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American Central Dust doesn't have the feel of a step into new territory the way Son Volt's past two albums did, but it consolidates old strengths and confirms Jay Farrar is still an artist worth caring about to 20 years after Uncle Tupelo cut their first album.
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While American Central Dust falls short of "Trace's" heights, the album showcases Farrar's excellent songwriting, which is comfortingly familiar. It’s also a little monotonous.
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Son Volt's label debut, American Central Dust, is some of the sleepiest protest music ever made: Every song saunters by at a slow tempo, Farrar's voice sounds increasingly inexpressive, and John Agnello's production makes everything sound real purdy but lifeless.
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On American Central Dust, they just don’t take that earnest country feel as far as it could go.
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The energetic players temper Farrar's grave persona--for all the vintage touches, this is a deceptively funky band, as the sultry 'Down to the Wire' proves.
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It’s all a clear throwback, but the starkly countrified vibe underscores the plaintive cast of Mr. Farrar’s lyrics.
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Seldom uplifting, American Central Dust still reaffirms Son Volt's pinnacle atop today's American roots rockers.
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This is Farrar’s most consistent album in years, in large part because he no longer seems to be straining so much. American Central Dust shows Farrar in his comfort zone, recording songs he knows his fans will like, and not much caring whether his detractors get on board.
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The album's sound is raw, but "raw," even in the Americana circles that Son Volt travels in, doesn't always equate with primal power. Sometimes it's just undercooked.
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So while the songs that sizzle on American Central Dust--'Down to the Wire,' 'When the Wheels Don't Move'--are of vintage stock, be prepared to sift through some monotonous meandering to find them.
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Under The Radar'Dust And Daylight' showcases Mark Spencer's beautiful pedal steel, while 'Dynamite,' with its doleful accordian, recalls early Springsteen. [Summer 2009, p.74]
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While frontman Jay Farrar was instrumental in defining the alt-country scene, the problem with Dust is that, in the intervening years since Son Volt first rose to prominence, that scene has been bogged down by countless dreary, soundalike albums and an exhausting self-seriousness.
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As usual, singer and songwriter Jay Farrar has a few things on his mind, and his lyrics have grown more plain-spoken and potent with time.
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There's an easiness and directness to these tunes that was missing the last couple of times out, aided by Joe Henry and Ryan Freeland's no-nonsense mix but owing mainly to Farrar's vivid songwriting.
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The 12 songs verge on inert, and singing is beginning to sound like a painful act for him. His lyrics, however, are inspired.
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Alternative PressListening to American Central Dust ultimately feels a bit too much like working on an assembly line. [Aug 2009, p.114]
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Son Volt may be playing it too safe on American Central Dust, but the songs are still woven together with a feeling of comfort and familiarity.
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MojoThere's a back-to-basics feel on the mid-tempo country rockers, the slow beauties and mournful lap steel, and even on the musically warm, more upbeat, almost Tex-Mex opening song. [Sep 2009, p.92]
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UncutThe song themselves are thoughtful, ambling between folk, country and mid-paced roots-rock. [Aug 2009, p.100]
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FilterThis one settles for regrettably generic high-plains fiddle and wistful sighs of pedel-steel guitar. [Summer 2009, p.94]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 19 out of 21
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Mixed: 2 out of 21
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Negative: 0 out of 21
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May 10, 2013
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DebKJul 12, 2009He is no Jeff Tweedy, but he taint half bad.
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RLJul 12, 2009