THE JAYHAWKS

TOMORROW THE GREEN GRASS

One of my favorite discs for so many reasons, namely that it was a ray of musical sunshine in the unremarkable mid 90's, boasting two guys (Gary Louris and Mark Olson) who had voices that were married to one another. The melodies? Better than you could ask for. Imagine Neil and Crazy Horse with the Everly Brothers singing lead. Criminally overlooked and underbought, "Tomorrow the Green Grass" is a fine piece of work.

"Blue" is an achingly powerful song, with fine harmonies tinged with melancholy. Louris and Olson's vocal blend unintentionally conveys a certain sadness. Hands down, it wins the prize as the most outstanding track here.

For those that remember Jon Stewart's pre "Daily Show" years. I watched this when it originally aired in April 1995.



More than a hint of Uncle Neil shows up in a few tracks, especially with "Nothing Left To Borrow" and "Miss Williams Guitar". Primarily, the feel is that of alt-country, with piano lines neatly filling the spaces, though rock/pop and folk inform many of the songs. The material is exceptional and the one cover, Grand Funk's "Bad Time", is so perfectly executed that it manages to eclipse the original. The Byrdsian/Petty jangle of "Pray For Me" is supported (like everything else) by iron clad harmonies and a nice hook as the set races to the finish line.

Good old fashioned, straight ahead album that you will find yourself returning to many times. Still sounds fresh fourteen years on. It amazes me that these guys did not find a larger audience with material of this calibre.

"Real Light" in Germany, June 1995.