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Jay Farrar

After finding critical (if not commercial) success with ’90s alt-country band Uncle Tupelo and the slightly more rocking Son Volt, chief songwriter Jay Farrar has taken to the solo road. Coupled with his work for the two seminal bands, his 2001 solo album, Trace, was a huge influence to a burgeoning alt-country scene. Beyond his established talents as a songwriter, his solo work reveals an able guitarist and harmonicist, and distinctive vocalist. Fans of his former bands should find much to like with Farrar’s solo work, which expands on traditional American roots music with a bluesy kick. His most recent recording is the 2009 soundtrack to One Fast Move or I’m Gone about Jack Kerouac’s time spent at Big Sur, a collaboration with Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service). The show is one of just eight Midwestern dates (as he’s currently based out of St. Louis, Missouri), so it’s likely he’ll perform a mix of songs from both albums as well as some new, unreleased songs. Bobby Bare, Jr. opens.

8 p.m. Friday, $16, 21-plus, Turf Club, 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul, 651-647-0486, www.turfclub-net