CD of the Day: ‘Straightaways,’ Son Volt (1997)

There’s not much to get excited about on this disc, especially in comparison to the band’s excellent debut from two years earlier.

It’s pleasant enough, especially opener “Caryatid Easy,” the “Deadwood”-esque “Been Set Free,” and the intricate guitar work on “No More Paradise.” But the rest either recycle riffs we’ve heard before (“Picking Up the Signal”) or bog down in too much twang.

“Straightaways” is nice, easy background music, but not much more.

Grade: C

Favorite Track: “Been Set Free”