Uncle Tupelo
never struck a finer balance between
rock
and
country
than on
Anodyne
, their major-label debut and parting shot. For all of the ill will undoubtedly simmering throughout these sessions,
Jay Farrar
Jeff Tweedy
have never before been more attuned to each other musically; where earlier records often found the band's twin forces moving in opposing directions,
bears the full fruits of their shared vision. Recorded live in the studio, the album encompasses and reinterprets not only
country-rock
(evidenced by the group's pairing with
Doug Sahm
on his
"Give Back the Key to My Heart"
), but also
traditional country
(the tribute to the songwriting legacy of
"Acuff-Rose"
),
(the churning
"The Long Cut,"
"Chickamauga"
), and
folk
(
"New Madrid,"
"Steal the Crumbs"
), the band's reach never once exceeding its grasp. [The 2003 reissue of
on
Rhino
adds five bonus tracks: three previously unreleased tracks and two live songs that were only available on a promo-only disc issued in 1994 called
The Long Cut + Five Live
. The three studio cuts are a mixed bag.
"Stay True"
is a fairly tuneless
hard rock
tune penned by
that features thundering riffs and ham-handed soloing,
"Wherever"
is a heartbroken and lovely
ballad
written by
that easily could have fit on the album proper, and
"Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way"
is a rollicking stab at one of
Waylon Jennings
' best tunes with
Joe Ely
joining in on vocals and guitar. The two live cuts -- a raw take on the truck driver's anthem
"Truck Drivin' Man"
and a long workout on
Dale Hawkins
'
"Suzie Q"
-- are fun and full of energy. Too bad
didn't include the other three songs that were on the
. Still, with the comprehensive liner notes, improved sounds, and mostly worthwhile bonus tracks, this is a great document for fans of the band.] ~ Jason Ankeny