Music Reviews Archives - Bluegrass Today

Cherry Street – Benny Sidelinger

Benny Sidelinger seems like an unassuming sort of guy. His bio consists of an anecdote about an introduction he was once given at a local watering hole where he was rather anonymous at the time. Nevertheless, it’s a clever means of introduction, citing credits that include, performances with Allison Russell, a banjo jam with Michael Franti, a performance at the Rhythm and Blues festival in the Netherlands, and various other festival appearances that have taken him from Vancouver to Calgary to the Newport Folk Festival. That’s not to mention the various albums he’s contributed to by the likes of Po’ Girl, JT Nero, the Shiftless Rounders, the Blackberry Bushes, the Pine Hearts, and any number of others.

The narrative concludes by saying, “He seems to have been everywhere, played with everyone.”

While that may seem an overstatement, the fact is that his new album, Cherry Street, seems to have come out of nowhere. Said to have taken years in coming to fruition, it seems to be the product of an intensive effort involving a number of capable musicians, among them, co-producer Michael Connolly on guitar, fiddle, bass, vocals, and percussion, Aida Miller on vocals and mandolin, Tony Wright on fiddle, and Jason Haugland on drums. Yet at the same time, the results are uncluttered and straight-forward, mostly, but not exclusively, old time banjo-driven tunes flush with honest emotion.

They veer from a rousing take on the traditional standard, House Carpenter, and the steady shuffle of the oft-covered, Corrina, to a series of down-home rambles that include Dirt, Lilacs, and the familiar folk tune, Sugar Babe, as well as a handful of forlorn ballads, Every Goodbye, The Letter Carrier, and She Goes.

To his credit, Sidelinger needn’t rely only on lyrics to convey his astute emotions, as the opening and closing instrumentals Last Chance and a rugged cover of the age-old offering, Growling & Grumbling, prove conclusively.

Still, given any apparent disparity, the material fits together remarkably well, and despite the fact that the 13-song set consists of both original material and music culled from archival sources, it makes for a seamless garment throughout. One can only hope that Cherry Street allows Sidelinger to pursue similar avenues in the future. No doubt there’s more great music awaiting just around the bend.

Beacons – Nefesh Mountain

Variety and versatility have long been the hallmarks of Nefesh Mountain’s career. Based in upstate New York, the duo — consisting of the husband-wife team of singer Doni Zasloff and vocalist, guitarist, and banjo/guitar player Eric Lindberg — have shown their appreciation for traditional music through their ability to bend its boundaries and give it a contemporary context. Americana, folk, bluegrass, jazz, and blues are all part of their wheelhouse, all tempered within the context of their Jewish heritage and reverence for roots music in general.

They take that combined devotion several steps further with Beacons, a two CD set with Eden Sky Records that devotes one disc to Americana and the other to bluegrass. Boasting 18 tracks, it features an impressive array of iconic contributors — Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Mark Schatz, Greg Leisz, Rob McCoury, and Cody Kilby among them.

Given the presence of those particular musicians, it’s certainly understandable that the bluegrass offerings on the second disc provide certain standouts. In many ways, they become astute examples of the duo’s talent and tenacity. Although they wrote the majority of these offerings, their covers of Derek and the Dominos’ Keep On Growing, Rodney Crowell’s beautiful ballad Song for the Life, and the seasoned standard, Keep You Lamp Trimmed and Burning demonstrate the verve and versatility that’s at the very core of Nefesh Mountain’s efforts and ingenuity.

Although some listeners may be drawn to one disc over another, in truth, the two halves work well in sync. The music flows well throughout, and in truth, though it’s billed as “unadulterated Americana,” there’s not a lot of discernible difference between the two sides other than the instrumentation. Those that appreciate any sort of traditional tapestry will find reason to revel in all Beacons has to offer. In that regard, Nefesh Mountain has scaled a new summit.

Through These Trees – Broken Compass Bluegrass

California-based Broken Compass Bluegrass is a band that specializes in original, inventive jamgrass music. Their second studio release, Through These Trees, demonstrates even more growth through nine songs, all of which were written within the group.

The opening track, Alien Song, really defines not only who Broken Compass Bluegrass is as a band, but also the general theme of this album. Written by Kyle Ledson, this composition carries a sense of oddity and uncertainty about what someone has seen. Along with Ledson on mandolin, octave mandolin, guitar, banjo, and vocals, the group also consists of Django Ruckrich on guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, and vocals, Mei Lin Heirendt on fiddle and vocals, and Sam Jacobs on bass and synth.

Fairies and Lightning by Heirendt also captures the uncertainties of life through mystical metaphors about nature. Set In Stone by Ledson brings things back to a somewhat lighter mood with a song about one’s longing for the person they love.

Try by Ledson is a song of motivation, its lyrics carrying a message of perseverance. This track also features percussion from Adam Steckley.

