Uncle Tupelo never struck a finer balance between rock and country than
on Anodyne, their major-label debut and parting shot. For all of the ill
will undoubtedly simmering throughout these sessions, Jay Farrar and Jeff
Tweedy have never before been more attuned to each other musically; where
earlier records often found the band's twin forces moving in opposing
directions, Anodyne bears the full fruits of their shared vision. Recorded
live in the studio, the album encompasses and reinterprets not only country-rock
(evidenced by the group's pairing with Doug Sahm on his "Give Back
the Key to My Heart") but also traditional country (the tribute to
the songwriting legacy of "Acuff-Rose"), rock (the churning
"The Long Cut," "Chickamauga"), and folk ("New
Madrid," "Steal the Crumbs"), the band's reach never once
exceeding its grasp.
(by Jason Ankeny, All
Music Guide)
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