I spoke with Jay Farrar of Son Volt about his upcoming album, American Central Dust, which drops July 7th on Rounder Records. It was an honor to be able to speak to someone whose music I’ve enjoyed so much for over a decade. If you consider yourself a Son Volt/Farrar fan, you’re going to be very pleased with American Central Dust.

Could you lend some information on the recording process of the American Central Dust? Where and how was it recorded, anything you did differently this time around?

American Central Dust was recorded in October 2008 in St. Louis at SV rehearsal space(The Search and Okemah were recorded at a different SV rehearsal space in St. Louis). The main approach to recording American Central Dust was to record as much live in the studio as possible—using overdubs where necessary to hopefully add and not detract. The idea of making a more focused record was at the forefront this time and that meant using instrumentation that is tried and true ( pedal steel, violin). Stepping away from the electric song/acoustic song/electric song/acoustic song dichotomy was also taken into consideration this time around so I only played acoustic guitar on the record.

I think “Dynamite” may be one of your best written songs to date. Did you write the song in the studio or bring it in with you?

“Dynamite” is a song that seemed to write itself—maybe the simple song structure is what made it seem that way. Keith Richards and Neil Young have shown us that a non-complicated song structure can be something to strive for—maybe because it keeps things on a more visceral level.

What is on your bookshelf at the moment?

I just finished “Low Life’ by Luc Sante which takes a sociological look at the undercurrents that shaped NYC. I’m currently reading “Blues People” by LeRoi Jones which explores the formation of blues, jazz and the cross pollination (sometimes forced in the case of slavery) of African and European music to create an explosion of new music forms in the early 20th century. I’m glad you asked this question when I’m actually reading books. Books? Oh yea, books!

What was the last show you went to see as a fan?

Last show I went to see was Tom Waits. Great to see him kicking up that dust…………

The internet has dramatically altered the way artists can reach an audience. With things like blogs/myspace/etc, what are your thoughts on the power of the internet in terms of helping (or hurting) your music?

What hasn’t changed is that the experience of live music seems to be as vital as ever. How, when and where people are most often going to seek out recorded music is still being sorted and the dust is still settling.

Buy: Son Volt – “American Central Dust”
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Myspace: Son Volt
MP3: Son Volt – “Down To The Wire”

Good news for Drive-By Truckers fans today. New West Records will be putting out The Fine Print, “a 12-track album of previously unreleased and rare songs” on September 1st. Unearthed in the raiding of the vaults are “four covers including “Rebels” by Tom Petty and “Like A Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan which provided Shonna Tucker with her first ever lead vocal performance on a DBT recording.”

If that wasn’t enough excitement, the “Drive-By Trucker’s entire Austin City Limits performance as a CD / DVD combination pack as a part of the Live From Austin, TX line.”

Scour the track lists for both albums below: (more…)

Today you can pick up two of my favorite albums of the year. I strongly encourage you to pick up both. The first is the re-release of The Low Anthem’s Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, which, if you’ve been listening to our podcast, you’d know I’ve been pretty smitten with for the past couple of months.

The Roadside Graves are a band I’ve championed before. Their new release, My Son’s Home is the first on Aquarium Drunkard’s Autumn Tone label, and is definitely their best recorded work to date. I’m bringing these guys to Milwaukee later this summer, so pick up this record to prime yourself from a very cool upcoming live set later this year.

Previously: 5 Questions with The Roadside Graves

Buy: Roadside Graves – My Son’s Home
Buy: The Low Anthem – Oh My God Charlie Darwin
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Myspace: Roadside Graves
Myspace: The Low Anthem
MP3: Roadside Graves – “Far And Wide”
MP3: Roadside Graves – “Ruby”
MP3: The Low Anthem – “Charlie Darwin”

OK, so this sounds amazing. Old Crow Medicine Show, David Rawlings Machine (with Gillian Welch), The Felice Brothers, and Justin Townes Earle have all joined forces for The Big Surprise Tour. This is an event worth traveling for as far as I’m concerned.

Here’s the skinny: “Shows will be composed of two 90-minute sets broken up by an intermission. In a free form ramshackle flow the bands and artists will share the stage, taking part in each other’s songs, resurrecting old standards, and playing newly written collaborative material as they go. Each evening is sure to be a unique experience as they all put their many combined years of musicianship and knowledge of song-craft and American music into play for these sessions.”

I think a road trip may be in order…

August Tour Dates:

04 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Casino Ballroom
05 – Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
06 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
07 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
09 – Charlottesville, VA @ Charlottesville Pavilion
10 – Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre
12 – Louisville, KY @ Waterfront Park
13 – Nashville, TN @ Riverfront Park
14 – Knoxville, TN @ World’s Fair Park

Buy: Old Crow Medicince Show

Myspace: Old Crow Medicine Show
MP3: Old Crow Medicine Show – “Caroline”

Here are the Wisconsin and Chicago shows we recommend you take in this week. Check them out below and let us know which ones you’ll be attending or ones you think should really make our list. Also, don’t miss the very solid week of new releases, including our recommended purchases below.

Upcoming Wisconsin Shows:

6/8 – Grizzly Bear – Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
6/8 – Fleetwood Mac – Bradley Center, Milwaukee
6/9 – Starlight Mints/Evangelicals – High Noon Saloon, Madison
6/10 – Starlight Mints/Evangelicals – Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee
6/10 – Daredevil Christopher Wright, Trapper Schoepp Band Cafe Montmartre, Madison

Upcoming Chicago Shows:

6/7 – Telekinesis – Schuba’s
6/8 – Art Brut – Schuba’s
6/9 – Art Brut – Schuba’s
6/10 – Art Brut – Schuba’s
6/10 – Pink Mountaintops – Empty Bottle, Chicago
6/11 – Art Brut – Schuba’s
6/11 – Vic Chesnutt/Jonathan Richman – Empty Bottle
6/12 – Art Brut – Schuba’s
6/12 – P.J. Harvey John Parish – Riviera Theatre
6/12 – Amanda Blank – Sonotheque
6/13 – Decibully – Bottom Lounge
6/13 – Phoenix – Park West
6/14 – Passion Pit – Empty Bottle

Just Announced:

7/8 – William Fitzsimmons – Majestic, Madison
7/29 – Steve Earle – Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
9/26 – Kings of Leon/Glasvegas – Bradley Center, Milwaukee
10/4 – The Gaslight Anthem/Murder By Death – Turner Hall Ballroom

New Releases:

The Low Anthem – Oh My God Charlie Darwin, Roadside Graves – My Son’s Home, Sonic Youth – The Eternal, Mos Def – The Ecstatic,

+Bookmark our Wisconsin and Chicago shows pages for all your concert announcements+

Really enjoyed seeing St. Vincent last night in Milwaukee. It’s the type of performance that will keep both Marry Me and Actor in rotation for the rest of the month, if not longer. Lately, I can’t stop listening to Annie Clark’s take on The Beatles “Dig A Pony,” which I first came to know via this Black Cab Session. Big thanks to the always reliable/great Lullabyes blog for the audio below from St. Vincent’s October, 19th, 2007 show in Fort Worth, TX.

MP3: St. Vincent – “Dig A Pony” (The Beatles)