Sadler Vaden – Dad Rock
For the most part, rock music hasn’t been a place for dads. That’s not to say that male musicians aren’t out there making babies – they most definitely are. But, music-wise, for every (somewhat rare) song about the bond between father and child (Springsteen’s “My Hometown”), there’s a song (like Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle”) that emphasizes the gulf between the two. But that seems to be changing over the past decade – some combination of pandemic stay-at-homes, Kobe Bryant’s legacy as a “Girl Dad,” and fathers on social media taking pride in, well, being a father has made it OK to write about this most natural of topics. Guitarist-singer-songwriter Sadler Vaden very much takes this to heart on his just-out, surprise album Dad Rock, a collection of songs about both being a dad and the changes in your “old” life when fatherhood comes calling.
Emblematic of Vaden’s look at the intersection of fatherhood and touring is the album’s first single, “I’ll Always Come Back.” The jangly tune shows the perspective of both father and child (Vaden and his wife have two sons), with lines like, “How long until you leave this house?/What will I do when you set out?” reflecting both Dad leaving the house to go back on tour and that time in the not-so-distant future when young adults leave the nest. But, after having an unnatural amount (for a musician) of time with his growing family, the twist in the gut that comes from leaving them behind is more acutely felt, and it’s the thought of home that keeps him going – “I didn’t know I needed you/You lit my way out of the blue.”
Vaden made an effort to include like-minded dads on Dad Rock. A riffy take on The Whigs’ 2012 alt-rocker “Staying Alive” includes the band’s drummer, Julian Dorio. Heartbreaker Benmont Tench shows up on the Springsteen-esque “The Rescuer” and the more acoustic “The New You,” which has Vaden dipping back into his own past – “I’m making mistakes, getting lost in a daydream/Well this is the new you and the old me” – and finding out that’s where some things are best left. And album wrapper “Two Balloons” turns out to be the best guitar song on the record, in no small part because of the inclusion of Elliot Easton of The Cars. As Easton sprays riffs and solos all around him, “Dadler” pays tribute to his two young boys, always on his mind – “Two balloons, went up in the sky/Stay together for the rest of time” – no matter his venue on any particular night. That’s good Dad-ing.
Song I Can’t Wait to Hear Live: “Two Balloons” – I grew up in the 80s – give me ALL of those Easton guitars.
Dad Rock was produced by Sadler Vaden, engineered by Owen Lewis and Bobby Holland, mixed by Lewis and mastered by Richard Dodd. All original songs written by Vaden (“Dove” written with Joel Hamilton. “Staying Alive” written by The Whigs). Musicians on the album include Vaden (vocals, guitars, keys), Fred Eltringham (drums), Julian Dorio (drums), Timothy Deaux (bass), Dominic Davis (bass), Elliot Easton (lead, 12-string and acoustic guitars), Benmont Tench (piano, organ), Art Edmaiston (tenor saxophone), Kirk Smothers (baritone saxophone) and Marc Franklin (trumpet, horn arrangement).
Go here to stream Dad Rock (out now) and pre-order vinyl: https://orcd.co/dadrock
Check out Vaden’s tour dates with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit here: https://www.jasonisbell.com/shows
Enjoy our previous interview with Sadler here: Key to the Highway: Sadler Vaden