With his strong clear tenor voice being an integral part of his brother Marty’s music, and his most recent work as a front man, Tim Raybon has received well deserved recognition within the bluegrass world. Raybon’s latest release, I Could Get Used To This on Pinecastle Records, casts focus on not only his powerful vocals, but also his keen ability as a songwriter.
Nine of the ten tracks on this project were penned by Raybon, like Leaving Cleveland, a song about leaving the big city and a high paying job to return home to your roots. The following track, Can’t Get Away From This Broken Heart, discusses a new life chapter from a different angle as the lyrics talk about going forward after the loss of a relationship. Both of these songs feature the core cast of musicians on this recording, Russ Carson on banjo, Cody Kilby on guitar, Andy Leftwich on fiddle and mandolin, and Ben Issacs on bass.
Sally Johnson is a song with lyrics centered on the old time piece with the same name. With lively fiddle work from Leftwich, this tells a sweet story about a fiddler playing and naming a tune after his beloved wife.
That Reunion is an upbeat gospel song about the day the Lord will come again. This particular track is an excellent demonstration of Tim’s vocal ability.
Nothing So Blue by Robert Powell is a catchy song that utilizes a series of metaphors to describe feelings of heartbreak. This track features excellent dobro playing from Gaven Largent.
Ilene Baker could best be described as a barn burner. The lyrics talk of confronting the reality that the person you have feelings for could feel the same way, but for someone else. The following track, Headed Back To Tulsa, is on the opposite end of the spectrum, both melodically and lyrically. Played with a swing feel, the lyrics talk of a man’s excitement on leaving Tennessee in order to marry the woman he loves in Oklahoma.
The album closes with the title song, I Could Get Used To This. Cowritten by Raybon and Lee Bach, it shares a heartwarming tale about a summer love, ending the recording on a cheerful note.
I Could Get Used To This is a superb effort. Not only are we reminded of Tim Raybon’s incredible vocal prowess, but also his gift of crafting relatable stories through his original lyrics. It’s a great combination of abilities, one that will please listeners for years to come.
