WST

[Highwater61]

I remember reading in an interview from around the time WST was released that Jay and the band were listening to the Nuggets Box set which is a great collection of psych, garage rock from the '60s. I think you can hear the influence in a bunch of the songs on WST.

[Grifterwithafunnylittleha]

Straightface is my favorite track; even if this is a lure unto a trap.

What's with the flow-eh-tics?

Hey I Gotta Go,
Blendsey

[Rarefied Farrar]

Yep. WST is pretty much always in heavy rotation with me. It's been one of my favorite records ever since the first time 'Straightface' slammed me upside the head.

The first time I listened to WST was in the car. I put the CD in and -- oops -- had the volume up too loud. "Slammed" is a good descriptor.

Those first few seconds can send a shock through your system if you're not prepared for it.

Speaking of "Straightface", I was just reading the lyrics, and got to wondering...is it geared at a particular person? Or just a general type? Remember this was '98, so George W. is probably out of the question. Any thoughts? I think those are the angriest lyrics in Jay's catalogue, and if he turned them into a rap, he could go toe-to-toe with Jay Z's best diss songs.

[Rarefied Farrar]

Been listening to it a lot lately. Strands and Streets That Time Walks are totally underrated in his repertoire.

[Low4]

I had the same experience. It was in the car, probably outside the record store. Sometimes I will play the albums in chronological order and 'Straightface' is always a bit of a rush after 'Watson' fades out. I still love the way the toms pan across the channels, and I like the distortion in Jay's vocal, although many don't. So many great songs on that record.

[Sachsen]

Yep. WST is pretty much always in heavy rotation with me. It's been one of my favorite records ever since the first time 'Straightface' slammed me upside the head.

The first time I listened to WST was in the car. I put the CD in and -- oops -- had the volume up too loud. "Slammed" is a good descriptor.

Those first few seconds can send a shock through your system if you're not prepared for it.

[Low4]

Yep. WST is pretty much always in heavy rotation with me. It's been one of my favorite records ever since the first time 'Straightface' slammed me upside the head.

[sturgeongeneral]

my father's recent demise from senescence resulted in a more recent conversation with my mother concerning his clothing. his one business suit, of which he never wore, was donated to a gentleman who could not afford such a suit. i understand he(not my father, the other guy) was quite joyous with such a gift, or 'tickled pink' as described by my mother's southern vernacular, particularly since he was recently appointed a deacon at a little church in the wildwood located at the end of a one way gravel road. all of which leads me to state that ' dead man's clothes' has always been one of my favorites from this album.

no more dead tides and red tides will wash over in this dream
i'm going downtown in a dead man's clothes.

[TelecasterTodd]

It's my favorite, I think.

Medicine Hat is one of my favorite songs ever- I just identify with it lyrically.

This was the album where I started to refer to Jay as a true American poet.

[Badjayhawk]

It's my second favorite Son Volt album. Always been in the rotation.

[Sachsen]

Anyone listening to Wide Swing Tremolo these days? Been a few years for me and I am absolutely blown away.

I keep it in my car and pull it out every couple weeks or so.

Every time I listen to it, it strikes me how... experimental it is. There are definitely precursors on there to Jay's solo albums. There are still the remnants of the classic "Trace" sound in Medicine Hat, Strands, Hanging Blue Side... but at least half the album sounds like nothing Jay had done previously, in a good way.

[wasserboxer]

Anyone listening to Wide Swing Tremolo these days? Been a few years for me and I am absolutely blown away.