BRADLEY & ADAIR OH DARLIN’
Pinecastle Records
PRC1235
Five-time IBMA Female Vocalist Of The Year Dale Ann Bradley teamed up with Sister Sadie bandmate Tina Adair to release their duet project Oh Darlin’. If you’re familiar with the iconic Skaggs & Rice duet album, several tracks on Oh Darlin’ have the same bluegrass feel. “Mommy Please Stay Home With Me,” “The Log Train,” and “Hold To God’s Unchanging Hand” utilize simply the guitar and mandolin and these two women’s beautiful voices, yet the songs have a fullness and bluegrass drive. Other tracks incorporate different approaches to country songs. “Oh Darlin’” gets a full band treatment with big bass and drums to give it a country feel, but Adair’s mandolin and guest Scott Vestal’s banjo keep a bluegrass feel to the song as well. Similarly, “Apartment #9” is a classic country treatment with a full band. “Wicked Twisted Road” and “Rockin’ Alone In An Old Rocking Chair” are sparse duet treatments that provide a country or Americana feel. A highlight of the album is the funky/swingy “Send Me” that features guest guitarist Jim Hurst. Clearly, Dale Ann Bradley’s and Tina Adair’s voices were made to sing with each other.
A highly enjoyable, well-paced album that showcases how two beautiful voices and two instruments (mostly) can make some great music. (Pinecastle Records, 2514 River Rd., Ste. 105, Piedmont, SC 29673, www.pinecastlemusic.com.)TK