Son Volt Add New Dynamics To Their Search

Son Volt's The Search may have slipped under the radar in Canada thanks to its shared release date with Arcade Fire's ultra-anticipated Neon Bible, but the quintet's new record is quickly proving that Jay Farrar is best when he's backed by a band — so long as Jeff Tweedy isn't in it.

But Farrar isn't spending too much time thinking about the old days, nor is he thinking about the long-running — and largely media-driven — competition between Son Volt and Wilco, the two bands spawned from the now-defunct Uncle Tupelo. Right now, Farrar is focused on taking Son Volt in a new musical direction — and The Search is a shimmering horn and keyboard-laden testament to his efforts.

"To me, the record represents — overall — a different approach to making music," says Farrar. "I think it's representative of this group.

["The first time out, we were in a situation where we hadn't been a band for very long. Coming off the last record, which was very focused on electric guitar, the instinct was to expand in a different direction. And the addition of DerryDeBorja] on keys added a different dimension."

The St. Louis-based quintet — rounded out by Dave Bryson (drums), Andrew DuPlantis (bass) and Brad Rice (guitar) — were put on the shelf in 1999 after Farrar decided to embark on what became a reasonably fruitful solo career. But after five years, he decided to pick up Son Volt and resume making music as a band. Their first effort after the hiatus was 2005's Okemah And The Melody Of Riot.

"I missed the band dynamic," says Farrar. "And I missed playing the electric guitar — especially live. It was a matter of wanting to return to that aesthetic."

Still, Farrar says that taking time away from the band to figure stuff out on his own actually made him a better team player.

"It definitely gave me a fresh perspective. Making solo records, you learn a lot about playing. Playing mostly by myself at those acoustic shows was something I needed to do. You learn what's expected of you.

"I always found myself starting out in a band from a very young age. In a band, it's almost too easy to just make a lot of noise."

It's a statement that inevitably redirects the conversation back to Farrar's favourite subject: Tweedy and Wilco.

"I get asked about it a lot," he says, in a way that sounds more tired than irritated. "I guess it's understandable.

"I'm starting to see it less, though. There seems to be less of a comparison. I think in an ideal world, yeah, each person's output would be judged on its own merit. But, you know."

You can judge for yourself when Son Volt and former Drive By Trucker Jason Isbell play Toronto's Mod Club on Thursday.