Jay Farrar — Stone, Steel, & Bright Lights

Ex-Uncle Tupelo, current Son Volt frontman and purveyor of all things alt.country, returns with his first-ever live album in a 19-song tour de force. The live disc, which also includes a bonus DVD, captures Farrar’s intimate experience, — it’s just him, a harmonica and an acoustic guitar for most of the record. Washington D.C. based alt.country outfit Canyon join Farrar, adding to the disc’s delicate vibe.

The disc combines Farrar’s most recent solo material with songs from 2003’s Terroir Blues. Many of the songs are reinterpreted and presented in a new and fresh style, while two new tracks "Doesn’t Have to Be this Way," and "6 String Belief" show that Farrar’s muse continues to mature. Farrar closes the disc with a plugged-in cover of Neil Young’s "Like A Hurricane" that would make Crazy Horse proud.