New Son Volt Album on the Way

Despite embarking on his own career after the bitter dissolution of the influential Uncle Tupelo in 1994, Jay Farrar may perpetually be linked to his former friend and songwriting partner Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy has certainly achieved more widespread recognition with his outfit than Farrar has with Son Volt, but we will always have open arms and ears for songwriters of Farrar's caliber. So, after an unofficial seven-year hiatus, a rejuvenated Son Volt with a new album in tow is welcome news.

Okemah and the Melody of Riot will be released by the Sony/BMG offshoot Legacy Recordings on July 12, and will come in a "DualDisc" format whose DVD side includes exclusive interviews and video content. Farrar handled the recording duties himself, and was bolstered on record by the newest incarnation of the band-- which, in addition to himself on vocals, guitar, piano, and harmonica, consists of Dave Bryson on drums, Andrew Duplantis on bass and backing vocals, and ex-Backslider Brad Rice on guitar. As enticing as the first Son Volt recording since 1998's Wide Swing Tremolo will be for fans, Farrar himself seems equally enthused about the results of the recording: "We didn't know what we were capable of as a band. Since none of us knew exactly what to expect, the recording session was unconstrained and spontaneous. I think we found a creative flow." By the way, Okemah is a city in Oklahoma, not some Lion King thing. We didn't know. Tracklist:

01 Bandages & Scars
02 Afterglow 61
03 Jet Pilot
04 Atmosphere
05 Ipecac
06 Who
07 Endless War
08 Medication
09 6 String Belief
10 Gramophone
11 Chaos Supreme
12 World Waits for You
13 World Waits for You (Reprise)

* Pitchfork Review: Son Volt: Wide Swing Tremolo
* Pitchfork Review: Jay Ferrar: Stone, Steel and Bright Lights [6.5]
* Son Volt:

Posted by David Nadelle on Mon, May 23, 2005 at 12:00am