Reviews

THE UNSEEN STRANGERS STRANGER PLACES    Adam Shier (guitar), James McEleney (bass), Matt Elwood (banjo), and Mike Mezzatesta (mandolin) are the Unseen Strangers out of Toronto, Canada. This quartet’s third release of progressive bluegrass still has traditional bluegrass at its backbone. The nine original tracks from the mind of Shier include the most popular single, “Buster,”…

CLAYBANK PLAYING HARD TO FORGET Rural Rhythm RUR-1137 Often, debut albums come out quietly, but that’s not the case with the new group ClayBank and their release, Playing Hard To Forget. The group launched their CD with a Showcase performance at the 2016 IBMA World Of Bluegrass in Raleigh, and saw the single “Up On…

MICKEY GALYEAN & CULLEN’S BRIDGE MY DADDY’S GRASS Rebel Records REB-CD-1856    The son of the regional bluegrass legend (and beyond for those informed) Cullen Galyean, Mickey is carrying on in his father’s footsteps. The sound is the sound in that Round Peak/Galax bluegrass style where the banjo and the fiddle have defined the music for…

NOTHIN’ FANCY WHERE I CAME FROM Mountain Fever Records MFR161007 Nothin’ Fancy’s second release on Mountain Fever varies a little from what they gave us on their first. Bands that have been around this long (22 years) don’t often leap up in ability from year to year. Nothin’ Fancy is already at a high level…

NORTHERN CONNECTION Patuxent Music CD-291 This recording makes little or no attempt at breaking new ground. If anything, guitarist/vocalist Frankie Short, Jr., mandolinist/vocalist Mark Seitz, fiddler Steve Streett, banjoist Bobby Lundy and bassist/vocalist Brian Eldreth are holding the ground of a style (the Baltimore sound) they grew up amidst, one they believe still has relevance…

STEADY DRIVE UNTUCKED No Label No Number Formed some time in late 2014 or early 2015, Steady Drive is from eastern North Carolina. Joe Pessolano is on mandolin and lead and harmony singing. Kevin Lamm plays bass, sings lead, and harmony. Wayne Melvin is on the guitar and lead and harmony vocals. Lee Flood is…