Reviews

THE HIGH BAR GANG SOMEDAY THE HEART WILL TROUBLE THE MIND True North Records TND622 The debut recording from the Vancouver-based High Bar Gang drew from gospel. As their liner notes state, this new recording takes you “down a dark road” focusing on “heartache and the mournfulness of regret.” There are 13 tracks, all of…

VARIOUS ARTISTS THE COOPER SESSIONS No Label No Number The premise of this recording is to put together Maine melodic banjoist Ron Cody with fiddlers from a variety of genres (Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Mike Barnett, Darol Anger, Alex Hargreaves, Brittany Haas, Matt Glaser, Bruce Molsky, Tashina and Tristan Clarridge, and Jonathan Cooper) playing fiddles made by…

12STEVE GULLEY AND NEW PINNACLE AIM HIGH Rural Rhythm RUR-1135 Steve Gulley’s calling card, his ace in the hole, his bread and butter is the slow song, the angst-ridden country weeper, the gentle love song. His past recordings and this one, as well, make that plain. That should not lead you to conclude that his…

KRISTIN SCOTT BENSON STRINGWORKS Mountain Home MH16602 Kristin Scott Benson of The Grascals has been recognized among the top five-string artists for some time. The delightful Stringworks will only enhance that reputation. Unlike many albums by noted pickers, Stringworks distinguishes itself by including a balanced half-dozen each tunes and songs. The latter, in addition, feature…

WENDY MILLER & COUNTRY GRASS Old Homestead OHS-90226    They don’t make bluegrass like this much anymore. Great vocals, fine picking rooted deep in the genre, and fiddling worthy of a Western Swing band make this an exemplary album. Wendy Miller played mandolin with Larry Sparks along with Mike Lilly, before he played with J.D. Crowe….

THE GOSPEL PLOWBOYS WELCOME HOME Mountain Fever MFR160610 What catches and holds the listener when hearing the Gospel Plowboys for the first time, myself included, is the manner in which they offer their vocals. Smooth. Seamless. Stirring. Clear. Lead or harmony, they never arrange it to cause themselves to strain, and they rarely include soaring,…