Son Volt is an American rock band formed in 1994 by Jay Farrar after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo. The band's current line-up consists of Farrar (vocals, guitar), Andrew DuPlantis (bass guitar), John Horton (guitar), Mark Patterson (drums), and Mark Spencer (keyboard, steel guitar). In addition to playing alternative rock, the band is considered a staple of the alternative country rock movement of the 1990s. The band's sound also is rooted in folk rock and Americana. The band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2001, before reforming in 2004.
History Early years, Trace, Straightaways, and Wide Swing Tremolo The group formed after the alternative country rock act Uncle Tupelo broke up due to tensions between Farrar and bandmate Jeff Tweedy. After Uncle Tupelo split, Tweedy formed the alternative rock act Wilco, while Farrar decided to form another act. While forming Son Volt, Farrar met Jim and Dave Boquist during the final Uncle Tupelo tour and teamed up with former Uncle Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn to create the band. The group performed and recorded in the Minneapolis area in late 1994 and performed its first concert at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis on June 16, 1995. While half of the band was rooted in the Minneapolis area, Farrar and Heidorn lived in the St. Louis area, and the band used both cities as bases for its operations during the first couple of years.
Son Volt's first album, Trace, met with critical acclaim and topped many "best-of" lists in 1995. It was a moderate commercial success; the first track "Windfall" became very popular in the alt-country scene, while the band released "Drown" as a single which charted No. 10 on the mainstream rock charts and No. 25 on the modern rock charts. By 2009, Trace had sold 297,000 copies in the United States.
1997's Straightaways followed in the same vein as Trace with even a more acoustic feel, leading some music critics to give negative reviews, but strong and positive reviews came from outlets such as the Orlando Sentinel and the Chicago Tribune. 1998's Wide Swing Tremolo featured a heavier rock sound and received mostly positive reviews from music outlets. Entertainment Weekly wrote that "many of the songs ... return to the power and purity of the band’s brilliant 1995 debut, Trace."
Hiatus and return Farrar announced a hiatus from Son Volt after their 1999 tour. Beginning in 2001, Jay Farrar released several solo efforts that postponed further releases from Son Volt. Farrar reformed with the original members of Son Volt to record a song for a tribute album for Alejandro Escovedo. The sessions reportedly went so well that Farrar and the other band members intended to record once again in the autumn of 2004. Just prior to the sessions, however, Farrar and the other band members abruptly ended negotiations. Farrar formed a new version of the band with a different line-up and released an album on Transmit Sound/Sony Legacy, Okemah and the Melody of Riot, a folk-rock album based on protest music that had been influenced by Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. in 2005. That same year also saw the release of A Retrospective: 1995-2000, which gathered highlights from this era, along with previously unreleased recordings. 2006 saw the release of a live DVD, Six String Belief, which was recorded at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC.
Band reformed and new music In 2007, the band returned to an alternative rock and alt-country sound and released a studio album called The Search. The Americana- and folk-influenced album American Central Dust followed, released by Rounder Records on July 7, 2009. Their next project was a Bakersfield Sound-influenced album aptly named Honky Tonk, which was released March 5, 2013, also by Rounder Records. A large scale tour followed the release of the album. On February 17, 2017, the band released Notes of Blue on Farrar's label, Transmit Sound.
Union and Electro Melodier The band's ninth studio album, Union, was released on March 28, 2019 on Farrar's Transmit Sound label and distributed by Thirty Tigers Records. The album consisted of songs that were highly critical of the election of US President Donald Trump and his administration. Many of the songs were commentaries on middle-class economics, freedom of the press, and immigration. Son Volt's tenth album, Electro Melodier, was released on July 30, 2021. In early summer 2021, guitarist Chris Frame announced that he would be leaving the band to pursue other interests and was replaced by former The Bottle Rockets guitarist John Horton. The tribute album Day of the Doug followed in 2023.
