Unravel

The Henhouse Prowlers are international bluegrass troubadours in the truest sense of the word.  Over the past two decades, they’ve performed and held workshops in nearly 30 countries (from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to Uganda and Kyrgyzstan)  on five continents, often under the auspices of the U.S. State Department.

Yet there are no signs of jet lag on their latest album, which consists of mostly original material. “Look Up At the Sky,” the opening track, jumps right out at listeners with its captivating harmonies, cool arrangement, and overall clarity.  “Palomino,” a song about escaping wildfires and the world of concrete for less threatening open spaces, sounds like it could have been pulled from the Eagles’ early catalogue.

The rousing, inspirational “Climb The Mountain” is hard-driving, straight-ahead bluegrass, as is “Poor Boy Like Me.” “Space Man” takes a compelling yet playful musical tour of the solar system.  Somewhat more mysterious, with rather abstract lyrics, are a trio of philosophical numbers: “The Three Seasons,” “(All Is Fair In) Love and War” and “Line the Avenues.”

The provocative “Land of Confusion” is an inspired cover of an ‘80s rock hit from the band Genesis. It conjures up a dysfunctional world and makes a plea for rationality and unity that sounds all too relevant in contemporary times.