As Jay Farrar continues forth on his solo career, it’s seldom the words: "alt-country," "Uncle-Tupelo," and "Son Volt" aren’t passed when discussing his musical contributions. The two previously named bands have established Farrar as an icon of sorts in the "alt-country" realm, but his most recent solo albums -2002’s Sebastopol and ThirdShiftGrottoSlack - have proven that Farrar’s experimental solo work is a far cry from his past.
Terrior Blues, Farrar’s first release on his own Act/Resist labelserves as a 23-track studio album consisting of alternate takes of various tracks that balance rock and country within a plate of auto-biographical themes that were written following the passing of his father. From the post break-up hope of "Hanging On To You," to the dismal "pore the salt on the wounds" break-up anguish of the track "Heart on the Ground," Farrar pleads, "you don’t have to twist the knife" rather profoundly. The reflective "California" and "Dent County" provides optimism to the overall melancholy feel of "Terroir Blues," keeping things on an even keel.
The set was recorded with a core group of musicians that includes multi-instrumentalist Mark Spencer from the Blood Oranges, former Son Volt pedal steel player Eric Heywood, Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster, and St. Louis-based guitarist/bassist John Horton. Brian Henneman of the Bottle Rockets also guests on one song, "Fool King's Crown," playing electric slide sitar.
Situated in between many of the tracks are sonic snippets, aptly titled "Space Junk," which are backwards sound effects that resemble the same effects that Jim O’Rourke brought to Wilco’s
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot sessions. Farrar’s voice resonates ardently with the rustic vibe of his lyrics, communicating images of an idealistic America, without the fist pumping of a Springsteen or Mellencamp. The album was said to have been fashioned after Neil Young’s reflective, yet drunk
Tonights the Night. Resembling Young, Farrar is showing that he can circumvent the trends in commercialism by releasing eccentric recordings that challenge both himself and the listener.
