Reviews

ROBERT MABE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE Frogtown Music 21170 After two years of preparation, Robert Mabe offers up his debut recording. Mabe is a stellar banjo player from West Virginia and a member of Drymill Road. Joining him on this album are fiddler Patrick McAvinue, guitarists Clay Jones and Buddy Dunlap, bassist David Shepherd, mandolinist…

KYLE TUTTLE BOBCAT No Label No Number There’s a challenge in all-instrumental albums. You better have the chops or the tunes or the arrangements. If you don’t have at least two of those, and preferably all three, you can lose an audience real quick. Banjoist Kyle Tuttle debuts with an all-instrumental, predominantly original album. Tuttle’s…

SCOTT NYGAARD, JOHN REISCHMAN, SHARON GILCHRIST HARMONIC TONE REVEALERS Corvus Records 023 John Reischman’s place in bluegrass mandolin is unchallenged and undeniable. Few other mandolin players have succeeded in establishing such a signature tone, buoyed by impeccable taste and dazzling musicianship. To paraphrase an old banking commercial, when John Reischman plays, we listen. Add to…

NEWTOWN HARLAN ROAD Mountain Home MH16632 There have been changes for NewTown since their 2014 debut. Three band members have departed, including guitarist C.J. Cain. New to the band are guitarist Hayes Griffin, mandolinist Mitchell Cannon, and bassist Travis Anderson. The chief source of material has also shifted to Tyler Childers, a non-bandmember. He wrote…

VOLUME FIVE THE DRIFTER Mountain Fever MFR 160624 Beautiful slow-tempo songs distinguish Volume Five’s latest The Drifter. Those eight titles, featuring effective use of Glen Harrell’s always excellent vocals, make it an album well worth hearing. They craft a wonderful arrangement for the gospel “When I Go Away” with a lovely semi-call and response portion….

JAMES REAMS RHYME & SEASON Mountain Redbird Music CD008 Veteran bandleader James Reams explores a nomadic theme on his new concept album with songs about the “perpetual pilgrim” in most of us who thirst for adventure and travel at some time in our lives. The other side of the coin is revealed with songs about…