The Freightwhaler Sessions is an unreleased EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 by alt-country

Alternative country

Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...

 artist Ryan Adams'

Ryan Adams

David Ryan Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter, from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the band and released his first solo album Heartbreaker in 2000...

 side project band Freightwhaler (Freight Whaler), recorded in 1996. At the time, Adams was also a member of Whiskeytown

Whiskeytown

Whiskeytown was an alternative country band formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994. Fronted by Ryan Adams, other members included Caitlin Cary, Phil Wandscher, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, and Mike Daly. They disbanded in 2000, with Adams leaving to pursue his solo career...

.

After attending a Freight Whaler concert in Raleigh, NC, No Depression magazine writer David Menconi described the band as such: "...imagine an alternate version of the movie Revenge of the Nerds

Revenge of the Nerds

Revenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy film satirizing social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, John Goodman, and Donald Gibb...

, in which the long-oppressed geeks form a gutsy roots-rock band instead of a cheeseball synth-pop band."

The unreleased EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

, which has made the rounds among the file-sharing community, is notable for the song "Bar Lights", which was later re-cut for Pneumonia

Pneumonia (album)

-Musicians:*Ryan Adams — Guitars, vocals, piano & harmonica*Caitlin Cary — Fiddle & backing vocals*Mike Daly — Guitars, pedal steel, lap steel, dulcimer, mandocello, mandolin, keyboards & backing vocals*Brad Rice — Guitars...

, Whiskeytown's

Whiskeytown

Whiskeytown was an alternative country band formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994. Fronted by Ryan Adams, other members included Caitlin Cary, Phil Wandscher, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, and Mike Daly. They disbanded in 2000, with Adams leaving to pursue his solo career...

 final album from 2001.

Freight Whaler bassist Chris Laney

Chris Laney

Chris Laney is a bassist/guitarist and former member of the alternative country band Whiskeytown. Chris Laney currently lives in Carrollton, Georgia, USA. Frequent poster at...

 revealed to AnsweringBell.com that two slower songs - "Sometimes That's Hard To Do" and "Picture Of Jesus On The Dashboard" - were recorded after drummer Skillet Gilmore broke his collarbone and couldn't play drums anymore.

Track listing

Personnel & Production Credits

• Ryan Adams
  Ryan Adams
  David Ryan Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter, from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the band and released his first solo album Heartbreaker in 2000...
  
   — guitar, vocals
• Chris Laney
  Chris Laney
  Chris Laney is a bassist/guitarist and former member of the alternative country band Whiskeytown. Chris Laney currently lives in Carrollton, Georgia, USA. Frequent poster at...
  
   — bass
• Sloane Doggett — guitar
• Nicholas Petti — pedal steel
• Skillet Gilmore — drums
• Recorded by Wes Lachot