Suffice it to say, Kentucky Bluegrassed is true to its title. Born and raised in Eastern Kentucky’s Appalachian Mountain region, Brit Taylor makes music that reflects the honesty, integrity and independence honed within her heritage. And yet, as one might expect from any artist nurtured on those particular precepts, Taylor remains fiercely independent and committed to carrying that tradition forward with honesty, honor, humor, and conviction.
Her fourth album to date, Kentucky Bluegrassed finds Taylor taking an independent approach, courtesy of songs that leave no doubt as to her assertive stance. Operating within the confines of a rustic ramble, the steady and steadfast, Rich Little Girls, the jaunty and joyful, Married, and the south of the border sounding, No Cowboys, all find common ground courtesy of both wisdom and reflection. Notably then, the new album also finds her revisiting tunes from earlier in her career, while also offering a handful of newer, all-original songs as well.
That’s not to say that there aren’t some individual efforts that immediately stand out. Closing track, If You Don’t Wanna Love Me, finds that consistent confidence fueled by a funky rhythm. The softer strains of the title track are manifest in the form of a beautiful ballad that’s profoundly tender and touching, and the shared sentiment within Church Bus finds serendipity and celebration embraced in equal measure.
Taylor’s vocals ring with emotion and assurance, but so too, an all-star backing band — Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Rob Ickes on dobro, Seth Taylor playing guitar, Dominick Leslie contributing mandolin, Matt Menefee on banjo, Steve Pattrick adding the trumpet, and Adan Chaffins and Haley Sullivans sharing the backing vocals — imbue the tones and textures that bring the music to the full flourish it deserves. A significant step forward in an already accomplished career, Kentucky Bluegrassed is as precious as it is profound.
