Reviews

AUBREY EISENMAN & THE CLYDES BOWERBIRD Travianna Records TR190426 This is a trio with a focus on vocals. The presence of producer/engineer Aaron Ramsey on mandolin adds depth to the group sound and pumps up their presence. Aubrey Eisenman plays bass and sings all of the lead vocals. Her husband Justin Eisenman plays guitar and…

GOOD OLD BOYS LIVE DRINK UP & GO HOME RockBeat Records ROC-3412 Ah, the mid-’70s in California, a post-Woodstock scene where musicians of all stripes felt free to explore whatever music styles appealed to them without much apparent concern for commercial appeal or record sales. For bluegrass, that meant West Coast-based musicians David Grisman, John…

CHRIS JONES & THE NIGHT DRIVERS THE CHOOSING ROAD Mountain Home MH17292 Chris Jones is well established in the world of bluegrass. Here, he proves his worth once again as a singer, guitarist, and songwriter. There is never a showy moment. It’s about the songs, but they are peppered with ear-catching licks, breaks, and ever…

TIM O’BRIEN BAND Howdy Skies Records HOW-CD-2019 Over the years, Tim O’Brien’s contributions to both bluegrass music and the bluegrass music community have been outstanding. In his early sixties, he’s still too young to qualify as an elder statesman, but he’s sure working on it. This aptly-titled 13-track album is his first with his current…

UNSPOKEN TRADITION MYTHS WE TELL OUR YOUNG Mountain Home MH17232 This project erupts in a wall of sound. They drive as hard as any of the older bands of yesteryear, but with a new approach that incorporates influences from various newer sources. They are at once part of the tradition and shapers of a new…

RFD BOYS THE RFD BOYS AT 50: STILL DELIVERING No Label No Number Ann Arbor favorites The RFD Boys will complete their 50th year this coming December 11th. They are as tight and polished as you might expect of a band playing gigs at least weekly for so many years. Their reassuringly solid singing and…