2020 was not quite what Jay Farrar was expecting for the 25th anniversary of Son Volt’s groundbreaking debut Trace. The group had just finished an Outlaw Country Cruise when the pandemic hit and sent them into their homes on lockdown. Instead of a triumphant tour marking the illustrious landmark, Farrar was forced indoors by the pandemic, and his “Reverie” during that time helped define Electro Melodier, Son Volt’s 10th studio album – and third with influential Nashville indie Thirty Tigers. The title, taken from the names of two vintage amplifiers from the late ‘40s and early ‘50s, also describes the disc’s unique blend of folk, country, blues, soul and rock – an electric troubadour with melodies that hit and stick. Social protest songs like “Livin' in the U.S.A.” and “The Globe,” the former about the promises of this nation gone wrong, the latter referencing the street protests accompanying the Black Lives Matter movement, exist side by side with odes to long-term relationships (specifically his 25-year marriage) in “Diamonds and Cigarettes” and “Lucky Ones.” Once again accompanied by the current Son Volt line up – keyboardist/steel guitarist Mark Spencer, bassist Andrew Duplantis, guitarist Chris Frame and drummer Mark Patterson – Farrar takes a slight turn from 2019’s politically pointed Union to a series of songs that asks questions rather than demanding answers – think of “Livin’ in the U.S.A.” as Farrar’s version of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” or Patti Smith’s “People Have the Power,” an anthem to unite the populace. TRACKLIST (Vinyl includes tracks 1-10) 1. REVERIE 2. ARKEY BLUE 3. THE GLOBE 4. DIAMONDS AND CIGARETTES 5. LUCKY ONES 6. WAR ON MISERY 7. LIVIN’ IN THE USA 8. SOMEDAY IS NOW 9. SWEET REFRAIN 10. THE LEVEE ON DOWN 11. THESE ARE THE TIMES 12. REBETIKA 13. THE GLOBE / PRELUDE 14. LIKE YOU
