MattZ Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I like this. I don't love it, but I suppose that I may with more listens. I have a feeling that this one will take some time to open up. Like a good wine. 3.7 from pitchfork is just silly. I dig the groove on Down to the Wire. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I listened to "Down To The Wire" again and "Cocaine and Ashes" for the first time. I'll stop after I say this, but it is just the lyrics. I know they were always a little odd, but they seemed to fit and make sense in some way or feel like they make sense. Trace is full of odd lyrics, but they fit and it serves the mood. Even "Blind Hope" off of WST (which is completely stream of consicousness) makes sense to me or doesn't feel akward. All of the new stuff just feels wierd to me. When I listen to "Down To The Wire" it is like he doesn't care at all about phrasing or pacing or anything it is just word jumble over the top of decent tunes. Ok, enough out of me.You're just bitter that Jay didn't crush a harmonica on this album. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I listened to "Down To The Wire" again and "Cocaine and Ashes" for the first time. Listen to "Roll On," "No Turning Back," & "Pushed Too Far" and then let's talk. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
people are leaving Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 All of the new stuff just feels weird to me. When I listen to "Down To The Wire" it is like he doesn't care at all about phrasing or pacing or anything it is just word jumble over the top of decent tunes. After listening to Dust of Daylight, I dont understand how you could feel that way. It's a near perfect song, which in my opinion will be recognized over time alongside Windfall, Tear-Stained Eye and Methamphetamine as "classics" from the Farrar oeuvre. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I imagine Pitchfork didn't actually listen to the album and just decided to flip the digits in Wilco (The Album)'s score, 7.3, and make it 3.7. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maggie Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I cannot comment on this album because the pre-order I purchased in the beginning of June has not been delivered. I made my purchase within just a couple hours of the pre-order going up on Jay's site, so this is definitely not cool. I guess this is the thanks I get for NOT listening to the leak. The rest of my mail is here, but I'll give it a little longer before I email the company just in case the package shows up late. Mail in my town has been a bit screwed up lately due to the neighboring town's post office closing altogether. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pmancini100 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 blah blah blah...the dude's only criticism is that the album doesn't 'rock'. what the hell does that mean. farrar's recent output, excluding okemah, hasn't been that immediate. trace was nothing we'd ever heard and it totally rocked. but, the rest of his output DESERVES repeated listens. it's for real music lovers, who see music as literature and totally legitimate. the culture now, exemplified in part by pitchfork, is listen to as much as possible and either trash or declare it utter genius...then on to the next masterpiece. son volt and wilco are not of that ilk and will most certainly be either praised or thrown aside. however, in 15 years when my kids start really getting into music, it's tweedy and farrar i'm gonna hook them up with. them in addition to neil young, bruce springsteen, tom waits, and bob dylan. it's tweedy and farrar who have become the top song writers of gen x. no doubt about it. pitchfork will be long gone (hell, whoever even heard of or cares about the reviewers name), but wilco and son volt cds will always be part of any good collection. we have stephen foster, then woody guthrie, then bob dylan, then neil young, then bruce springsteen, then farrar and tweedy. i don't make that statement in jest. it's the reality of american songcraft history. ps-i might even add john mellencamp into that group. mellencamp? really? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pmancini100 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 in terms of son volt, i think its in the lyrics. trace was a solid record in that it had one unifying theme: time. it was a solid record with a theme. i feel a lot of his stuff after that sorta lost coherence, and it was basically just a few great songs per album. when hes great, hes amazing. i dunno. just my opinion. the lyrics on the new record arent close to trace. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I cannot comment on this album because the pre-order I purchased in the beginning of June has not been delivered. I made my purchase within just a couple hours of the pre-order going up on Jay's site, so this is definitely not cool. I guess this is the thanks I get for NOT listening to the leak. The rest of my mail is here, but I'll give it a little longer before I email the company just in case the package shows up late. Mail in my town has been a bit screwed up lately due to the neighboring town's post office closing altogether. Hey, I got my pre-order yesterday. I had no clue that it was going to be signed, which was cool. As for the PF review, I don't agree at all. This album is really solid and has all the things I like about SV. I didn't really like the Search at all, so this is a real treat to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maggie Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Hey, I got my pre-order yesterday. I had no clue that it was going to be signed, which was cool. I received a quick response from Fast Atmosphere - my CD shipped last Tuesday via first class mail and should arrive any day now. We shall see. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Saw Mellencamp last week with Dylan and Nelson in Sauget, Illinois. Last time I saw him was back in 87 or 88. He still puts on a great show. He opened up with Pink Houses, which I thought was kinda of cool. He had a solid band backing him. Picked up the Son Volt disc today; haven't had a chance to listened to it yet, though. I am bit disappointed that lyrics were not included. