With the album Hollywood Town Hall, the American band The Jayhawks surprised the Dutch audience in 1993, by arriving at the height of grunge with a beautiful melancholy country rock record. The razor-sharp harmony vocals of Gary Louris and Mark Olson evoked memories of the Everly Brothers, although the gentlemen preferred to refer to the more unruly Louvin Brothers. After the slightly less coherent
… follow-up Tomorrow The Green Grass (1994), Olson left the band to the chagrin of the fans and The Jayhawks continued as a three-man band. Under the leadership of Louris, the band developed into a pop group that was influenced less by roots and more by alternative pop and rock. The sixth album Rainy Day Music surprised by the presence of some famous guests like Matthew Sweet, Chris Stills, Jakob Dylan and Bernie Leadon (Eagles) and production services from heavyweights Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Counting Crows) and Rick Rubin. Strong songs like Madman show a return to the traditional sound of the early days. (MS)more
