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Son Volt's pleasant surprise

Son Volt - American Central Dust (Rounder)

In the Jeff Tweedy v. Jay Farrar allegiance debate, I’ve always tended more toward Tweedy. I just have to get that out of the way. And yet, this time around, I found myself more quick to warm to Son Volt’s American Central Dust than I did to Wilco’s self-titled release of a week ago (which continues to grow on me). As usual, though, Farrar’s melody-deprived monotone on Dust starts so devoid of emotional inflection that every word sounds like a confession of resigned sadness.

There is so little musicality in his lyrics, little sonic development. The first two songs don't blow my mind. The acoustic guitar is buried and Mark Spencer's steel is far into the foreground and is the only instrumental attribute for “Roll On”. The song never builds tension, never resolves. It just hangs in the sweet spot for the duration, making it difficult to tell if it really is the sweet spot, considering it never moves.

Then comes “Cocaine and Ashes” – about Keith Richards’ claim that he snorted his father’s ashes. Through tight harmonies, the lyrics claim “I snorted my father” casually, following with “but I’m still alive.” The whole song is casual and earnest, like a careless confession, the way Richards might respond to the question, “Did you snort your father’s ashes?” by saying, “Yeah, whatever.” Which is to say, it's right on the mark.

Farrar’s lyrics are, for the most part, unmusical and unpretentious. He doesn’t waste time with rhyme, doesn’t work on a line until the rhythm matches the song. In fact, there’s a sense, as there always is, that the music is just there as a vehicle for delivering the lines. If the words don’t fit inside it, he’s happy to leave them hanging out the window. Then, all of a sudden, he’ll let fall something at once poetic and musical, like “Love is a fog and you stumble every step you make” (“Dust of Daylight”), and I suddenly feel like Dust is completely redeemed.

Spencer's keys and steel deliver some of the disc's finest instrumental moments from start to finish. Lyrically, there are a number of tunes which clicked with me instantly – “Pushed Too Far,” “When the Wheels Don’t Move,” “No Turning Back.” Enough, in fact, that perhaps my own Tweedy v. Farrar pendulum is swinging the other way this time around.

For now. Maybe.

Tags: altcountry, american, americana, blog, central, community, dust, farrar, jay, magazine, More…music, nodepression, son, sonvolt, volt

Comment by denton fabrics on July 7, 2009 at 6:57am: "...Farrar’s melody-deprived monotone... "

I couldn't have said it better. (That's why you're the writer and I'm not.) I've always liked listening to Son Volt. I dont think I'd go so far as to say I'm a fan, but I've respected their work, but I find myself paying attention to this album more than any of Farrars previous releases.

Still, my beautiful wife (whose musical tastes are aligned with mine for the most part) insists that Farrar makes up his lyrics as the song plods along. "It's easy", she said to me as we were driving home from the mountains Sunday night, listening to Central Dust on the 'pod. "Just look out the window and sing along with Jay using what you see outside as the lyrics". Okay, I'll give it a try....

"Pines on the road, is that a bridge up ahead, Shaker Village next exit, we're almost home..."

Hey, it works!

As Kim wrote, "Farrar’s lyrics are, for the most part, unmusical and unpretentious. He doesn’t waste time with rhyme, doesn’t work on a line until the rhythm matches the song. In fact, there’s a sense, as there always is, that the music is just there as a vehicle for delivering the lines." But still, I get it. I think I understand and can appreciate what Farrar is trying to do with his music.

But then again, next time you hear a Son Volt song, you should try "Song Volting", as the wife calls it. It's good clean fun and it's good for the economy too, probably.

"This coffee is crap, the Sox lost again, where's the goddam cat anyway?

Comment by Hillbilly Haiku on July 7, 2009 at 1:10pm: I admit Tweedy has never moved me in the least. But Farrar....

The biggest difference between Farrar and Tweedy as songwriters is that Tweedy generally takes an up-front and straightforward approach, whereas Farrar’s lyrics are couched in poetry, imagery and metaphor. Exactly how the Times Beach tragedy relates to a chorus that simply states “Only you’ll ever know / As day by day disappears / Only you’ll ever know” is a mystery — but it’s the feel, the emotion, that counts, and Farrar delivers that in spades.
--Peter Blackstock

Making something appear to be 'easy' is the mark of a master, no? Not that I agree that just saying whatever comes to sight or mind in any way equates with Farrar's imagery. Different strokes for different folks, that what makes it all go round.

Hope you found the cat! :-)

Comment by David Shaw on July 7, 2009 at 8:20pm: I always thought that Jay maybe kept notebooks with chance phrases he'd overheard and mix and matched them into songs ... but this one (Ten Second News from Trace) reminds me more of him looking out a window and jotting observations down on one of those notebooks:

When you find what matters is what you feel
It arrives, and it disappears
Driving down sunny 44 highway
There's a beach there known for cancer waiting to happen
When you're out across the county line
The news travels slower than a ten-second buzz

Comment by TwangNation.com on July 9, 2009 at 6:45am: Son Volt always seemed like Americana meat and potatoes to me. where Wilco always seems to be chasing sonic fashion that got in the way of Tweedy's obvious songwriting skill.

Comment by js on July 9, 2009 at 6:42pm: What backhanded compliments .. if you can even call them compliments. There is nothing "unmusical" about Jay Farrar's lyrics. He's full of musicality and sonic development. No Depression doesn't exist without Jay Farrar. They should revoke your privileges of speaking about him. No wonder this rag is online only now.

Comment by Christopher J on July 17, 2009 at 10:38am: Seems like a very grudgingly positive review. That tells me that someone with an open mind might actually really like this album. The reviewer clearly does not fall into that category. The multiple pot-shots she takes at Farrar's music seem to come from someone with an axe to grind. Also, Tweedy vs. Farrar is an apples to oranges comparison at this point in time. I give the album a thumbs-up, but this review a thumbs-down.

Comment by Adam R. Bowes on July 24, 2009 at 6:40pm: I agree with Christopher J. The album is great and Farrar's lyrics and singing are far from lacking musicality. Wilco (self titled) doesn't even compare!