Electro Melodier: Transmit Sound 2023 : Day of the Doug: Transmit. "We were fortunate in that we had just released Union and toured the country, so we were off cycle. Son Volt albums and discography on AllMusic including all best, old, and new album information. Social protest songs like "Living in the U.S.A." and "The Globe," the former about the promises of this nation gone wrong, the latter referencing the street protests accompanying the Black Lives Matter movement, exist side by side with odes to long-term relationships (specifically his 25-year marriage) in "Diamonds and Cigarettes" and "Lucky Ones." Once again accompanied by the current Son Volt line up - keyboardist/steel guitarist Mark Spencer, bassist Andrew Duplantis, guitarist Chris Frame and drummer Mark Patterson - Farrar takes a slight turn from 2019's politically pointed Union to a series of songs that asks questions rather than demanding answers - think of "Living in the U.S.A." as Farrar's version of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A.," Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" or Patti Smith's "People Have the Power," an anthem to unite the populace."I had more time to devote to and concentrate on the writing," says Farrar about his enforced quarantine. 2020 unknown Son Volt 128 THE GLOBE digital single rel. The title, taken from the names of two vintage amplifiers from the late '40s and early '50s, also describes the disc's unique blend of folk, country, blues, soul and rock - an electric troubadour with melodies that hit and stick. The group had just finished an Outlaw Country Cruise when the pandemic hit and sent them into their homes on lockdown.Instead of a triumphant tour marking the illustrious landmark, Farrar was forced indoors by the pandemic, and his "Reverie" during that time helped define Electro Melodier, Son Volt's 10th studio album - and third for influential Nashville indie Thirty Tigers. But overall, it’s just one, one big continuum, you know, every artist learns from other artists and they, hopefully, pass something along in the process.IT'S A NEW WORLD, THIS IS THE LIFE/THESE ARE THE TIMES2020 was not quite what Jay Farrar was expecting for the 25th anniversary of Son Volt, the band he started in 1995 after leaving the seminal group Uncle Tupelo, whose No Depression album helped define the alt-country and Americana genre. And that’s certainly what both Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt try to do. “And the best any artist can do is try to put their own experiences and their own stamp on it. Because no one ever really starts anything -influences come from somewhere else,” Farrar says humbly. “I think it’s great that anyone would think that I was involved with starting any kind of movement, but the reality is, that’s not the case. Just as “Livin’ In The USA” is a nod to Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” and Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” Farrar shares they borrowed the “doomsaying prophecies” from the likes Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction” set to the guitar riffs of Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane.” For Farrar, he and his band’s contribution is just part of the influential give-and-take of music traditions. In the years and records since their inception, Son Volt is often credited for pioneering the alt-country or Americana movement which has come to dominate mainstream or commercial music over the last few years. The poignant lyrics address rising environmental concerns and even quotes Pope Francis on “turbulent rains never before seen” in the context of the pandemic. allegedly carved his name, the Southern rock ballad takes unexpected political turns. Named for a Honky Tonk in Bandera, Texas, Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar, where Hank Williams, Sr. “Arkey Blue” is one of these candid tracks. Returning to their deep-run roots for this song shaped the rest of their milestone album. Beginning on this note, the band continues to build from their bedrock of Americana soundscapes weighed down with social commentary. The album opens with “Reverie,” an aching anthem for those, like Farrar, who watched the world burn outside of their windows for months on end. Pregnant with the fear, bred from unprecedented uncertainty, the writing is undoubtedly topical. But, the gravity of the global pandemic in 2020 and political fallout seeps into the music through the artists’ subconscious. Unlike their previous releases, Farrar deliberately noted that politics would take a backseat in this project. These songs were written in the early days of the pandemic.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |