Finnish musician Jussi Syren and his band the Groundbreakers have been mining their music since 1995, not only emulating an authentic bluegrass sound but also mining it to the max under their own auspices. They’ve toured Europe and several states
Music Reviews
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What Moves Mountains – Chicken Wire Empire
There’s something about Tom Petty’s sweet song Wildflowers that ensures the fact that no matter who covers it, or how many times one hears it, it’s bound to remain as indelible as ever. A great song stands up to any
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Hats off to Haggard – JD Crowe & Rickey Wasson
There are many country artists whose songs and style have impacted bluegrass music throughout the years, but perhaps none more than Merle Haggard. These days, it’s rare to find a bluegrass band – especially those in the more neo-traditional, hard-driving
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Still Delivering – The RFD Boys
There’s something to be said for longevity, especially in today’s transient world. Fads come and go, musical tastes seem to change on a daily basis, and any definitions meant to determine a specific style of music seem to fluctuate with
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The Rail – Scott Slay
Taking the name of his new band from the title of his debut album, Scott Slay makes an impressive bow with The Rail, 13 easily accessible songs that effectively affirm his gift for composition and craft. A veteran of the
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The Way These Things Go – FY5
After three previous albums, the Colorado based band that refers to itself as FY5 — the “F” and”Y” refer to the last names of the group's two principals, singer, guitarist and songwriter Mike Finders, and bassist, vocalist Erin Youngberg —
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Mountains, Mamas & Memories – Big Country Bluegrass
Nowadays, a band as unassuming and unpretentious as Big Country Bluegrass really stands out. It’s not that they’re reinventing the wheel; to the contrary, they’re taking a traditional stance that is as pure and unaffected as the influences from which
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A Distant Horizon – Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome
Age is a non-factor when it comes to the make-up of the exceptional bluegrass band Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome. While Brown himself is a seasoned veteran of several outfits dating back to the early ‘90s, his band is made
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Carolina Banjo – Mary Z Cox
Mary Z Cox’s latest entry, Carolina Banjo, opens with the rousing strains of Foggy Mountain Clawhammer and never lets up in terms of its freewheeling finesse. The fact that Cox’s main instrument of choice is banjo, the otherwise alluring Got No
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Brand New Shade of Blue – Junior Sisk
Junior Sisk’s first solo album in a career that extends back well over 20 years may seem something of a milestone, but the fact is, Sisk has made an indelible impression in bluegrass realms ever since he first started writing