Son Volt
Straightaways
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Son Volt
Straightaways
Warner Bros., 1997
RiYL: Golden Smog, Uncle Tupelo, Gram Parsons, Wilco, Black Crowes |
Even now, many years gone, Uncle Tupelo's music still frames everything that's released in the genre. Two bands formed from Tupelo's ashes, Wilco and Son Volt, serve as foils on either side of the alternative-country formula's evolution. The undeniable brillance of Wilco's 1996 Being There album redefined the genre by reclaiming its stake in old-fashioned rock and roll and its spirit of experimentation.
Although Straightaways is a much more solid effort than Son Volt's 1995 debut Trace, bandleader Jay Farrar seems a half-step behind his Tupelo partner in crime, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. Where Tweedy was able to transcend his country origins, Farrar seems stuck in a rut of the genre he helped create.
That being said, Straightaways is a great alternative-country album. Farrar and company have created a cohesive effort. And song-wise, Farrar has fashioned his best material since his Tupelo days. Following his traditional muses to country, blues, folk and rock, Farrar cuts to the heart of the socio-politics of middle America. "Born under widespread changes / the search for higher reason / learnin' the ropes OK / but fate just runs you around," he sings on "Creosote." And songs such as "Left A Slide" and "Back Into Your World" finally find the equal in melody to Farrar's often brilliant lyrics.
Throughout the album, the band sounds organic, and Straightaways is more laid-back than the hard-rocking Trace. Guitars are majestic and expansive, while fuzzy bass and steady drumming keeping the songs well-rooted. Extras such as organ and lap steel add texture to the music. For now, Son Volt sounds comfortable with its place in the rock world. Often, too much is made of Farrar and Tweedy's relationship. Each does his own thing, and each does it very well. But in the wake of Being There, all music in the genre begs comparison.
PATRICK KASTNER | Affectionately known as Cousin Patty (yes, it's a "Throw Momma From The Train" reference), Patrick Kastner is a designer for the Columbus Post-Dispatch.