dissapointed

[daze inundated]

Those are interesting points, segarandpriest..... I'd be interested in getting some more feedback on your thoughts, especially the ones about the lyrics of "California", which I think is one of the best songs on the album. I live in the St. Louis area, and also know some of the history behind Pops Farrar, but that song "Dent County" still gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes when I listen to it..... overall, I really love the album.

[segerandpriest]

i'd like to say that i'm warming up to the album for a number of reasons...
on the one hand, it expresses a certain grief in the face of our current world of war and horror that isn't oversimplified or overly explicit in the manner of records by springsteen and earle that we're supposed to love.

on the other hand, it's desolate, despite all the musicianship: probably as close as jay will ever get to the jandek or early palace records i'm sure jay is into.

that said, that song about california reflects a weird trend in jay's lyrics to force unwieldy prose into verse form, a symptom from which the last ep certainly suffered. and, like sebastopol, some of the instrumentation still seems more like a novelty than a worthy backdrop for jay's songs.

[SonWilco]

I'm sure what I think yet, I'm a little confused by by the electronic stuff and backwards effects, but I read somewhere he'd been listening to Revolver alot. At first listen Wilco's YHF freaked me out too, it was such a radial change until I listened for a while then I made the connection and it made sense. A musical timeline had taken place and each album progressed and grew into another. I'm not going to make a judgement until I hear it a few more times. The funny thing is almost every published article or review I've read about Son Volt\Jay says their stuck in the same sonic vein as Trace and need to change. Then when Jay does something new he's put down for not making another album of Windfall type songs.

[Dan]

It's impossible not to compare every new Jay album to "Trace." And well, we all know that album is a classic, so....I like alot of TB, but like alot of you, kept waiting that the next song would rock...and well, none of them did. I love acoustic music, and few do it as good as Jay does, but nobody else rocks better than he and UT or SV did so I keep hoping he'll get back to it. Jay, you're great! but how about a mix of some acoustic, some rockers, and drop the electronic experimentation. Just my thoughts.

[Montana-Bitterroot]

I think Jay has made alot of "rockin" type tracks. Im glad he's focusing on the songwriting and the ambience. I like this record. Call me crazy but I thin his best tracks are Chanty ,Left a Slide and outside the Door.

[Willy]

Terroir Blues is a great album. Very different, but great nonetheless. I was hoping for a little rocking out from Jay, but the hook in Fool Kings Crown made up for it. Such a cool song. Everytime I listen to this CD I appreciate it that much more.

[Scalzunfield]

I have everything involving Jay from Tupelo up through Terroir Blues and I must say that it just keeps going downhill. I thought Wide Swing Temolo had some great moments as did Sebastopol, but the great moments weren't album-long like Trace was. I like the acoustic sound, but for Jay it just keeps sounding like the same old thing to me. Maybe I'm just missing it. I love the sound of acoustic more than electric (which must be why Jeff Tweedy and Wilco are still by far at the top of my "to listen to" list). Jay just needs to stop messing around with this experimentation (it's not working...) and go back to what works. If that means more Whiskey Bottle-type tunes, then go for it. It couldn't hurt. I am severely disappointed in this album. No Rolling Back is such a great tune and the rest just falls flat... I just have to keep hoping that Jay, Mike, and the Boquist Bros. can get back together and work on some rockin' new material...

[bdfstl2]

i was lucky to get hold of an advance copy so i've been listening for a couple weeks. i'd say my first reaction was disappointment. i was expecting at least one rocker (ala route/drown) in the bunch. but i kept playing this record and it just kept growing on me. the hooks are not so obvious, but once i get one in my head i want to hear it again right away. i think that makes this record even better than the last. it's layered and keeps pulling me back in -- that cello in "cahokian", the "you don't have to twist the knife" in "heart on the ground", the flute (only van morrison gets a pass on that usually) on "out on the road", "call me on the telephone" line from "all your might"...

i also remember buying uncle tupelo's "still feel gone" and not "getting it" after the first listen. i put that away for a couple of months until i saw them in concert again. i pulled it back out and was hooked from then on.

[TANEYTOWN]

All I can say is love the new Cd ! I love all his stuff! And I don't get were WST is not great!

[Guest]

I always thought Wide Swing and Straightaways were superior to Trace.

[dilpus_kuhnilpus]

Trace was one of those rare albums that are 100% outstanding (like Siamese Dream by the Smashing Pumpkins; Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix; Freewheeling Bob Dylan, etc.). Unfortunately, it has been downhill for Jay since then. Sebastopol was good, but too self-indulgent. C'mon Jay, "bring it down and break it in" for God's sake!!! Get the durn slide going and let's ride with you. Terroir Overall Grade: B

The second-half of the album is better, but don't let it fool you!

[Guest]

I was really hoping to like this album, but after a few listens through it just seems to be pretty lifeless, kind of like Jay is going through the motions. I thought Sebastopol was his best work since Trace and a great sign of things to come...unfortunately, Terroir Blues lacks that albums experimentation, and combined wiht the fact that it is an acoustic album to me makes it pretty dull indeed. I still feel that Jay has a brilliant album in there somewher, but he desparately needs to loosen up and have a bit of fun with the music...here's hoping!

Hmm... I've been debating heading out and buying this album, but I'm on the fence. The three tunes on video don't do much for me, and the one mp3 sounds a little better. But I'm of the same opinion as focus here - I had almost lost faith in Jay after Wide Swing Tremolo, but thought that Sebastopol was a pretty good step in the right direction. What's the consensus - is this record better than WST? If you even hesitate to answer that question in the affirmative, I think I've got my answer as to whether I'll be throwing down twenty bucks.

[Straightaways]

yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that's for sure. I, however, do love the record. 'No Rolling Back' is my favourite track on the record.
But I have to say i prefer the live version on the site! The vocals are too quiet on the album.

[Antelope850]

I love the album. It's certainly not loud so if you're not into the acoustic based sound and don't like the tunes I can see someone calling it "lifeless." But I wouldn't say Jay just went through the motions by any means. It sounds like he really put his heart and soul into it .. but because of his state of mind and his desire to change things up, the album ended up quiet and dark. I've had it since Monday and I've listened to it about 6 times already. I think it's a very moving record, and I like the music and the melodies, quiet as most of it is. I heard most of the songs live at Joe's Pub last month and liked them all then. Maybe that helped. I also think the record sounds better in headphones than on my speakers. It actually does rock, just in a quiet way.

But I'm glad to see people aren't afraid to criticize Jay or his music.

[focus]

I was really hoping to like this album, but after a few listens through it just seems to be pretty lifeless, kind of like Jay is going through the motions. I thought Sebastopol was his best work since Trace and a great sign of things to come...unfortunately, Terroir Blues lacks that albums experimentation, and combined wiht the fact that it is an acoustic album to me makes it pretty dull indeed. I still feel that Jay has a brilliant album in there somewher, but he desparately needs to loosen up and have a bit of fun with the music...here's hoping!


focus