Detroit’s Volebeats have made an interesting career out of shattering expectations about the kind of music that comes out of the Motor City. On their fourth full-length disc, the Volebeats have made it a point to shatter expectations about the kind of music that comes out of the Volebeats.
Since the indie release of Ain’t No Joke, their quiet debut nearly a decade ago, the Volebeats have succeeded in expanding the definition of alternative country without pandering to it. They have rarely missed an opportunity to contribute to an interesting compilation project, including covering Detroit’s York Brothers on Bloodshot’s Straight Outta Boone County and getting involved with a Slayer tribute. The band’s own singles and EPs have always been understated gems, mixing folky originals with unexpected covers of disparate artists such as Barry White and ABBA.
The Voles’ full-length releases have been equally brilliant and diverse, brimming with the muted melancholy joy of a beautifully desolate Michigan winter. Their latest long-playing epistle, aptly titled Solitude, is the band’s first attempt to step outside of their own parameters. Sonically, it’s not too far off the bubble from their previous output, particularly 1997’s Sky And The Ocean. The band’s liberal use of reverb has always pushed them to edge of spaghetti-western ambience, and on Solitude they move beyond that edge, creating a soundtrack for a movie of the mind.
The instrumental interludes that punctuate Solitude are interesting and moody diversions, particularly the dramatic swells of “Moon Beams” and “Desert Song”, but thankfully the Voles haven’t meddled with their penchant for exhilarating and heartrending ballads. The ache is almost palpable on the breathtaking “Back In A Minute” and the baroque “Lonely Way To Go”, while the Volebeats’ diverse tapestry is personified in the wall-of-sound twang-pop of “Shannon”.
With influences ranging from the Gram Parsons/Byrds family tree to the rich history of their Motown-to-MC5 environment, the Voles have consistently colored outside the lines and delivered extraordinary results. In a career benchmarked by sonic courage, the experimental murmur of Solitude is yet another triumph.