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Picked up the Son Volt disc today; haven't had a chance to listened to it yet, though. I am bit disappointed that lyrics were not included.Get 'em here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 in terms of son volt, i think its in the lyrics.I think the lyrics are big part of what makes Son Volt special. However, for me, the manner in which they are delivered and the accompanying music are just as important. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I imagine Pitchfork didn't actually listen to the album and just decided to flip the digits in Wilco (The Album)'s score, 7.3, and make it 3.7. It seemed like they transferred all the vile we assumed was coming for WTA and just went off Son Volt instead. I didn't really agree with much of the review, I think this is a pretty cool record, Son Volt 2.0 (Okemah and onward) have been consistently solid. --Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brent Best Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Hey Nodep guy, I get where your coming from. Dont judge just based on Down to the Wire...I can surely see how an old school fan wouldnt dig that song either...It SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN CHOOSEN as the single...But there are some absolute gems on here...Dust of Daylight, Pushed Too Far, No Turning Back, Roll On, Jukebox of Steel and Dynamite are all top notch...I love Wilco too but I cant stand the new Wilco album. I am shocked at how the critcs arent trashing it, because in my opionion it is has no redeeming qualites whatsoever. But unlike Jay, Tweedy knows how to market himself...Iam sure even he cringed when he heard Down to the Wire as a single...If you like the Son Volt 2.0 stuff, you will like that song, but if your like most Son Volt fans that gave up on the band after The Search or earlier, you cant fathom how that was choosen...Dust of Daylight or No Turning Back would have put Jay back on the map, but he choose to go with a song that better represent his newer stuff, though it doesnt fairly represent this album. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmait Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 The Denver Post interviews Jay: http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_12764297 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scalzunfield Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I just got the album and upon first listen...wow, how bad is this record? I'm hoping it grows but it's got a LOOOOOONG way to go. Jay used to write some pretty cool riffs over the top of some very standard progressions. This album is those same chord progression sans any discernible riffs/melodies. Just dull, dull, dull for every song. And is it just me or is he using the same vocal melody in virtually every damn song on this thing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Maggie Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Got my copy today, so I'm going to chime in and say that the Pitchfork review is indeed ridiculous. This isn't the kind of music Pitchfork gives their stamp of approval. Son Volt didn't stand a chance no matter how great or terrible the record is. American Central Dust isn't the most immediately enjoyable Son Volt album I've ever heard, but the overall sound is great. I'm just starting my second listen right now, and I can tell already that it's going to grow on me. I love the "Jukebox of Steel" ending in particular. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bleedorange Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I wouldn't say this album is terrible, but it was putting me to sleep this morning. I had to cut it off about 8 songs in and put on the new UUVVWWZ. I'll try to start it up again when I'm in the right frame of mind, but it sounds like the same stuff Jay has been trotting out for a long time now. The lyrics seemed a little more clumsy than usual, though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zuma Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 This album isn't doing much for me. I really like "Dynamite" and "No Turning Back," but many of these songs just bore me. I think a lot of it has to do with their last two albums being so freaking electric that I am having a hard time with this change of sound... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 No Depression's take on ACD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 After one listen, I like it quite a bit. Lyrically there are some cheesy lines, though. I did not read the Pitchfork review before listening to the disc, but afterward I read it and all the negative things the reviewer wrote, happen to be all the reasons I like the disc. To each their own, I guess. Especially the production and mix. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 but afterward I read it and all the negative things the reviewer wrote, happen to be all the reasons I like the disc. To me, that's always been the measure of a good review - for anything, not just music. Regardless of whether the author enjoys the album or not, it shows that they can pick out the pertinent parts and convey that sentiment to the reader. What the PFork guy basically said was that he didn't like the disc because it sounded like Son Volt which, you know, is a pretty accurate statement. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zuma Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 What the PFork guy basically said was that he didn't like the disc because it sounded like Son Volt which, you know, is a pretty accurate statement. Funny...I guess, to me, it doesn't sound like the "recent" Son Volt (Okemah, The Search), and that is why I am having a hard time with it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CortezTheKiller Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I guess it's all about your entry point to Son Volt. This album definitely sounds more like the first two Son Volt albums do. Okemah and The Search represent departures from the "Son Volt sound" to a certain extent, and feature a different line-up - commonly referred to as Son Volt 2.0. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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