MINI REVIEW...................................................................28 MARCH 2005
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Artist:
ANDERS PARKER |
Former Varnaline frontman Anders Parker is back with a six-track serving of leftovers from his stellar solo release Tell It to the Dust (2004). Strictly speaking, The Wounded Astronaut might not be alt.country (and this despite contributions from both Jay Farrar and Richard Buckner), but it is a damn fine listen.
The only track on the album that feels anything like an outtake is track 3 ("Everyone Will Shine")--and this might have more to do with the fact that its slow ambient vibe doesn't jive particularly well with the other five up-tempo tunes. Particularly catchy are the title track and "Fast and True" (which we endorse despite an entire chorus of "la-la-las"). "The Smile," which closes the EP, sounds as though it might have been written by Jay Farrar on a particularly happy day (if Farrar had happy days, that is).
Parker recently undertook a five stop mini-tour, opening a few shows for Son Volt, version 2.0, and playing a gig at SXSW. At these shows, Parker was supported by his new band which includes Sara Bell (Dish) on bass and Ken Coomer (Uncle Tupelo, Wilco) on drums. They should be back out on the road soon. If they land near you, check them out; in the interim, pick up a copy of The Wounded Astronaut.