September 2004

Switchin' over to AM, searchin' for a truer sound...

Filed under: Imported

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 22, 2004

NO ONE EVER SAID IT WAS OVER: SON VOLT REFORMS AND RETURNS TO STUDIO

Midwest-based Son Volt, with songwriter Jay Farrar at the helm, will begin recording their fourth full length album at the end of September. Following a five-year hiatus, with the exception of the April 2004 recording of �Sometimes� for the Alejandro Escovedo tribute album, multi-instrumentalist Dave Boquist, bassist Jim Boquist and drummer Mike Heidorn will reconvene at Farrar�s St. Louis studio. Speaking about the �Sometimes� session, Farrar says: "It felt like we hit the ground running when we recorded Al's song for Por Vida. Five years seemed like five days at that point. It proved that more recording and performing as Son Volt is something that should happen."

As this revered band reconnects, a unique glimpse inside the Son Volt sessions will be offered. Beginning October 1, a webcamera will be placed in the studio to capture a day of pre-production and 16 days of recording. The webcamera can be accessed at www.jayfarrar.net/webcam and will feature streaming photos that refresh every 5 seconds.

Farrar formed Son Volt in 1994 after the dissolution of Uncle Tupelo. With the release of Trace, Straightaways and Wide Swing Tremolo, the band was met with praise by the public and critics alike. From the plain-spoken chorus of �Windfall� to the gritty guitars of �Straightface�, Son Volt has always pushed the boundaries to blend traditional American music forms with poetic imagery and straight-ahead rock.

Son Volt is not currently affiliated with a label and plans to return to the road in early 2005.

Posted by Jack Sparks at September 23, 2004 10:15 AM

Yer wanted by the police and my wife thinks yer dead...

Filed under: Imported

Junior Brown, Tonight, First Avenue

In the world of club country, Junior Brown is truly an original. He has managed to somehow fuse Ernest Tubb to Jimi Hendrix, and prevented the whole thing from coming off as some sort of schtick. I've never had the opportunity to see him in a joint with a real dance floor, but, I've seen him many times in big clubs like the Mainroom, and he cranks up a really powerful gig from start to finish. And, like all the best gut country acts, he's adored by all...the squares, the hippies, the hookers, the bikers, the cowboys, etc. It's an early show, so take yer girl to a nice dinner, then waltz her over to First Ave for some Junior.

Posted by Jack Sparks at September 15, 2004 8:07 AM

Pthbbbbbbbtt!!!!

Filed under: Imported

From John Delcos in the (Westchester) Journal News and USAToday:

[The Yankees] were crushed, 22-0 Tuesday by the Cleveland Indians, the most one-sided loss in franchise history. They were numb by the third inning, powerless to stop the Indian hitters and the cascading boos.

Quite simply this couldn't have happened to a better team. I don't just mean the Yankees as an organization--the Supreme Vortex of All Evil in the Universe--but rather, this particular team. ARod, Jeter, Matsui, Torre, et al. This supposed collection of the best of the best. Twenty-two to nothing is more than humiliating. It's an indictment of this band of gutless cowards and their fat paychecks. A score like that should never happen in baseball, under any circumstances, let alone to the allegedly greatest team ever. Rather than trying to fight back, they rolled over and died, and let the conviction become complete with a goose egg on the scoreboard. Fantastic. I'm no Red Sox fan, but I hope Boston catches them now, and one of the Western teams beats them out for the wild card. Show some heart or go away.

Posted by Jack Sparks at September 1, 2004 11:21 AM

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