Trails of Home by Heirendt speaks of the passage of time and the nostalgia that comes with that. It’s one of those songs that subtly reminds the listener that going back home may not be what it once was.

Circustown captures the group’s instrumental abilities, particularly the fiddling of Mei Lin Heirendt, who penned the tune. With a strong joyous melody, this tune demonstrates Heirendt’s refined, commanding approach to the instrument.

Through These Trees is a release filled with uniqueness. With their abilities as vocalists, instrumentalists, and lyricists, Broken Compass Bluegrass is continuing to explore varying musical territory and break new ground in the process, a combination that will further cement their place in the jamgrass world.

Introducing the Southwest Bluegrass All-Stars

Combining the talents of musicians with New Mexico and Texas ties, the Southwest Bluegrass All-Stars is a supergroup chock full of creativity. The group’s debut EP, Introducing The Southwest Bluegrass All-Stars, is made up of mostly original material along with some intriguing interpretations of a couple well-loved standards.

Of the EP’s five tracks, three of them were written by the group’s guitarist, Elliott Rogers. Bluegrass Trucker is a fun up-tempo song about the tedious profession of driving a big rig up and down the roads. Along with Rogers on guitar and lead vocals, the Southwest Bluegrass All-Stars also consists of Steve Smith on mandolin and harmony vocals, Bill Evans on banjo and harmony vocals, and Anne Luna on bass.

Lay My Shovel Down is one of a few story songs on this recording. This particular track is filled with reflection about one’s choice of devoting their life to hard labor and the rewards and consequences that come with it. The latter track, The Ballad of Buster and Nancy, tells a beautiful story about a woman adopting and raising a child who came from less than ideal circumstances.

Mandolinist Steve Smith handles the lead vocals on The Wreck of the Old 97. Smith does an excellent job delivering this tragic, yet timeless tale, as does Bill Evans with his interpretation of Rueben towards the end of the track.

The EP closes with Deputy Dalton, which was a signature piece for the legendary Country Gazette. Fittingly the group collaborates on this track with Alan Munde, who plays stellar twin banjo alongside Evans. This track is the greatest demonstration of the Southwest Bluegrass All-Stars’ instrumental capabilities.

Introducing the Southwest Bluegrass All-Stars is a stellar debut. With captivating original material from Elliott Rogers, plus excellent vocal and instrumental work from Smith, Evans, and Luna, this quartet is bringing something completely fresh and unique to the forefront.

Songs Of The Carter Family – Pam Linton

Described on her website as “Hollywood Down Home,” Pam Linton has pursued a career that brought her from her native St. Stephen, Minnesota, to singing in church, at local events, and eventually on local television. Midwestern entertainer Sherwin Linton took her under his proverbial wing and brought her cross country where her varied singing style and astute fashion sense, and recognition as a chef and jewelry designer, brought her further fame. As a singer and devout musical historian, she was inducted into the National Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.

Linton’s first solo album, Looking Back, was released in 2004, and it reflects her long-held love of musical tradition. That was followed by an LP recorded with her mentor and now-husband, Sherwin Linton, titled Pam Linton – 40 – Loves Ring Of Fire. Nevertheless, her new album, Songs of the Carter Family, from New Folk Records, may be her most telling expression of appreciation for the early influences ingrained in her by her aunt early on — specifically a love of country music standards borne from the ’40s and ’50s. She shares a debt of gratitude for the Carter Family, the traditional family folk group that recorded between 1927 and 1956, becoming the first vocal group to attain the status of legitimate country music stars, as well as one of the first groups to record commercial country music.

The Carters also helped foster the essential roots of bluegrass through their delicate weaving of an iconic traditional tapestry.

In the process, they produced a wealth of standards that remain an intrinsic part of the popular musical lexicon. Consequently, this particular set of songs, recorded in North Carolina and featuring contributions from Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Jeremy Stephens, and David Johnson, leans heavily on the familiarity factor, courtesy of such certified country classics as Keep On the Sunnyside, Can the Circle Be Unbroken, Wildwood Flower, Wabash Cannon Ball, Father On, and Are You Lonesome Tonight, among the many. The love of home and hearth, feelings of faith, humor and humility, and occasional tales of rejected romance take on new life through Linton’s emotive expression and decidedly down-home delivery. There’s a sense of unbridled joy and upbeat enthusiasm present in each of these reads, emotions that are evident even within the saddest and most sobering songs.

As a result, Songs of the Carter Family ought to be considered something akin to an essential acquisition. It also reminds us all that great music is timeless and easily transposed from past to present. Linton deserves due credit for keeping it all in context.

Sweet Forgiveness – The Church Sisters

The Church Sisters have released a new project, an EP entitled Sweet Forgiveness.

