Nu-Blu, headed by Siler City, NC-based couple, Daniel and Carolyn Routh, is celebrating 20 years in the music industry with their first release for Nashville’s Turnberry Records, Where You’ve Been. The project is deeply personal and narrative-driven. It encapsulates experiences, choices, and reflections on significant moments in life’s journey.
Carolyn’s vocals are a cornerstone of Nu-Blu’s sound. She talked about the concept of the title cut and the mindset of the song selection featured on their latest release.
“Sometimes life isn’t what we expect, but with each new experience there’s something to be learned. You can’t change your past, but you can shape your future. Where You’ve Been serves as a reminder that we must embrace the experiences that make each of us who we are.”
The album opens with the title, which launches and lands with attention-grabbing syncopated instrumentation. The soul-searching lyrics come with a chorus that informs us, “Who you are is where you’ve been. The love you gave, the love you spent. The times you prayed, the times you sinned.”
11 tunes grace this project: ten tight-knit vocals and one high energy, toe-tapping instrumental, with an impressive list of special guests. In a single, The Will, that was released this summer, Ricky Skaggs and his wife, Sharon White, join in to sing a powerful number about the legacy we leave. The tune holds special meaning to Carolyn whose father passed earlier this year.
Other guest artists include Jody McBrayer, Christian contemporary artist with Avalon, who joins forces with Carolyn to sing a heartfelt duet, Jesus Loves You, whose lyrics direct the listener to reflect on what’s left when you strip away the materialistic things in life; Jim Peterik, founder of the rock band Survivor, is featured on keyboard and harmonizing with Carolyn on one of his original tunes, Trains, stressing “trains guide me anywhere I want to go;” and Ron Stewart lends his talents playing fiddle on the cut, Horse Thieves and Moonshiners. Daniel’s lead singing is featured on the tear-stained When It Rains (She Pours), co-written by the winning team of Tim Stafford, Kim Williams, Larry Shell, and Dawn Frank.
Eclectic in its musical offerings the record also includes a get-even number, Nobody’s Business but the Moon, that breaks away from traditional bluegrass murder ballads with a female as the narrator.
A couple of personal favorites are Time (Still on your Side), that features good ol’ hard-driving picking, as does the lone instrumental, Whirlwind, penned by the band’s mandolinist, Justin Harrison. Both tunes allow the prowess of the musicians to shine. Austin Hefflefinger really lays the thumb to the five while Andrew Dowling provides impressive and tasteful breaks and back-up on dobro as Daniel shows he can hammer a break on the six-string. Harrison shows his dexterity on It’s Too Late, with Jesse McReynolds’ wonderfully inventive crosspicking mandolin-style sprinkled throughout the song. Written by Shelby Kennedy and Val Storey, it tells the story that sometimes it’s not possible to restore a broken relationship.
The album concludes with a reflective number, That’s Just Life, which wraps the selections into a life’s passage package.
Where You’ve Been is carefully curated to flow from one song into the next. Each serves as a chapter in the story of life, touching on themes of time, regret, resilience, and love. It is a fitting representation of the Rouths’ two decades in music with Nu-Blu.
Highly recommended to add to any listener’s bluegrass musical collection.