Son Volt - Okemah & The Melody of Riot

[opt80]

Artist: Son Volt
Title: Okemah And The Melody Of Riot
Year of Release:
Record Label: Sony Entertainment
Genre:

I was curious about dualdisc,and since I had my handy CDPlus card I headed to the wild city of Charlottetown to pick-up the disc.
There was a light rain falling,the wipers made a swishy sound as they danced across the slick,ice-like windshield.
I arrived at CDPlus,exhausted from the 10 minute drive from work.I walk into the store,a dark scowl from a hard day masks my usual Pierce Brosnan-like features.
Here you go Alan shouts the sales clerk with the perky smile and perky breasts.
I played the cd\Dvd this AM,it is rather good,not nmy cup of chowder,but for $30.??
There are a lot of jangly guitars,and Farrar's voice is in fine form. The songs tend to blend together like your cousins at a Sunday picnic.
Would I buy it again,No Did I waste $30. probably but time will tell

[Davey]

Did I waste $30. probably but time will tell
Yeah, that's a lot of clams, even in Canadian clams. $18.98 CAD at mymusic.com and probably only $10 or $12 USD at one of the big box, ma & pa busting, appliance department stores down here in the home of alt-country. Son Volt and Farrar have always had a comfortable sound that doesn't vary much stylistically. Some people love it and some don't. Haven't heard it yet myself but I did just read a very nice review by Jonathan Keefe at Slant Magazine (http://slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=607) that makes me wanna hear it. I honestly haven't really gotten too excited about anything from Farrar since Trace. But that one is a classic.

[dmusgrave]

I was actually about to do a review of this album... I'm glad I did a search first.

I am a HUGE Uncle Tupelo/Jay Farrar/Jeff Tweedy fan.

I am a HUGE Son Volt Fan and Wilco fan.

Okemah and the Melody of Riot isn't my FAVORITE Son Volt album, but it is a spectacular album in my opinion. I love everything Farrar has done.

He does dig a little deeper into politics on Okemah than I'd prefer, but not to a level I find distracting.

For a first time Son Volt listener I'd suggest Trace as a better first listen... if Trace "hooks" you I can't imagine anything else in the Uncle Tupelo/Son Volt/Jay Farrar catalog would disappoint.

[riverrat]

I started with Uncle Tupelo Anodyne and have followed both Son Volt and Wilco since then.

I like this album a lot, almost as much as Trace.

It is considerably more consistent, at least to my ears, than Wilco's recent navel gazing efforts...

[Art K.]

Another splendid effort from Jay Farrar...as Son Volt.