Son Volt is one band that really TESTS its fans. To see them in a live show is like watching a band that seems perpetually on downers. However, what SV and Wilco have done since the demise of the mythic Uncle Tupelo is to keep the dream alive. SV's "Trace" contained classic folk/country numbers like "Tear Stained Eye", an homage to the citizens of Ste. Genevieve, MO, and those who fought the Great Flood of 1993. However, the rock numbers had less of an edge than those on UT albums. Son Volt toured several times, and while not all that exciting, their music wraps up anyone seeing the show into an almost religious fervor over the most simple elements of rock and roll. "Straightaways" was quite a dud, and many fans worried that Jay Farrar was becoming too maudlin or something. The rock numbers lacked any punch, and the folk numbers were somewhat weak and aimless. The length of the album left much to be desired, as well.