Album Review – Jason Boland’s “Squelch”
“Once you read between the lines
You miss the days when you were blind.”
Angry, subversive, pointed, and powerful, the eighth album from one of the few performers left who can call themselves Red Dirt and nobody will cry foul is a lot to digest, and hard to leave behind. Squelch is what Jason Boland and his backing band The Stragglers chose to name this work, which is the same name given to the knob that truckers use to eliminate the static and idle chatter that sometimes comes through the speakers of their CB radios. Once a more common article for truckers and civilians alike, the CB is now a relic, along with the squelch knob. But never before has the static and idle chatter been so loud, and the need to squelch it so necessary.
If you throw Squelch on at a party or partake of the music paying half attention, you may miss what’s going on beneath the surface. The first thing your ears will recognize is that this is an authentic country album, tried and true to Boland’s unmistakable legacy as the the steadfast, hard country honky tonk performer of the Red Dirt realm. Many of his old running buddies from Stillwater may weeble and wobble back and forth between country and rock, but Boland is the compass point where the country influence in Red Dirt and Texas country is pinned.
One wrinkle to the sound of Squelch is the replacement of long-time Straggler guitarist Roger Dale Ray with the young and hungry Cody Angel. His addition of steel guitar on this record really adds an extra texture not heard so deeply embedded in Boland’s sound before, and Angel’s unique style and tone are a new asset for the Stragglers.
But what’s happening in the songwriting is what the listener should most concern themselves with. If there was ever an album worth running down a physical copy of and burying your nose into the lyrics, it would be this one. To get the full experience of Squelch, it’s necessary to know what is being said, and even with lyrical cheat sheets, some of the songs are still hard to decipher the underlying meaning of.
What is for sure is that Jason Boland isn’t pulling any punches, even though sarcasm and connotations are the way he chooses to deliver his message in many cases. From the hipster, to the politico, from the white flighter to the gentrifier, few are spared an odious depiction at some point on Squelch.
Most vilified in this work is the time we live in today, and the artifice of prosperity as the gulf between the have’s and have not’s continues to widen, and people fall over themselves to be heard instead of to listen. Or like Boland says, “Nothing’s coming through but the static. All I can hear anymore is the noise.”
Time for a turn of the squelch knob, indeed.
In moments, Squelch can even leave one a little unsettled. Though the ambiguity of the lyricism is an asset overall, at other times you’re kind of unsure if you agree with what’s being said, or if it is you and your value system or actions which are being admonished.
I’m not exactly sure who Boland’s poison pen is pointed at in the albums sole rock song, “I Guess It’s Alright to Be an Asshole,” but it burrows deep. Though “Fat and Merry” will play with many as a party song while they hold their bottle of beer to the sky and sing along, the truth is the joke’s on them.
In “Christmas in Huntsville”—the only song not written by Boland on the record (it was the work of original Straggler fiddler Dana Hazzard)—it takes the already dour story of an inmate spending their Christmas on Texas death row getting ready for execution, and adds the exclamation point of the accused being innocent of his crime. Squelch may preach for the suppression of so much unnecessary noise coming at us, but it’s not about to censor its own message for the sake of the comfort of the listener.
Squelch is not all angry verses and anti-establishment vibes though. “Do You Love Me Any Less” is a piano-based ballad touching on the concern someone often away from home has about the status of their significant lover’s heart. “Bienville” is another well-written song with a love story at its foundation. If the album has a “hit,” “Heartland Bypass” might win the award for the most infectious, though “Lose Early” comes on strong with subsequent listens as a groove-laden jam.
Others may gravitate to the two explicit songs of the album—the aforementioned “I Guess It’s Alright,” and “Fuck, Fight, and Rodeo”—but both of these songs are burdened by feeling more judgmental than wisdom-infused insight and reprimand. And sometimes Squelch is just a little too esoteric to get its point across. It’s not a stretch to say that most who hear this album will misunderstand it, though maybe that’s the ultimate validation of its message.
This is unlike any other country album you might hear, though some may hear similarities to Sturgill Simpson’s recent questioning of values and beliefs. Squelch is traditional country to the ear, whose lyrics aggressively tear away at the morass of modern reality. Usually this business is reserved for punk music or political folk. But Boland believes country can be a worthy vessel for social disobedience too.
