Veteran alt-country act Son Volt will have a new album, a retrospective disc and a live DVD available in the near future.
On July 12, the Jay Farrar-led group will release “Okemah and the Melody of Riot,” its fourth studio album and first in seven years under the Son Volt name. The album will be issued by Transmit Sound/Legacy in DualDisc format with interviews and video content.
Recorded in October 2004 in St. Louis, “Okemah” was produced by Farrar, who sings and plays guitar, piano and harmonica on the set. The musicians rounding out the group are making their first appearance on a Son Volt studio release, although drummer Dave Bryson (Damnation A.D.) has been a member of Farrar’s solo backing band for some time. Bassist Andrew Duplantis has logged time with the Meat Puppets and played with Richard Buckner, while guitarist Brad Rice was a member of the Backsliders and has also recorded with Ryan Adams.
“We didn’t know what we were capable of as a band,” Farrar says. “Since none of us knew exactly what to expect, the recording session was unconstrained and spontaneous. I think we found a creative flow.”
Son Volt kicks off a European tour April 22 in Belgium. A handful of U.S. shows will precede a proper tour planned for September.
“Okemah and the Melody of Riot” will be the follow-up to 1998’s “Wide Swing Tremolo” (Warner Bros.), which debuted at No. 93 on The Billboard 200. Since then, Farrar has released three solo studio albums and the 2004 live set “Steel, Stone & Bright Lights,” all through Artemis.
Before the new material arrives, Rhino will release “A Retrospective 1995-2000.” Due May 24, the 20-track set includes such favorites as “I’ve Got To Know” and “Rex’s Blues.” Also included will be five previously unreleased tracks, including four-track demos of “Tear Stained Eye” and “Loose String,” and a live version of “Medicine Hat.”
Finally, Son Volt’s 1997 appearance on the PBS series “Austin City Limits” will be released May 10 on DVD via New West Records. It will mark the debut for the band’s full performance, as the session was edited to 30 minutes for its original airing, when it was paired with a separate performance by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.
Here is the “Okemah and the Melody of Riot” track list:
“Bandages & Scars”
“Afterglow 61”
“Jet Pilot”
“Atmosphere”
“Ipecac”
“Who”
“Endless War”
“Medication”
“6 String Belief”
“Gramophone”
“Chaos Streams”
“World Waits for You”
“World Waits for You (Reprise)”
Here is the “A Retrospective 1995-2000” track list:
“Drown”
“Windfall”
“Route”
“Rex’s Blues”
“Looking at the World Through a Windshield”
“Too Early”
“Back Into Your World”
“Picking up the Signal”
“I’ve Got To Know”
“Creosote”
“Straightface”
“Tulsa County”
“Driving the View”
“Ain’t No More Cane”
“Flow”
“Holocaust”
“Tear Stained Eye” (four-track demo)
“Loose String” (four-track demo)
“Medicine Hat” (live, Acoustic Cafe)
“Open All Night”
Source billboard.com.
