If one wanted was in search of a template for the elements that constitute the best bluegrass has to offer, there would be no need to look further than any offering by the east Tennessee quartet, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run. This, the band’s fourth album, builds on that very precise proposition. Produced by Bluegrass Hall Of Fame member Dudley Connell, best known for his work with the Johnson Mountain Boys and Seldom Scene, and Ken Irwin, a principal with the renowned Rounder Records label, Coming On Strong does all its title implies, courtesy of a rousing and robust set of songs that affirm the credence Mulder and company have accumulated throughout their collective career.
The band — consisting of Mulder (mandolin, lead vocals), Colton Powers (banjo, tenor vocals, occasional lead vocals), Chevy Watson (guitar, baritone vocals, occasional upright bassist), Tyler Griffith (upright bassist, tenor and baritone vocals, occasional lead vocals), and Max Silverstein (fiddle) — go well beyond the basics when it comes to choosing their material, as well as their confident and cohesive delivery. Yet at the same time, they don’t simply settle for the average expectation. Each of these entries offers its own particular appeal, and taken in tandem, the band’s decisive delivery affirms both their craft and credence.
While only a handful of tracks are credited to members of the band, there’s not a single song here that doesn’t find a fit within the group’s engaging approach. The album opener, Heartbreak Express, sets the tone, its rousing combination of banjo and fiddle maintaining the momentum. The stealth-like pace given Bells Of Every Chapel, the assertive strains of Looking Past the Pain, and the supple sway of 1916 (the latter being a refined, if decidedly unlikely, take on the heavy metal mayhem originally procured by the band Motörhead) bolster the impression that indeed Mulder and company are quite comfortable operating with more diverse designs. So too, the slow serenade, Gilgarry’s Glen, adds a Celtic flourish while sealing the bond between Appalachian tradition and the history of the Highlands.
The change in tone and tapestry are, in fact, evident throughout the album, further expressed by a gospel-infused cover of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings’ emotive offering Rock Of Ages, the mournful lament, Riders On An Orphan Train, and the exuberant expression of the tangled instrumental, Church Hill Special.
Mostly though, Mulder and Midnight Run keep a constant through their seemingly inexhaustible energy and intent. As a result, Coming On Strong for Rebel Records does just that, making for a rich and robust display of both savvy and stamina. Seth Mulder & Midnight Run leave little doubt that they reside at the upper tier of today’s more capable contenders.
