Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Jay Farrar always provided the darkest, grittiest moments in Uncle Tupelo, so it comes as no surprise that Son Volt is a rawer record than A.M., the first album by Wilco, a band led by his former partner Jeff Tweedy. Throughout Son Volt's debut, Trace, the group reworks classic honky tonk and rock & roll, adding a desperate, determined edge to their performances. Even when they rock out, there is a palpable sense of melancholy to Farrar's voice, which lends a poignancy to the music. Trace isn't a great step forward from Tupelo's last album, the lovely Anodyne, but it is a fine continuation of the ideas Farrar has pursued over the course of his career.
01 Windfall Farrar 2:58
02 Live Free Farrar 3:13
03 Tear Stained Eye Farrar 4:21
04 Route Farrar 3:57
05 Ten Second News Farrar 3:57
06 Drown Farrar 3:20
07 Loose String Farrar 3:48
08 Out of the Picture Farrar 3:50
09 Catching On Farrar 4:02
10 Too Early Farrar 4:29
11 Mystifies Me Wood 4:12