The fraternal twins grew up singing gospel music in southwest Virginia. Their latest release features a beautiful collection of six motivational hymns with tender harmonies that reflect their strong faith and love for the Lord and His mercies. It is sure to touch hearts and please any listener.

Savannah Church Alvis selected a few hymns that “we have always loved and never got the chance to record, along with some songs that we loved from artists since we were younger. I’ve always loved In Christ Alone because it perfectly displays the gospel message.”

“We chose The Commission, that was so beautifully written, because it goes hand in hand with In Christ Alone. What we are called to do as we wait for Jesus to return.”

Savannah continued…

“My husband, Zach [who plays with Chosen Road] helped produce the project. He also played mandolin and guitar on it. Tyler Robertson played bass, as well as mixing and mastering. Jared Easter played keys and steel guitar. And a good friend of ours, Ray Cossin, played fiddle.”

Easter shared…

“I’ve been a fan of The Church Sisters for years, and I’m always excited for any opportunity to perform with them, whether live or on a project. I know steel guitar and piano aren’t the ‘norm’ in this style of music, but I love the emotion and heart they can bring to special moments. These girls could have hired anyone in the world to play those parts, and I’m truly humbled that they chose me for this project.”

Carl Jackson, a Nashville-based, Grammy-winning record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, sings the praises of the twins.

“I met Savannah and Sarah when they were 12-13 years old. I’ve been around a lot of kids that can sing, but I’ve never met anyone else that young that already sounded like an adult who’d been singing professionally for 20-30 years. I’m literally talking Eva Cassidy or Linda Ronstadt type control and pitch. I brought them in the studio not long after that to record I Wandered By A Brookside for the ‘Mark Twain: Words & Music’ project… no one could have done a better job on that song.”

These songs literally gave this reviewer chills. The emotion is conveyed through not only the sisters’ tight harmonies, but the tasteful instrumentation and powerful lyrics like Goodbye’s Not The End that concludes the project. Highly recommended.

CDs are available for purchase on their website now, and digital release on all streaming platforms is slated for January 24.

Cambium – Full Cord

Michigan-based Full Cord has continually drawn audiences with their exciting blend of bluegrass alongside numerous other musical forms. Their third release, Cambium, from Dark Shadow Recording, not only demonstrates this further, but spotlights the band’s lyrical originality as well.

The opening track, Ghost of Good Times, gives the album a riveting start. Written by Glenn House, this song is filled with reflection and pangs of regret about the end of a romance. Along with Brian Oberlin on mandolin and lead vocals, Full Cord also consists of Eric Langejans on guitar and vocals, Grant Flick on fiddle, Ricky Mier on banjo, and Todd Kirchner on bass.

Maces Spring is one of several songs written by Oberlin. Inspired by a visit to the Carter Family Home Place in Virginia, the lyrics hold a great deal of imagery and symbolism. Wild Mountain Rose, also by Oberlin, has the same level of detail in the song’s setting.

Logan’s Farewell is one of two instrumentals on this project. Written by Ricky Mier, the track displays his melodic sensibilities on the five string banjo. The other tune, Sallie’s Dancing, from Oberlin, is a bouncy mandolin piece with a strong old time flavor.

I Laugh When I Think How I Cried Over You comes from the western swing canon. Written by Maxine Fowler and Bob Wills, it demonstrates Full Cord’s signature ability to go beyond bluegrass and interpret multiple styles within their music.

The song that best demonstrates this skill, though, is Full Cord’s take on the Steely Dan classic, Reelin’ In The Years. This one will no doubt please fans of the original recording with its nod to the funky rhythmic patterns which they recreate here. On this track the band is joined by Katie Kirchner, adding an extra, needed layer to the vocal harmonies.

Cambium is a strong recording from start to finish. With an eye towards tradition alongside ideas from outside that realm, Full Cord has carved out a unique identity as a group, one that has earned them many loyal followers. This recording brilliantly captures the exciting originality that has captivated so many people.

Peaches and Apple Pies – Rita Bliss

According to the brief bio posted on her website, Rita Bliss is a folk musician from Rochester, New York who is now based in Austin, Texas. She shares delicate and delightful melodies spawned from old-time melodies, and her travels along the backroads of America’s South.

Driven mostly by her sublime singing, tasteful banjo picking, and the occasional harmonica, Bliss is given delicate accompaniment courtesy of Noah Jeffries on guitar and fiddle, producer Dom Fisher, who also contributes bass and mandolin, and the backing vocals of Jimmie Scott Calhoun. Naturally, Bliss herself takes center stage throughout, whether it’s with the joyful jaunt taken on Drive You To Kentucky, the exceedingly upbeat Love From Lufkin, the easy swoon and sway of Two Dollar Bill, or the quiet caress of banjo ballads like Jeanie, Mountain Time, and Goodbye.

