The Wake

After a seven-year stint of recording as a solo artist, Jay Farrar has resurrected the band Son Volt. Their new release, titled Okemah and the Melody of Riot, finds Farrar’s rich voice embedded once again in the edgy, alt-country sound that this band is known for.

Showcasing some of Farrar’s best songs to date, Okemah is both consistent and inventive. The music is well structured without seeming rigid, and ambient without becoming aimless. The lyrics are brazenly free form, lacking repetition and structure in many cases.

“The words of Woody Guthrie ringing in my head,” sings Farrar on the opening track, “Bandages & Scars.” The mention of this folk icon is an immediate indication of the melodic, folk-like songs that fill the album. Tracks such as “Atmosphere” and “Who,” are incredibly catchy without being painfully simple.

While the sound of this album is not groundbreaking, it still manages to rise above the din being created by other bands. Son Volt stays true to their established feel while managing to experiment on tracks like “Medication.” The song, with its tinges of Eastern influence, gives the album more of a sense of completion and variety than it would otherwise have.

Packed with solid songs and tasteful musicianship, this album is Son Volt’s most accessible and consistent release to date. It also solidifies the sentiment that less is more, with bare-bones arrangements that should translate well to a live setting.