After years of playing electric guitar as part of an Americana cover band, Kentucky native Cole Kidwell has shifted his focus to the acoustic realm with focus on bluegrass and other forms of traditional music. Kidwell’s debut release, World of Stone, is a generous collection of original material with nods to old time music, newgrass, and alternative country, among other genres.
The project opens on pure simplicity with the track, Pap’s Banjo. Written by Kidwell, this song talks of using an instrument to share “the song of our story, the song of our kin.” It serves as a powerful reminder of how music can be a connecting force for multiple generations.
There’s a heavy John Prine influence in Cole’s songwriting, which is most evident in Ballad of Esther May (This House Ain’t For Sale). Telling the story of a woman holding on to the one thing she feels she has left, Kidwell is accompanied here by EmmaLee Kidwell on harmony vocals, Rachel Baiman on fiddle, Casey Campbell on mandolin, Phillipe Bronchtein on resophonic guitar, and Morgan Blaney on bass.
Up On Barley brings another dose of simplicity combined with nostalgia while Trapline is an instrumental that showcases just Cole and his banjo.
O’Possum O’Possum is a humorous tale of both a man’s attempts at catching a possum while also allowing the creature to tell their side of the story in some of the later verses.
The following track, Mountain Man, has a strong traditional bluegrass feel with solid banjo work from George Jackson and a perfect vocal blend between Cole and EmmaLee Kidwell.
Barren River by Kidwell and Dylan White tells a dark familiar tale of a man being executed for a crime he feels he didn’t commit, while Highway Hymn talks of taking a long trip while wrestling with challenging emotions.
One of the most intriguing tracks on this project is Cole and EmmaLee’s duet rendition of the John Hartford classic, Gentle On My Mind. With instrumental accompaniment provided solely by Phil Towns on keyboard, it makes for an incredibly haunting, yet beautiful arrangement.
World of Stone follows quite a few different pathways, both in style and in lyrics, but it shows how capable Cole Kidwell is of connecting with a wide range of listeners. With a nice selection of fifteen tracks, there is something on this album to which everyone can relate.
