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Time In And Out video from Aaron Bibelhauser and FY5

Louisville’s Aaron Bibelhauser has a new single today, one that he wrote with Coloradan Mike Finders, recorded with Finders and his bandmates in FY5.

That’s a long distance for a songwriting session, but Aaron said it was a natural extension since he and Mike met at a songwriter’s event at World of Bluegrass a couple of years back. Since then, the two have become friends and writing partners, collaborating across the miles.

“Time In And Out tells the story of young lovers, caught up in the cycle, balancing the reality of working hard and chasing dreams, while finding one another just in and out of reach along the road. I’m proud of the way this song shaped up, from its beginnings, sending voice memos back and forth writing it, to the memories created when we arranged and recorded the song together at the world class Swingfingers Recording Studio, in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Much love, and gratitude to my family on the front range: Mike Finders, Erin Youngberg, Rich Zimmerman, Ryan Drickey, and Aaron Youngberg.”

The video for today’s release finds Aaron and Mike reunited to sing Time In And Out, mixed with studio footage and photos of Bibelhauser and FY5.

You can get the single of Time In And Out wherever you stream or download music online. Radio programmers can get the track at AirPlay Direct.

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 — has carved out a specific niche that lends potential to the possibilities of someday developing a fervent following. While their relationship to bluegrass is ensured through their instrumentation — banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and high lonesome harmonies are a pertinent part of their sound — it’s also evident that the group follows a mainstream mantra. Their songs boast feelings of both reflection and resolve, as well as sentiment and assurance. Unlike some bands that attempt to pierce certain parameters, there’s no hint of posturing or pretence, simply a desire to indulge some wistful desire and allow for a sound that’s abundantly entertaining.

As a result, The Way These Things Go boasts a vibe that’s vibrant and yet unhurried, easily accessible even on first encounter. The rambling tones of Co,uer d’ Alene, the jaunty pacing of Even If You Never Call Me Back and That First Stone, the sway and serenade of Waitress’ Waltz and the upbeat eagerness of No Other Heart’s As True As Mine all attest to the fact that FY5 clearly aim for ultimate accessibility. I’ve Been In Love Before offers the only example of a more stoic stance, but considering subject at hand, that resolve is also understandable.

Of course it takes a certain discipline to keep the melodies in check. Aaron Youngberg’s sweep of pedal steel guitar on the overtly yearning That’s Why I Don’t Sing Love Songs Anymore frames the song decidedly, but never attempts to seize the spotlight. Likewise, Ryan Drickey’s fiddle and Rich Zimmerman’s mandolin always find a nice fit while avoiding any sort of showboating or even an especially prominent presence.

Ultimately, this is a fine example of roots music of a particular pedigree, a sound that’s far from rustic but still bearing a certain reverence for it regardless. That makes The Way These Things Go an outstanding example of just how good things can be when it all goes right.

The Way These Things Go – FY5

FY5 make a clear case for the fact that subtlety and finesse can go hand in hand, especially when it comes to making music that aims to make a lingering impression. It’s an instinct that’s clearly paid off well; named official showcase artists for the 2017 International Bluegrass Music Association conference and given a songwriter spotlight for the band’s vocalist and guitarist Mike Finders, they’ve been able to make a mark without finding the need to be overly obtrusive or intentionally aggressive. Softer hues are more a part of their sound than the collective frenzy that can often accompany a full-on assault, and the attention given each individual member of this five piece ensemble finds their music surprisingly satisfying as a result.

For the aptly titled The Way These Things Go, their 4th effort to date, FY5 — the aforementioned Mike Finders (guitar/vocals), Erin Youngberg (bass/vocals), Ryan Drickey (fiddle/strings/harmonies), Rich Zimmerman (mandolin/harmonies) and Aaron Youngberg (banjo/pedal steel/harmonies) — mostly steer matters with quieter intents. Lead-off track White Colored Pencil provides a sweetly shimmering introduction that seduces listeners right from the get-go. Waitress Waltz offers another ideal example; plied by a strolling mandolin and the sparse addition of an accompanying fiddle, the band opt for an easy glide that illuminates the song’s title. I’ve Been In Love Before comes across as more blues than bluegrass, given its solitary strum and assertive vocal wail.

Then there’s That’s Why I Don’t Sing Love Songs Anymore, an album highlight that soars with a well defined orchestral flourish.

Even those songs which find the band in more of a full press forward — Couer d’ Alene, That First Stone, No Other Heart’s As True As Mine, and Charlie Schumacher in particular — show a certain amount of restraint even when combining their collective efforts, easing into the instrumental arrangements with quiet confidence without feeling the need to overwhelm their audiences. Indeed, the jaunty tones of Even If You Never Call Me Back testify to their tenacity as much as any other offering the album has to offer.

FY5 deserve credit then for their ability to charm and caress, crafting music that defines the essence of the grassicana sound, taking the traditional trappings of bluegrass and melding it with the gentler inclinations of heartland harmonies. It’s a distinctive combination that allows for a rustic refrain and the possibility for attracting the wider audience they so decidedly deserve. It’s little wonder then that The Way These Things Go proves such a prophetic title.