I say it's a good thing

tedious · Post by **tedious** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 3:43 am

WST is my favourite by a mile. Straightface is one of the greatest album openers of all time. Makes me want to start a band every time I hear it.....fortunately I don't or I'd be in quite a few bands by now.

Mort · Post by **Mort** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:54 am

LH wrote:Can we agree that "Trace" was the best of the three albums? After that the best is "Straightaways", then coming third is "Swing Wide Tremelo". See a trend? Each one of those albums is great, but let's be honest, they all sound very similar and SonVolt version 1 could never put out anything that can top "Trace". Sorry, that's the best those 4 guys will ever sound together. LH

If Jay has penned 15 songs of the same standard as on Trace (or Straightaways for that matter - which I think is equally excellent), I wouldn't worry 'bout that. Those '4 guys' would sound great together given (or if they had taken - depending on how you see it) the opportunity. You can not top Trace with 15 crappy songs played by excellent musicians. (To avoid name-calling I am NOT insinuating that Jay writes crappy songs

)

LH wrote: I see a reunion with the old SonVolt as a step backward. These new guys will breath new life into the SonVolt sound. I am looking forward to seeing what comes next.
LH

I can't agree with the step backwards argument, but I'm with you on the 'looking forward to' argument. I can't wait 'till the record is released. I'm predicting heavy rotation in all my CD-players.

M.

Hank Snow · Post by **Hank Snow** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 11:54 am

TinyElvis wrote:I feel that all 3 are equal and that none really sound too similar. They ALL have a feeling of their own. If I had to pick a fave, it would be 'Wide Swing Tremolo' (that fact that you got the title wrong makes me wonder how much you've listened to it).

What's wrong with continuity? Why do some feel that a band has to 'reinvent' themselves with every release?

TinyE

Good point. I think they are all obviously fantastic albums. I get great enjoyment from each of them. I don't agree with LH's assesment of the 3 albums at all. I feel they are each very bold statements, filled with amazing songs. Straightaways continues where Trace left off, somewhat a similar vein, but with more. WST enters new territory, something altogether different about it, while still maintaining that Son Volt Vibe. I think it was produced better, it was bigger, more open, more accessible. I think you can see how it was building on the other two.

I am rambling, I am not good explaining this how I think of this, but I don't think of it as Trace was the best, then downhill from there. I think each album has it's own greatness about it, and my collection would not be complete without any one of them.

Sorry I am so wordy.

sungod7 · Post by **sungod7** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 11:40 am

dharmabeat wrote:Hanging Blue Side - bold statement but it's the best song Jay's written.

Hanging Blue Side is great, could be my favorite also. I really think that song is underappreciated due it being buried near the back of WST.

mister spills wrote:At the end of the day, Straightaways is probably my favorite... but I like all 3 equally and each in their own way.

Seems like I remember many people saying Straightaways was a rehash of Trace. That always just floored me. Maybe it didn't have obvious standouts like Windfall & Tear Stained Eye but the album as a whole is outstanding. The fiddle in Creosote & the guitar at the beginning of No More Parades... good stuff. It's probably my favorite of the 3 also.

JSpill · Post by **JSpill** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:23 am

It may be a cliche, but Tear Stained Eye is a masterpiece. They just don't get any better. But isn't it funny how we can all say this or that is the best song he ever wrote and when you get down to it, we're all right. It's an eye of the beholder thing. I bet there's even somebody out there who just can't get enough of Jodel.

mister spills · Post by **mister spills** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 7:34 pm

LH wrote:Everybody has favorites.

"Caryatid Easy" is the best song Jay's ever penned.

LH · Post by LH » Thu Oct 07, 2004 7:29 pm

It does have the same feel, can't argue that. I do love when the fiddle comes in on that tune.

We're fans of all the music, gotta remember that. Everybody has favorites. Mine is "Picking up the Signal" off Straightaways. Brings back memories driving my piece-o-shit VW Fox back and forth from Chicago to Iowa City when that album first came out. Windows down, smoking cigarettes, ratty old Cubs hat on, Son Volt cranked on the stereo....

Think I'll throw that old record on now.....

mister spills · Post by **mister spills** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 7:16 pm

At the end of the day, Straightaways is probably my favorite... but I like all 3 equally and each in their own way.

keith21 · Post by **keith21** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 6:00 pm

countryBoy wrote:Hanging Blue Side is a re-write of Windfall, take the lyrics out and its the same damn song.

The chord progression is not the same at all. It's not even in the same key.

countryBoy · Post by **countryBoy** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 4:48 pm

Hanging Blue Side is a re-write of Windfall, take the lyrics out and its the same damn song.

dharmabeat · Post by **dharmabeat** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 4:33 pm

Hanging Blue Side - bold statement but it's the best song Jay's written.

LH · Post by LH » Thu Oct 07, 2004 4:05 pm

Yeah, messed the title up, but maybe that hints at where I'm coming from. It's not a vital album. Trace is vital, Sebastapol is vital. WST is good, but it never did much for me.

Farrar is a super-talented guy. I'd rather see him move into new territory rather that rehash the old.

TinyElvis · Post by **TinyElvis** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 3:53 pm

I feel that all 3 are equal and that none really sound too similar. They ALL have a feeling of their own. If I had to pick a fave, it would be 'Wide Swing Tremolo' (that fact that you got the title wrong makes me wonder how much you've listened to it).

What's wrong with continuity? Why do some feel that a band has to 'reinvent' themselves with every release?

TinyE

keith21 · Post by **keith21** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 3:53 pm

Good point about Trace, but I wouldn't neccesarilly agree that they are all that similar. Maybe Straightaways and Trace but I think WST has a definately different sound ad I think it was a nice evolution.
That said, it's my opinion that Terroir Blues is Jay's best work since Trace, maybe best of all. He definately doesn't need the old Son Volt to make unbelievable music.

LH · Post by LH » Thu Oct 07, 2004 2:41 pm

Can we agree that "Trace" was the best of the three albums? After that the best is "Straightaways", then coming third is "Swing Wide Tremelo". See a trend? Each one of those albums is great, but let's be honest, they all sound very similar and SonVolt version 1 could never put out anything that can top "Trace". Sorry, that's the best those 4 guys will ever sound together. The two following albums sounded like they could have been collections of outtakes from the first. What would a fourth album from that same band sound like? More of the same. Great music, but nothing that would turn your head as much as the first spin of "Trace" did.

Jay's solo work introduced a new sound that we had not heard from him. Jaty Farrar was using a Moog. That was cool. The music and sounds were excellent. Jay was stepping out and it was working.

I see a reunion with the old SonVolt as a step backward. These new guys will breath new life into the SonVolt sound. I am looking forward to seeing what comes next.

LH

Jay Farrar

I say it's a good thing

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