The Gourds.

Tweedy, consisting of Jeff Tweedy and his son Spencer, release Sukirae.

2015

Wilco release Star Wars.

The Bottle Rockets release South Broadway Athletic Club.

2016

Wilco release Schmilco.

2017

Jeff Tweedy releases Together at Last

Son Volt release Notes of Blue.

2018

The Bottle Rockets release Bit Logic.

Jeff Tweedy releases WARM.

2019

Jeff Tweedy releases WARMER.

Son Volt release Union.

Wilco release Ode to Joy.

2020

Jeff Tweedy releases Love Is The King.

2021

The Bottle Rockets announce their retirement.

Son Volt release Electro Melodier.

2022

Wilco release Cruel Country.

2023

Wilco release Cousin.

Son Volt release Day of the Doug.

2024

Pat Sansone releases Infinity Mirrors.

Wilco release an EP, Hot Sun Cool Shroud.