Day of the Doug

by Son Volt

Overview

Day of the Doug is the latest chapter of Jay Farrar's lifelong love of Doug Sahm, a connection the Son Volt leader underscores by having Day of the Doug open and close with voicemails the Texas Groover left Farrar many, many years ago. Back then, Farrar's old band Uncle Tupelo invited Sir Doug to play on their version of Sahm's "Give Back the Key to My Heart" on their final album, Anodyne, a move that seemed a bit like the passing of a generational torch. Thirty years later, Sahm is long gone and Son Volt, the band Farrar formed after Tupelo, are part of the Americana old guard, so Day of the Doug hits slightly differently. Certainly, the record is a loving tribute to a key influence on Farrar, but it also feels a bit like a way to keep Sahm's legacy alive, a way to introduce listeners to a pivotal 20th century American musician whose body of work remains underappreciated. Farrar celebrates Sahm not by reviving Sir Doug's familiar tunes -- "She's About a Mover" and "Mendocino" are nowhere to be seen -- but by concentrating on the breadth of his catalog, balancing hippie ballads like "Beautiful Texas Sunshine" with the honky tonk blues of "Keep Your Soul" and multicultural rockers like "Juan Mendoza." Son Volt sharply select tracks that illustrate Sahm's range while also playing right in their own sweet spot, finding songs that benefit from stripped-down, earthy delivery. It also helps that Son Volt clearly are having a great time laying into these songs as if they're playing a packed beer joint on a Saturday night: while there are plenty of tearjerking moments here, Day of the Doug is essentially a party, a celebration not only of a musical titan but Son Volt's own virtues. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	06/16/2023
Label:	Transmit Sound
UPC:	0793888867383

Tracks

1. Doug (Intro)
2. Sometimes You've Got to Stop Chasing Rainbows
3. What About Tomorrow
4. Beautiful Texas Sunshine
5. Float Away
6. Yesterday Got in the Way
7. Keep Your Soul
8. Dynamite Woman
9. Huggin' Thin Air
10. Juan Mendoza
11. Poison Love
12. Seguin
13. It's Gonna Be Easy
14. Doug Outro

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Son Volt   Primary Artist
Jay Farrar   Vocals,Guitar
Mark Spencer   Guitar,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Mark Patterson   Drums,Percussion
Gary Hunt   Fiddle
Andrew Duplantis   Bass,Vocals
John Horton   Bass,Guitar,Slide Guitar,Baritone (Vocal)
Adam White   Percussion

Technical Credits

Sam Ohlhausen   Engineer
Jay Farrar   Producer,Group Member
Doug Sahm   Composer
Mark Spencer   Photography,Group Member
Mark Patterson   Group Member
John Agnello   Mixing
Mike "Smitty" Smith   Mastering
Andrew Duplantis   Group Member
Chuck Wagner   Artwork,Cover Art
Brad Sarno   Mastering
John Horton   Group Member
Sharon Agnello   Management
Atwood Allen   Composer
Jacob Detering   Mixing,Engineer,Band Photo,Production Assistant
David Schwartz   Artwork,Back Cover,Art Direction
Adam White   Assistant,Group Member
Elmer Laird   Composer