15. Mark Olson The Salvation Blues
Divorce is ugly.
In a world too easily desensitized to, well, everything, we often forget that a promise is a promise, and whenever that covenant bond is broken, it just plain hurts. I was shocked when I heard that ex-Jayhawk Olson and the sublime Victoria Williams had split. I was introduced to Victoria's music by my lovely wife, and I can truly say that I have never had the same visceral/spiritual reaction to seeing any artist as when Vic and Mark would ramble their family lovin' show into town (or when we would pack up and go find them somewhere along the road). We assumed that theirs was a forever story, and the news of their divorce was heartbreaking.
But joy comes in the morning, right? Sometimes. And sometimes you just remember the anguish of the day before. This is the space in which Olson gives us The Salvation Blues, a bittersweet rumination on loss and the redemption that can follow if you're brave enough to make it through the night. It's his first real solo record, as all seven(!) albums he put out after leaving the Jayhawks (under various versions of the Creekdippers name) were family affairs. There's not much new here musically, but it hardly matters when an artist has as compelling a sweet spot as Olson does. A true poet, he never shows all of his cards; even as a Jayhawk, his songs had a sweet mystery to them, and that trait continues here. Jayhawks mate Gary Louris shows up on a few songs, as he has been wont to do of late, and falls right into the glorious harmonies that made those early records so special.
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