By Brent Thompson

Though he has released solo albums throughout his career, Sadler Vaden is best known as the talented guy in the shadows.  Vaden is the guitarist in The 400 Unit – Jason Isbell’s crack backing band – and has produced albums for Morgan Wade and The Blue Dogs. Earlier this month, Vaden stepped back into the forefront with the release of Dad Rock (Thirty Tigers). Offering eight tracks over a 34-minute time span, Dad Rock takes us back to the vinyl days when an artist only had a certain amount space to make a statement. From a songwriting perspective, the album is Vaden’s most mature outing yet, perhaps not surprising since he and his wife have had two sons since his last release. Possessing a vocal style reminiscent of Tom Petty, Vaden blends rockers and midtempo numbers in cohesive fashion. Aiding him on the project are Elliot Easton (The Cars), Julian Dorio (The Whigs, Eagles of Death Metal) and longtime Petty sideman Benmont Tench. With Dad Rock, Vaden gives us a timeless-sounding album that will hopefully spur him to seek the spotlight more often.