Through it all, Bliss has a way of evoking enduring emotion, and regardless of whether it’s a tender homage to a forever lover, the wistful reflection that brings to mind a favorite watering hole, or simply a shared repast about times spent with friends prior to hitting the highway, the sentiments ring with authenticity and the tender tones that only a highly sensitive singer and songwriter can bring to bear.

What’s all the more remarkable is the fact that Peaches and Apple Pies represents Bliss’ initial outing, one that’s released under independent auspices no less. So while it’s best to reserve some quiet, concentrated time to fully appreciate her delicate debut, one can be assured that it’s time well spent.

A gentle and much-needed respite from a frantic and frenetic world, Peaches and Apple Pies is as thoroughly tasteful and inviting as the temptation of its title implies.

Memory Lane – Wilson Banjo Co

What began as a tool to promote high quality, hand built banjos has become an outlet for presenting lyrically captivating material. Wilson Banjo Co’s release, Memory Lane, on Pinecastle Records contains a variety of themes from coal mining, murder, and heartbreak, among others.

The opening track, Sadie Danced a Hole in Her Stocking, has a fun swing feel to it. Written by Jack Shannon, Troy Engle, and Rick Lang, this song speaks of the energetic dances that would often be hosted inside a country home. At the time of this recording, Wilson Banjo Co was a duo consisting of Steve Wilson on banjo and vocals, and Sarah Logan Lewis on fiddle and vocals. Other studio musicians were brought in to create a full band sound. On this track Wilson and Lewis are joined by Glen Crain on resonator guitar, Tony Wray on guitar and bass, Milom Williams II on mandolin, and Melanie Wilson on harmony vocals.

Holler, by Jordan Rainer and Bill Packard, is another song which explores the country life. Here the duo is joined by Wray on guitar and bass, Williams II on mandolin, Melanie on vocals, and Deanie Richardson on fiddle.

Nightbird by Rick Lang is a gritty, yet mournful song about love coming to an end, and the encompassing feelings that come with it. This is especially punctuated by the resonator guitar work of Glen Crain. Also on this track are Jaime Carter on bass, Adam Plott on percussion, Josh Raines on guitar, and Jason Fraley on mandolin.

The Gavel also carries darkness, both in its lyrics and melody. Written by Jordan Rainer and Lance Carpenter, this murder ballad tells a captivating tale of a romantic relationship from its happy beginning to a tragic end. This is one of several tracks featuring great guitar work from Clay Hess.

Our Last Goodbye/Walk Softly On This Heart of Mine is a clever medley of two bluegrass classics. Rendered in a strong contemporary fashion, Wilson Banjo Co. shows through this arrangement how these two songs will always stand the test of time.

Memory Lane is a strong effort. Though the makeup of Wilson Banjo Co. has changed since the release of this album, this recording is an excellent example of the material that the group has brought, and will continue to bring to the table.

Country Symphony – Pick & Howl

The Denver-based quintet that goes by the descriptive handle, Pick & Howl, makes a formidable impression courtesy of their new album, Country Symphony, a set of songs that find them firmly entrenched within today’s populist and progressive bluegrass genre. Like others that operate within these realms, the group — made up of guitarist and lead vocalist Jeremy Richards, Paul Larson on banjo, Melissa Stube on fiddle, Andrew Gordon on dobro, and Eric Gordon on double bass — manage to carefully tow the narrow divide between the classic and the contemporary, while delivering ready and reliable melodies that easily and effectively frame that finesse.

That was first affirmed by the fact that Pick & Howl won the 2022 RockyGrass band competition, doing so while drawing from a diverse variety of influences that range from The Grateful Dead and Billy Strings, to Townes Van Zandt and Flatt & Scruggs. Nevertheless, they don’t necessarily sound especially similar to any of them, given that comparisons bring them closer to the Steep Canyon Rangers, Punch Brothers, and Town Mountain. Richards is responsible for the majority of the material and keeps the momentum moving, whether it’s the rousing and robust No Window, Fever, Coyote, and My Own Shoes, the heartfelt balladry of Cartersville, the light-hearted 9 Mile Cigarettes, or the reflective yet resolute, American Boy. The band inject both emotion and enticement into their music, keeping melody solidly at the fore throughout.

Indeed, there’s nothing rote or routine in terms of Pick & Howl’s primary pursuits, only good music flush with easy engagement. The sparkling instrumental, Dottie’s Dance, is but one example of the sweep and sway the band has at their command, just as Live Today finds the full fruition its title implies.

Through it all, fiddles flail, mandolins provide a constant strum, and banjos add an emphatic embrace. The results coalesce in a delivery that’s fully fueled by both emotion and intent, making this Country Symphony an assured display of the band’s passion and purpose. In that regard, it easily ranks as one of the best debuts of the past year, and a promising prospect for what’s yet to come.