Another new CD due this fall that has caught my attention is Deep In The Shade, the third Rebel release from Steep Canyon Rangers.
The project reunites the band with producer Ronnie Bowman and engineer Wyatt Rice with whom they collaborated on their 2007 album, Lovin’ Pretty Women.
Steep Canyon guitarist and lead vocalist Woody Platt tells us that it was a simple choice to go back to the well once again.
“It was great to pick up where we left off after finishing the Lovin’ Pretty Women record. We all had a better sense of what to expect from each other and it was easier to fall into an effective, productive routine. Our group learned so much and gained so much valuable experience the first time around with Ronnie and Wyatt… this session was more loose and spontaneous.”
To my ear, there is a greater maturity to this record, which I have noticed with each successive release from Steep Canyon Rangers – something you don’t always find with an established, experienced group like this.
Woody seems to feel the same way.
“The new record again features songs written by the band members – mainly Graham Sharp and Charles Humphrey. I think the record has more depth from top to bottom and more diversity than anything we have recorded thus far as Steep Canyon Rangers. Tracks that stand out to me personally are: Have Mercy, I Thought That She Loved Me, Mountains Gonna Sing and Turn up the Bottle. Mountains Gonna Sing features Graham on finger style guitar, and has a different sound for us which I think will appeal to our fans, and maybe to a larger audience that might not be hard core bluegrass fans.”
Copies have not yet gone out to radio, but you should start hearing tracks from Deep In The Shade before much longer.
The guys will spend much of October touring with Steve Martin, in support of his banjo CD The Crow. They typically open the shows and then serve as Martin’s band for his portion of each evening’s entertainment. What a great way to launch a new release!
“We are truly flattered and excited to be playing the tour this fall with Steve. It is great to have the opportunity to play in such wonderful venues and to play Steve’s music. He really is an excellent banjo player and songwriter. The shows we have already played on LA and in NYC were a blast for SCR and went over very well–which I think lead to this upcoming tour.”
Look for Deep In The Shade on October 6, just after IBMA.
