Live session filmed in the KEXP radio studio in Seattle on 6 May 2017. Founded by Jay Farrar after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt is one of the founding bands of americana and alt-country, that electrified folk with rural roots which shaped American indie rock in the 1990s. For this capture, the band performs four songs — « Promise the World », « Cherokee St. », « Sinking Down » and « Back Against the Wall » — blending gritty guitars, country harmonies and the socially realist writing dear to Farrar. The spare, exacting KEXP format highlights the organic texture of the sound and the leader’s recognisable voice, between melancholy and gravity. This live capture conveys the authenticity of a band faithful to folk tradition while cultivating a rock bite. This filmed live performance is a fine entry point into Son Volt’s world in 2017 and into contemporary americana, championed by trailblazing radios like KEXP, a global reference for music discovery and in-studio live capture.
Setlist
- Promise the World
- Cherokee St.
- Sinking Down
- Back Against the Wall
Personnel & credits
- Jay Farrar — vocals, guitar
- Chris Frame — guitar
- Andrew DuPlantis — bass
- Mark Spencer — keyboards, lap steel
- Mark Patterson — drums
- Kevin Suggs — sound engineer
- Jim Beckmann — camera
- Alaia D'Alessandro — camera
- Scott Holpainen — camera, editing
