... and they're recording a new album in October 2004. Yipeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

This is good news, although Jay Farrar's last solo tour (with Canyon as his band) was pretty good. But I wasn't crazy about Jay's solo albums...

Son Volt has made great records and has been a so-so live band everytime I've seen them, but I'll take more Son Volt albums any day. Until Wilco's "Summerteeth," I'd have to say that Son Volt's "Trace" was the best of the post-Tupelo records by the former members.

Uh-oh! This was just posted on the official Jay Farrar message board:

"Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 11:10 am Post subject: Son Volt recording session

Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, the session has been postponed. We will post more information as we have it"

This is the latest, from the Farrar/Son Volt camp:

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 6, 2004



SON VOLT BACK IN STUDIO: NEW LINE-UP ANNOUNCED, ANTHOLOGY IN THE WORKS



Jay Farrar’s popular rock band persona, Son Volt, is heading back into the studio to record their fourth full-length studio album—the first new release since 1998’s Wide Swing Tremolo (Warner Bros. Records). This time around, though, fans will be seeing (and hearing) a different collection of side musicians performing with Farrar. After several months of discussions and planning with the original Son Volt players—Dave Boquist, Jim Boquist and Mike Heidorn—Farrar was unable to reach acceptable business terms with the original line-up.



“Times change, and so do people, I guess,” reflected Farrar. “While I was looking forward to the reunion aspect of working with those guys, it just wasn’t meant to be. It’ll be liberating to get down to work with a different group of musicians. I had always envisioned Son Volt as a vehicle for my songwriting and expected it to evolve over the years. When I reformed the original band this year to record our track for Por Vida [the Alejandro Escovedo benefit album (Or Music)], it seemed like we might be able to extend that two-day session into two years of recording and touring--but it doesn’t look that way now.”



With fifteen Son Volt songs written, studio time booked and engineer John Agnello on board, Farrar now plans to commence recording in St. Louis on October 12. Currently set to collaborate with Farrar on these sessions are Brad Rice (guitar-Tift Merritt, Ryan Adams), Andrew Duplantis (bass—Jon Dee Graham, Meat Puppets, Bob Mould), Eric Heywood (pedal steel—Son Volt, Calexico) and Dave Bryson (drums—Canyon).



Fans will have access to these sessions through web cameras installed in the studio beginning October 12, providing a very rare glimpse into Farrar’s recording process as it actually unfolds. Access to these cameras (and other behind-the-scenes material) will be available at www.jayfarrar.net/webcam.
Also on the Son Volt horizon is an anthology of material from the first three Warner Bros. albums—including rare or previously unreleased soundtrack cuts, live tracks, demos and unreleased studio recordings from that era. This anthology, the new studio album, plus a long-awaited tour are all slated for mid-2005."

Hmmm...a new Son Volt, with only Jay left as an original member? Curious. I'm told by folks in town who know him, though, that Mike Heidorn isn't really into the touring anymore, so who knows what the REAL reasons are...

I have been shamefully slow in plugging the Alejandro Escovedo tribute CD, Por Vida, that kicked this whole reunion off. I hope to remedy that today. In the meantime, I will say the Son Volt track, "Sometimes," is one of the real standouts. That being said it's pretty much the original line up (Dave Boquist, Jim Boquist, Mike Heidorn), so I guess we still won't really know what to expect from the new line up.

Now Playing: CNN's American Morning

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LinnTate,

i cant believe i missed all this info, im a huge son volt fan even tho i only really liked there first album, its the one that got me into alt- country - americana, im very saddend that i missed the webcam but im semi happy that theyre coming back although im disapointed that its not really gonna be son volt with the original players cause those guys were brilliant. its really sad but maybe the new one will be just as good but i doubt it oh well "say le vie" eh? ( confused emotions)

Since this thread already existed, it makes no sense to start a new Son Volt thread. So we'll use this one as a space for general Son Volt discussion, on the heels of good critical word of mouth on the new record.

For the uninitiated:

Son Volt was formed by Jay Farrar (and Mike Heidorn) of the late, great alt-country/americana band Uncle Tupelo after UT broke up. The other splinter from UT may be the more well-known Wilco, but I can honestly say that overlooking Son Volt is pure folly. Comparing them is also silly...their music is dramatically different in style and performance. When each band released their first record (within a few months of each other), critical money was on Son Volt being the big hitter, commercially and critically. Trace is a fantastic debut record, while Wilco's A.M. seemed a little uninspired. Jay was always the more acclaimed songwriter in UT (although Jeff Tweedy was no slouch) and the first SV record seemed to be a payoff. But since then, Jay's records (both with SV and solo) haven't caused the gushes of critical lovejuice that Tweedy's have, but they've been consistently solid, if not great. While Jeff has certainly become a sort of indie darling, Jay's off the track songwriting (surrealistic and weird at times) is just as indie, only with more of an earthy, Americana edge to it.

If anyone is trying Son Volt out for the first time based on the reviews of Okemah, and if you enjoy it, you should certainly check out the Son Volt records from start to finish, or at least check out the recent best-of. And, it goes without saying, that you should own every Uncle Tupelo record.

Okemah seems like a solid record, but on first listen it's a bit same-ish.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobthespirit:
Okemah seems like a solid record, but on first listen it's a bit same-ish.

That's always been the criticism of SV. It's never bothered me, personally, but I can understand why it bothers others. Sometimes the records that are chaotically scattered bug me more than same-y ones, though.

Well, being chaotically scattered can be an issue. Erring on this side is probably preferable to erring on the other.

I would probably ideally go for something that sounds unique, but is still a unified creative work.

I enjoy the new album a lot. I think it is probably the best thing son volt has done since Trace. I think Bandages and Scars is one of the better tracks of this year. I do think though that anyone who doesn't have Trace should get that long before the new one. It is about as classic an alt-country album as I can think of.

quote:

Originally posted by keylimetrev:
I do think though that anyone who doesn't have Trace should get that long before the new one. It is about as classic an alt-country album as I can think of.

Agreed. Trace is easily on the list of the touchstone alt-country records.