- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Billboard"The Search" is Son Volt 2.0, a modern, mature album that might be the group's best yet. [10 Mar 2007]
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The Search is a potent reminder of why Farrar was and is one of the watershed artists of the alt-country movement.
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UncutSon Volt have discovered a new sense of ambition, even abandon, on The Search. [May 2007, p.104]
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The Search is protest music for the cryptology set.
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While it may be impossible for this Son Volt to ever reach the pinnacle of their 1995 debut, no one can accuse Jay Farrar of going through the motions.
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Simple but effective sonic details — a chirpy horn arrangement, a reverse-looped guitar part — prevent “The Search” from feeling either preachy or repetitive. [5 Mar 2007]
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A collection of highly listenable roots-rock tunes that stray little from its longtime formula.
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Respectable, serious, accomplished and... no fun.
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Paste MagazineOn The Search... Farrar discovers some genuinely exciting new haunts, and frontloads them conveniently. [Mar 2007, p.62]
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Aside from some standout songs, reactions to The Search are largely due to how you feel about the grungy, alt sound.
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It comes off sounding like a transitional recording, but with Son Volt any change is welcome.
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Q MagazineThe Search revisits the social commentary of Farrar's old band. [May 2007, p.129]
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SpinIt's a sober cruise down the white line between timelessness and nostalgia. [May 2007, p.90]
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Alternative PressIt lacks the spark of the band's classic catalog material. [Apr 2007, p.191]
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With everything it has going for it, it should be a lot better than it is.
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BlenderThe saggy country-rock complaints about corporatization and alienation [Farrar] offers... sound like submissions to an Air America poetry contest. [Apr 2007, p.121]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 20 out of 23
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Mixed: 2 out of 23
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Negative: 1 out of 23
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A.GrayApr 16, 2007Best since Trace. "Mthamphetamine" and "Underground Dream" are classic alt-country songs.
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bryanteApr 6, 2007
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GManMar 30, 2007