Jayhawks

live @ Birchmere, 1.17.2002

It was a skeleton version of the Jayhawks that appeared at the Birchmere Wednesday night, but even though the Minneapolis band was stripped to its’ basic elements---guitarist and songwriter Gary Louris, drummer Tim O’ Reagan and bassist Marc Pearlman---none of the incandescence of their hooks was diminished. The Jayhawks began as country rockers, but that ceased being an accurate moniker for them when co-founder Mark Olson left the band in 1995. Since then, with Louris as chief singer/composer, they have evolved into masters of the kind of gloriously well crafted pop rock songs that could be heard wafting from the FM radio in the mid-1970’s. Combining the artful parts of The Faces, Neil Young and Grand Funk Railroad with his own sizable talent for pop hooks, Louris formulates a new and welcome strain of classic rock.

All three Jayhawks played acoustic guitar throughout the evening, with O’ Reagan playing a minimal drum kit and providing harmonies to Louris’ penetrating lead vocals. The songlist was a mix of vintage (“Ain't No End”, “Clouds”, “Blue”), more recent (“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me”, “Smile”, “Haywire”) and cover (Tim Hardin’s “Reason to Believe”) versions that served the acoustic format well. Louris added harmonica to several songs, which blew the spirit of Dylan through the room, especially on “Nothing Left to Borrow”, the ‘Hawks subtle homage to “Like A Rolling Stone”.

The short tour the Jayhawks are currently on is seemingly intended as an exercise in preparation for recording a new album, and the passion with which they played, as well as the inclusion of several new songs---notably Louris’ magnificent “Pretty Little Hairdo”---indicate the band’s career remains in the middle of a creative renaissance.

Washington Post, 2002

Jayhawks

live @ 930 Club 11.15.2000

No musician has ever worn cooler-looking glasses than Gary Louris. The leader of The Jayhawks and his distinctive silver-framed specs were looking sharp at the 930 Club Wednesday night as his band played a wide-ranging and spirited two-hour show. Though the Jayhawks latest album, “Smile”---produced by Bob Ezrin, best known for his work with Kiss and Pink Floyd---has a smooth sound that alienated some longtime fans, Wednesday’s show proved that despite the album’s pop/rock textures, the Jayhawks’ country-rock roots are still strong. Louris’ songs from “Smile” sounded even better than the record, as his guitar mixed with that of Kraig Johnson to emphasize rough edges, while confirming his status as a great (and underrated) American songwriter
While Louris’ song choices emphasized “Smile”, he also opened his back catalog, mixing the older “Settled Down Like Rain” and “I’d Run Away” with newer songs like “Somewhere In Ohio” and “What Led Me To This Town”. Especially effective was a duet with keyboardist Jen Gunderman on “A Break In the Clouds” and drummer Tim O’ Reagan’s singing on his own “Bottomless Cup”.
Louris and the Jayhawks also covered a wide range of outside songwriters: William Bell (via-”Sweetheart of the Rodeo”) on “You Don’t Miss Your Water”, Margaret Ann and Charlie Rich’s monumentally sad “Life Has It’s Little Ups and Downs”, even Eric Carmen’s overwrought “All By Myself”. The two latter songs came during a half-hour encore which ended with “Baby Baby Baby” and Louris jumping offstage to solo in the crowd. He then handed his axe to the band’s roadie, who promptly finished the song, while Louris headed backstage, shaking hands. A good exit. A very good set.

Washington Post, November 2000