Musical style Son Volt's music ranges from quiet folk ballads reminiscent of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, to heartland rock in the spirit of Neil Young with Crazy Horse. The band's sound features a heavy alternative rock sound in many places, all while basing their music in mostly an Americana style.Stewart, M (2017)."Alt-Country Pioneers Son Volt Hit Stride at D.C.’s 9:30 Club"Live Music Daily Reviews refer to the band as alternative country pioneers, a "staple in the alt-country scene" or "a cult favorite", with their music "spanning a few musical niches", but based in Americana.Remz, J.B (2019). "Son Volt does it with music",Country Standard TimeArmstrong, C (2019). "Son Volt, ‘Reality Winner’ [Exclusive Premiere]", the BootObenschain, P (2019). "REMINDER Don’t Miss Son Volt w/ Old Salt Union TONIGHT @ The Basement East",No Country for New Nashville]
Members Current Jay Farrar (guitar, harmonica, piano, vocals), formerly of Uncle Tupelo Mark Patterson (drums) John Horton (guitar), formerly of the Bottle Rockets Mark Spencer (keyboards, steel guitar, bass), formerly of Blood Oranges Andrew DuPlantis (bass guitar)
Former Mike Heidorn (drums), formerly of Uncle Tupelo (original member of Son Volt) Dave Boquist (banjo, fiddle, guitar, lap steel) (original member of Son Volt) Jim Boquist (bass guitar, backing vocals) (original member of Son Volt) Eric Heywood (mandolin, pedal steel) Brad Rice (guitar on Okemah and the Melody of Riot, The Search) Derry deBorja (keyboards on The Search) Chris Masterson (guitar on American Central Dust) Gary Hunt (guitar, mandolin, steel guitar on Honky Tonk) Dave Bryson (drums on Okemah and the Melody of Riot, The Search, American Central Dust, Honky Tonk) Jason Kardong (pedal steel on Notes of Blue) Jacob Edwards (drums on Notes of Blue) Chris Frame (guitar on Union, Electro Melodier)
Discography Albums +List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and sales figuresTitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsSalesUSUSHeat.USInd.USAlt.Trace Released: September 19, 1995 Label: Warner Bros.1667—— US: 297,000Straightaways Released: April 22, 1997 Label: Warner Bros.44——— US: 95,000Wide Swing Tremolo Released: October 6, 1998 Label: Warner Bros.93———Okemah and the Melody of Riot Released: October 5, 2005 Label: Transmit Sound89———The Search Released: March 6, 2007 Label: Transmit Sound81—6—American Central Dust Released: July 7, 2009 Label: Rounder44——12 US: 21,000Honky Tonk Released: March 5, 2013 Label: Rounder67——16Notes of Blue Released: February 17, 2017 Label: Transmit Sound91—410Union Released: March 29, 2019 Label: Transmit Sound——6—Electro Melodier Released: July 30, 2021 Label: Transmit Sound————Day of the Doug Released: June 16, 2023 Label: Transmit Sound————Sound Signal Serenades Released: August 28, 2026 Label: Transmit Sound————
Live albums
Live at the Orange Peel (2020), Transmit Sound
Compilations A Retrospective: 1995-2000 (2005), Warner Bros. Records/Rhino
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album nameTitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum USAAAUSHeritage USMain. US Mod. CAN Alt."Windfall"1995 — — — — — Trace"Drown" 15 — 10 25 — "Loose String" — — — ——"Route"1996 — — — ——"Back Into Your World"1997 — — — ——Straightaways"Picking Up the Signal" — — — — — "Caryatid Easy"—————"Driving the View"1998—————Wide Swing Tremolo"Straightface"—28——8"Joe Citizen Blues/Jet Pilot"2005—————Okemah and the Melody of Riot"The Picture"200730————The Search"Down to the Wire"2009—————American Central Dust"Hearts and Minds"2013—————Honky Tonk"Back Against the Wall"201724————Notes of Blue"The 99"2019—————Union"The Reason"—————"The Globe"2020—————Electro Melodier"Reverie"2021—————"Livin' in the USA"————— "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Music videos Year Video Director 1995 "Drown" Phil Harder
References
External links
Son Volt's Site at The Wheel's Still In Spin Features and CD reviews of Son Volt at the Country Standard Time web site