Farrar First-Rate on ThirdShiftGrottoSlack

Wanna keep an alternacountry geek busy for a few hours? Mention Uncle Tupelo and see if he doesn't talk your ear off. There are simply very few things that some folks would rather jaw about than 1994's fabled split between long-time friends and collaborators Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar--and their post-breakup rebounds, Wilco and Son Volt, respectively. Like a high-profile divorce, fans just can't separate these two despite their decidedly successful remarriages.

Earlier this year, Tweedy's Wilco scored big with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, an instant classic that impressed with its unconventional flash, enthusing the alt-country faithful. Meanwhile, Son Volt has all but dropped off the radar screens. The group hasn't cut an album since 1998--but that doesn't mean that frontman Farrar is washed up. In fact, his inner-cowboy has sent him away from the herd once more on ThirdShiftGrottoSlack, a five-song solo EP that proves he doesn't even need a supporting cast.

Actually, ThirdShift is comprised of four cuts originally written for last year's Sebastapol, his first solo project, as well as a newly tweaked version of Farrar's "Damn Shame." Make no mistake--they might be the leftovers, but they sure aren't rejects, especially the haunting wisps of "Greenwich Time" and "Station to Station." Modest and unassuming, ThirdShift rolls along with dusty twang and folksy, sturdy guitar strums, while Farrar's raw, nasally vocals evoke Neil Young's and...well, Uncle Tupelo's.

Even though it's not a competition, Jay Farrar proves with ThirdShift that there's still a lot of life left in the other half of a legendary duo. By sticking to a simple sound and impressive songwriting skills, he counters his former bandmate's effort nicely. Wilco might have taken the high road, but Farrar chose the dirt road, and it turned out to be a beautiful ride.