When
Mark Olson
parted ways with
the Jayhawks
in 1996, the band responded with 1997's
Sound of Lies
, one of their scrappiest and most eclectic albums. It was as if
(in particular
Gary Louris
) wanted to show the world they were still strong and lively despite the departure of one of their co-founders.
Olson
returned to
for the 2011 reunion album
Mockingbird Time
, only to leave the band again on less than cordial terms. Released in 2016,
Paging Mr. Proust
is the first
Jayhawks
studio project since, and once again it finds
Louris
and his bandmates mixing up their formula, introducing new edges and angles to the group's evocative, lonesome Midwestern sound.
adds lots of jagged guitar to the loop-based construction of "Ace," while "Lost the Summer" is a lean, ominous rocker with a noisy attack. ("Pretty Roses in Your Hair" is another, more subtle tune built around a ghostly drum loop.) Much of the time,
' vocals and melodies follow the template he's established in the past, but there's a fresh degree of energy in these performances.
Peter Buck
and
Tucker Martine
(who co-produced the album with
) have given the guitars an edgier and less pastoral sound than one might expect from
.
Neil Young
is still the clear inspiration behind
' soloing, but here the tone is sharper and the crunch has more impact, even when the songs are gentle at heart. The yin and yang between the sharp guitar work from
Kraig Johnson
and the sweetness of the harmonies of
, keyboard player
Karen Grotberg
, and drummer
Tim O'Reagan
is honestly satisfying. And co-producer
Buck
has brought along some friends from his days in
R.E.M.
, including
Mike Mills
Scott McCaughey
. All in all,
is an album that honors the traditions of
but isn't afraid to play with convention. And if
was a reminder of how well
complement one another, this album demonstrates that
still knows how to make a memorable album as the group's sole leader. ~ Mark Deming