Son Volt: Straightaways

Album: Straightaways
Artist: Son Volt
Year: 1997

Six posts strong, welcome to Son Volt. Today has been super busy so I haven't got a whole lot of chances to listen but that's okay, the day is still young. Lets get into it.

1. Caryatid Easy

This is a fun song. The guitar throughout is lively and poppy, it has that unusual alt-country sound. A Caryatid, obviously, is a statue (usually female I think) that serves as a support like a column. As you can imagine these are found in Greece and places like that. What does it have to do with the song? I'm sure its some sort of metaphor... something to do with support or something. The lyrics are really good, interesting and engaging. There are some really cool vocal harmonies as well... this is a very good song, definitely a standout track on the record.

2. Back Into Your World

This song is slower and more acoustic / clean than the first. The lyrics in this song are almost heartbreaking. "Let me back into your world / no uncertain terms..." The subject matter of this song... I guess you could say its more country but lets face it almost every artist has an 'oh please take me back' song. This song maintains that alt-country sound. A solid second track, something you could play for someone that broke your heart, something that could melt a heart of stone.

3. Picking Up the Signal

Its apparent this is the song that the record's title comes from. This song is more upbeat than the last, it has a long drive sort of attitude. A long drive with the windows down in summer. Other then that not a lot to say about this song.

4. Left a Slide

I really like the opening to this song. Compared to the other ones, this song is downright melancholy. After this song I decided that this whole album is good for a long drive.

5. Creosote

I really like the opening lines of this song: "Passing under barren skies / waiting for our worlds to collide." This song sounds good, maybe suffers from sounding a bit too much like some of the other songs. There is a really neat slide guitar solo in this song though.

6. Cemetery Savior

I really like this song. "No one here says what they mean / no one here says what they mean." I like those two lines and the repetition. Not much else to say...

7. Last Minute Shakedown

These songs are really starting to blend together. There is a nice electric guitar hook in this song though... during the chorus. That made me happy.

8. Been Set Free

Great opening to this song, probably the best on the CD. This song sounds a lot different from the others which is good, its darker and more atmospheric... more bluesy I think. This is a good song for driving too, but I think it'd be best to drive in the darkness of pre-dawn. This is a standout track.

9. No More Parades

Son Volt always has good openings to their song, I've just decided. Sometimes they can get a little boring in the middle, is my only problem. Its not that they aren't talented, though. This song is pretty good though... not quite a standout though.

10. Way Down Watson

This song debuts the harmonica. Probably the best lyrics on the album, the best of the "melancholy" songs. You're going to have to listen to this one... I'm choosing it as my representative track for the record.

Closing Remarks:

Well there was this influential country band called Uncle Tupelo... and when they broke up they kind of split into two bands... one was Son Volt and the other was Wilco. Wilco really escaped out of that alternative country sound after a few records but Son Volt never really did, both bands are very talented. I just don't think as many people have heard of Son Volt. This is their 1997 release but they just came out with a new album this year I think, which is called American Central Dust. It has almost nothing to do with central america.