To “enjoy” this album is probably to misapprehend it, though you can certainly walk away feeling that the listening experience was rewarding. And to assign too much opinion to Squelch seems to also miss the message. So even more than with most records, listeners are encouraged to dig deep into this project and make up their own minds.
And kudos for the cover art, which captures the dystopian, broken-promise-future fleshed out in the lyrics of the album, though many would never guess this was a country album from the outside.
1 3/4 of 2 Guns Up (8/10)
– – – – – – – – – – – –
Jason Boland and the Stragglers are: Jason Boland (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Cody Angel (Lead Guitar, Pedal Steel, Dobro), Brad Rice (Drums), Grant Tracy (Bass), Nick Worley (Fiddle).
Purchase Squelch from Jason Boland
October 11, 2015 @ 6:15 pm
I want this one so bad!!!
October 11, 2015 @ 6:31 pm
Spot on review, Trigger.
Sonically, I love the sound of the album. Like you said, country to the core, great steel guitar and (to my ear) infectious tunes. I’ve always loved Boland’s songwriting, particularly when he ventures into political and moral realms. This album is probably more overly political than any of his previous albums, which may turn some listeners off. And really, listening to his previous albums, you really can get a clear political theme permeating and resonating through his music. But I admire that Boland writes songs with a purpose and an intent; his songs aren’t just filler for the next album. Not to mention, he fills the songs with plenty of good lyrical ‘zingers’.
The lyrics on this album leave plenty to be speculated on and dissected, while the music and Boland’s delivery should please any country fan’s ear. Two thumbs up from me for this album.
October 11, 2015 @ 6:43 pm
Does anyone else feel like his vocals are lower than they usually are in the mix?
October 11, 2015 @ 6:47 pm
I did notice this, and I think it could lend to some of the confusion over the lyrics. It’s another reason I’d encourage folks to run down the words for these songs. I know they cut this record to tape, so even though you’re going to have the “warmth,” you’re not going to have the clarity of digital.
October 11, 2015 @ 8:05 pm
I had the same thoughts. Keep trying to mess with my radio settings so that I can hear Boland better. Same issue with Stoney Larue’s record earlier this year.
October 11, 2015 @ 8:54 pm
This is a growing trend I’m been harping on for years now. Artists and producers think it’s awesome to cut records to 2-inch tape because it gives albums the “warm” analog feel, but this is something that 90% of listeners will never pick up on, and meanwhile it also involves a loss of clarity that makes words and other elements of the music more difficult to pick up. I’ve heard much worse albums guilty of this than “Squelch,” but it’s is present here for sure.
Future generations of listeners are going to look back at the great albums of today and wonder what the hell we were thinking by purposely making them sound bad. It is possibly to still record to tape, yet also reap the benefits of clarity with more advanced recording procedures. They are making these records sound bad because it reminds them of vintage recordings. That’s cool for a song or two if you want to change the vibe. But doing it for entire albums will hold these records back over time.
October 11, 2015 @ 9:10 pm
There is absolutely NO reason for a poor sounding inferior quality recording in these times with all the technology at our disposal .Great recordings were made long ago with far less technology than we have access to today . Which means today’s poor recordings are either made by choice or out of ignorance and ineptitude . Unfortunately there are , indeed , quite a few poorly produced / recorded / mixed records around . Most ‘bedroom gear’ ( a laptop and a cheap audio interface) will give quality results in competent hands . Not EXPERT hands ….just competent …so again ….no excuse for bad masters whatsoever .
October 12, 2015 @ 12:31 am
I’ve always enjoyed being able to hear vocals through the music. I want the voice front and center. I hated the loud bass that my peers loved growing up. I dunno why you would want the message you are trying to convey drowned out by the music. Don’t get me wrong, I love a great musician like Gary Clark Jr., or Jason Isbell wailing away. There just has to be a happy balance. The best music is a blend of the two in my opinion.
October 12, 2015 @ 6:29 am
2 inch tape does deliver the best analog signal without doubt and it really comes down to how it is recorded to or later how it is mixed. Honestly tape is not the culprit. On another note everything recorded on tape for the benefit of the full analog signal still ends up on digital media format in almost all cases (with the exception of some vinyl releases).
October 13, 2015 @ 8:43 am
Honestly, i was a part of the 90% mentioned in an above post until I heard an interview with Sturgill Simpson and his explanation in recording his latest album with tape.
