Tomorrow the Green Grass
At its best, listening to the Jayhawks make music is a beautiful American experience falling somewhere between drinking a cold Coke on a hot day and driving through the Rocky Mountains at sunset. Perhaps it's in the clarity of Mark Olson's tenor melodies and their accompanying ghostly harmonies, or maybe it's in Gary Louris's immensely raved-up country rock licks. Or perhaps it's the impression left by lyrics that never reveal the whole story  but tell just enough to tear at you and make you understand their feeling--the loneliness, the sorrow, the hope, or the peace.The Jayhawks were at their very best indeed on 1992'sHollywood Town Hall. Their guitars were sharp, the words perfect, and the melodies unforgettable. WithTomorrow the Green Grass, however, 1994's version of the great country soul group is decidedly less filling, even when still savory. The addition of violins is a nice touch, but a misstep where the music's muscle is concerned. The guitars are still gorgeous, but muddier and less hook-laden than before. The lyrics still haunt, but they're more disjointed and less gripping this time around. And the melodies are both a blessing and a curse: more easily catching and chart-ready but with a lot less meat on their bones. Call it cosmic American music in the sugary Milky Way galaxy. Or else just remember how much Gram Parsons always did look sort of like David Cassidy.--Roni Sarig