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Fans of Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt and Jay Farrar need not read any further…just buy the new record! The formula for
Sebastopol, Farrar's first solo record, is so predictable that it leaves no possible room for disappointment from the legion of diehard Tupelo fans. For the first time, Farrar sheds the
accompaniment of Jim and Dave Boquist and longtime Tupelo and Son Volt drummer Mike Heidorn, and steps off the front porch alone armed with little more than his vast collection of guitars and a hearty helping of road songs. Rest assured, he doesn't wander far.
Farrar has succeeded in the past and again by writing some of the best neo-country acoustic rock tunes this side of Neil Young. Similarly, Farrar's tales depict the human spirit, the open road, and the emotional essence of what brings a person to wake up and face each day. "Feel Free" opens the record on a familiar yet refreshing note with textbook Jay Farrar rhythms, simple acoustic strums, and subtle piano and keyboard. His tempos vary only slightly from middle to slower and back to middle, never really cranking it up to full throttle but rarely ever needing to. "Clear Day Thunder" is as rock and roll as Farrar will get on this project, and while it's pretty good, it's not the strength of
Sebastopol. The guts of the record are spun around the instant sing-alongs "Voodoo Candle" and "Feed Kill Chain," as well as the more mellow moments in "Make It Alright" and "Different Eyes."
Like most Jay Farrar efforts, Sebastopol does have its disposable entries. Songs such as "Drain" and "Outside The Door" do little more than fill space. But with 17 tracks in all the weaker links do little to dilute the better part. With so many exceptional lines already on his musical resume, some would find it hard to believe Jay Farrar still has the ink in his pen to continue crafting the quality songs that he does.
Sebastopol demonstrates that he clearly is not running dry of material just yet.
~Red Rocker
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