Since then, I have become somewhat of an audio file and love to hear artists use a form of this recording method.
With my limited knowledge of the recording process, I personally like it when the album is recorded with modern day equipment, and then transferred to tape.
IMO, you get a deeper base sound, yet maintain the vocal integrity of what your trying to convey.
Sweet GA Brown is using tape on his next album, I’m excited to see what he comes up with.
October 15, 2015 @ 3:42 am
Yeah, I don’t think we’re going to look back and wonder why we gravitated back to analog tape. There’s a HUGE resurgence of vinyl sales, and converting digital to vinyl sounds terrible. We’ve done 3 records on tape, and what nobody is mentioning is that it’s WAY more involved, takes a MUCH better band to track, and translates to vinyl very well. The majority of people who listen to this album will do so digitally, so is it counterproductive? Maybe, but we don’t care. I agree the vocals could come up in the mix, but we finance our own albums so the studio budget is always limited. Recording to tape is our homage to our heroes, as well as a means to take a stand against all the awful garbage that comes in a digital format. We like the way tape sounds, the way it compliments the organic music we make, and yes, the warmth of the analog fidelity. Pearl Snaps, Dark and Dirty and Squelch are all 100% analog, because we enjoy the challenge of perfect performances in the studio, and the sonic hug it gives you on the playback. As far as the lyrics, they’re not in the liner notes because Jason wants you to listen and decipher for yourself, interpret the message on your own. There was no intention of burying them, just n oversight. The whole point is to starkly contrast our music with the trash that is country, and we hope and pray that our sound is distinguished as something different and unique.
October 15, 2015 @ 10:02 am
Hey Brad,
Just for the record, I don’t have any big issue with the production or engineering of ‘Squelch’, tape vs. digital or otherwise. If I did, I would have said something in my review specifically, which I have for many albums in the past. Admittedly, this whole tape warmth thing is a pet peeve of mine. That doesn’t mean I prefer digital. I actually prefer tape, but some artists and bands are purposely making their albums sound bad because it reminds them of old vintage records recorded on inferior equipment. I don’t think ‘Squelch’ did that, but others have. Still, numerous people are complaining that they can’t hear the words, then that’s probably good feedback to take to heart.
Also, I never received a physical copy of the album to review. I received a digital one and specifically requested the words which were sent to me. Eventually they’ll make their way up to the lyric sites, and then I guess the importance will be to make sure they’re correct.
October 11, 2015 @ 6:47 pm
I kind of noticed that a bit too, I read somewhere this was recorded on the old style of recording tape that they used on their first album, I don’t know if that is the reason it sounds like this but in some songs for sure I noticed that.
October 12, 2015 @ 12:23 am
I have audiophile friends who swear you can get that warmth with out loss of sound quality. And one argues that nostalgia for warmth is misguided because that warmth from back due to the technology and that if they could’ve gotten rid of it back then they would have/
October 11, 2015 @ 6:46 pm
Love this album just picked it up last night along with Corb Lund’s latest! Boland and the boys are probably my favorite group out there right now, seen them 3 times and anxious to see them again! Hope you are able to review Max Stalling’s newest album, Banquet, it was released the same day as Lund’s and Boland’s, going to go and pick it up tomorrow, sounds pretty good from what I have heard thus far!
October 11, 2015 @ 8:41 pm
Excited to listen to this but am I only the one who just doesn’t like the album cover? Not trying to nit pick but looks the cover of some bad modern rock band trying to be edgy. Either way, it’s the music that matters I guess and I’m sure it will be incredible.
October 12, 2015 @ 2:46 am
You’re just sore because you don’t know what clones with internal microphones are…
October 12, 2015 @ 5:25 am
Quite looking forward to listening to this album further. Does anyone know of the lyrics being posted anywhere for those of us that bought the album digitally?
October 12, 2015 @ 9:47 am
Great album. I told a friend 2 songs in though that I didn’t like the mix or where the vocals sat. Was hoping it was just sinus issues messing with my hearing but I guess I’m not alone.
October 12, 2015 @ 9:48 am
Love the record even more hard edged lyrically than the last one. The explicit content and the subject matters like white flight etc. Boland appears to be writing from a place of angry cynicism that I hope is personally cathartic and not a mindset that becomes an emotional burden personally. I noticed the vocals being lower in the mix. I hope next record the pull the vocals back up in the mix.
