Jay Farrar

Son Volt frontman Jay Farrar has had a difficult time matching the success and enthusiasm for his records since debuting under that moniker in 1995 with Trace. The mercurial singer-songwriter has instead watched his former bandmate Jeff Tweedy ascend to the highest echelons of critical fawning, while Farrar's albums—solo and now with Son Volt, which he reformed in 2005—received little attention. That may explain why he has struggled with his place in recent years, though 2009 found Farrar playing to his strengths: Son Volt’s American Central Dust is full of straightforward working-man's laments reminiscent of his Uncle Tupelo days, and his novelty collaboration with Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard combined lyrics inspired by Jack Kerouac’s 1962 novel Big Sur with sweet melodies and punchy harmonies.

Updated 10/28/2010