Hola,

I have some travelling coming up with long stretches of time alone in the car...which reminds me of long stretches having to work with Powerpoint or preparing a workpiece...hours of solitude, yet having to be mentally "doing something"...which is great listening time.

So, I was thinking: I tend toward flogging discs - listening to the same disc many times in a row to really get a feel for it. You know, to kind of get inside it. Some discs quickly suffer for the activity, but some benefit greatly. In fact, I've found that some discs that don't really move me with a cursory "listen" can grow to become indispensable parts of my life after a good flogging. In fact, it makes me worry what great things I've heard, but never spent the time to "hear," ya know?

Anyway, this last three weeks, I've had to put in buttloads of time on the Vaio, and I decided that I'd settle and important question once and for all...Wilco, or Son Volt?

So, it's been a three week "listen off."

I loved Uncle Tupelo, but when they broke up, my first reaction was, "Woo Hoo! Twice the music!"

I love both bands, but even though Wilco has soaked up all the critical acclaim I find that I love Son Volt more.

Of course, that made me wonder what other people think.

Wilco?

Or Son Volt?

(As a special assignment, I insist Stephen go listen to Wide Swing Tremolo...and in particular the songs "Strand" and "Blind Hope" and report back. The other songs on this disc are great, too. As an option, he can wait to hear them in january, but he has to promise to listen to those songs three times in a row...each.)

Trace is solid throughout, too.

If you like alt country, go check out Son Volt.