October 12, 2015 @ 10:28 am
I’m a huge Boland fan. I gave the new album a spin, but I have to say that the vocals being so low really made it difficult to enjoy and understand. I’m going to have to wait for a long drive, so I can crank it and really give it a full listen. Boland has moved through several phases since I started listening: the good time charlie, sobriety, another round with the bottle, a longer stint of sobriety with more introspection, etc. I’m interested in where he takes it from here. I, for one, would love to see him get more incisive and cultural/political.
October 12, 2015 @ 10:45 am
Agreed. Much like Chris Knight’s last album, which some labeled as “political”, I think Boland has the cultural decay by some segments of modern America. It’s refreshing to hear in Country music, especially with the current trend in so much of our music across all genres seemingly ignoring any reference to struggles, hardships or decay in modern culture.
October 15, 2015 @ 3:45 am
Jason has been sober since 2005, no relapses. No “another rounds with the bottle”.
November 5, 2015 @ 9:36 am
Thanks, Brad. I reached out to shake your hand after a show in Kentucky and you gave me your drumsticks. Thanks. I was referring to what Jason said a long time ago, not post-2005.
October 12, 2015 @ 12:20 pm
I love how this album doesn’t beat around the bushes. There’s some solid songwriting here and the fiddle on “The First To Know” is a delight to the ears. Probably my 6th favorite album this year after Whitey Morgan, James McMurtry, Don Henley, William Clark Green and Gretchen Peters.
Thanks for this review, it nails my thought exactly.
October 12, 2015 @ 4:06 pm
Really enjoy the album. Comes out strong with Break 19 and finishes with a point on Fuck, Fight and Rodeo. Was a great weekend of driving 4 plus hours both ways with this CD, the new Corb Lund, and Turnpike’s new one.
October 12, 2015 @ 4:56 pm
I had a long drive Friday and woke up with Boland, Corb, and Max Stalling downloaded on my Ipod. I hope you’ll give Max a listen next. Banquet holds up with Squelch and Things That Can’t be Undone.
October 13, 2015 @ 7:28 pm
Jason Boland is anti government. Especially the USA. End of story.
October 16, 2015 @ 6:16 am
They said that about Woody Guthrie as well.
October 13, 2015 @ 7:39 pm
I’m very pleased to read this review! I just finished the review for Tim McGraw’s latest album, and while Tim seems to be trying to be true country, Jason Boland knows it and lives it. Thanks.
October 15, 2015 @ 9:02 pm
The new Jason Boland album is nothing short of excellent. But it must be seen as part of a larger and much more important trend in country music. The rise of a generation of artists close enough to their fans, especially those poor souls stuck in America”™s Heartland, to fill an album that speaks to the fears, hopes, and dreams of those same fans; those dreams yet unfulfilled and those already dashed, in songs that express frustration in very real, very raw ways. These aren”™t your Reagan Era class of ”™91 stylists; these are poets from or the American prairies and bottomlands in the tradition of Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, and Woody Guthrie. The most trenchant commentary on the impact of American military adventures in the Middle East, for example, have been brilliantly captured by artists like Hayes Carll, the Turnpike Troubadours, Steve Earle, Gretchen Peters, Corb Lund, and others who we would certainly categorize as those attempting to save country music. But Jason Boland offers and has offered in his last few albums: Comal County Blue, Rancho Alto, and Dark and Dirty Mile a much larger vision. He has clearly moved beyond both the simple Red Dirt label and its focus on producing clandestine rural stoner/party music. Since his surgery, his music has matured, perhaps with his audience, towards a larger critique of contemporary American culture and politics. Boland”™s America is a much more complex place than the simple Red/Blue divide that stands for political analysis these days. In this context, I offer the following: Perhaps Boland”™s muted voice is something more than a simple trendy audio choice to capture a more “authentic” sound by recording to a particular type of tape. Perhaps it”™s a metaphor for the near impossibility of the common man”™s voice to rise above the squelch.
October 22, 2015 @ 2:44 pm
65 Tons,
I think you nailed it completely.
Seems like anti-government or at least distrustful of it is the most patriotic thing you can be.
I’ve been tempted for years to ask Jason to write a song directly referencing Edward Snowden, because he’s proven how great his writing is when the subject matter is important.
How many bands have put out a string of albums this great beginning with Comal County Blue? They are all true artists.