THE SEARCH - SON VOLT
Son Volt frontman Jay Farrar has put out some clunky solo and side efforts lately, but “The Search” makes up for all these and then some. There’s a lot to be said for the sequencing, with seamless transitions from song to song — pensive, slow and midtempo songs are perfectly met with the country-tinged rock ‘n’ roll that first earned the band its acclaim with 1995’s “Trace.” Rushes of buzzy guitars, Farrar’s droning, melodic voice, excitable drums and experimental effects are evened out over 14 blissful tracks, the best of these including “Satellite,” “Adrenaline and Heresy” and the lyrically bountiful “Cicadian Rhythm.” The songs all feel heavy with meaning, for the listener and for the bard himself, but never labored. “The Search” is Son Volt 2.0, a modern, mature album that might be the group’s best yet. Billboard
