Reviews

THE SWEET LOWDOWN CHASING THE SUN No Label No Number The Sweet Lowdown is a Canadian band from Vancouver Island featuring Amanda Blied on guitar and lead vocals, Shanti Bremer on banjo and lead vocals, and Miriam Sonstenes on fiddle and lead vocals. They are joined by Sam Howard on bass, Adrian Dolan on mandolin,…

BILL RUNKLE AND SMITH HOLLOW LONELY TONIGHT Patuxent Music CD-275 Bill Runkle was the long-time banjo player in Del McCoury’s Dixie Pals, before Del fully incorporated his sons into the family business. York County, Pennsylvania is a wee bit of the South that ignored political boundaries. Bluegrass predominated there. Bill Runkle reprises many of his…

THE FARWELLS: DEBRA CLIFFORD AND BECCA WINTLE Tin Halo No Number Debra Clifford is known as half of the Lonesome Sisters and as a member of Old Buck. She met Becca Wintle in the U.K., though Wintle had already immersed herself in American old-time music. They both sing lead and harmony and play guitar. Wintle…

ASHLEIGH CAUDILL LOONEY BIRD No Label No Number    Caudill is a songwriter who also plays a mean bass and clawhammer banjo. She demonstrates her stuff on this project that’s surrounded by a who’s who of pickers. She is currently working in Nashville and has a sense of style that is unique and beyond categorization. Caudill’s…

CINDY G JAILBREAK Blue Road Records CD02-053015 Cindy G’s (last name Giedja) new CD offers ten original songs and two covers, one of them a fairly standard but nicely-done version of “Sitting On Top Of The World” and one a slow, Southern Rock take on “Ruby, Are You Mad,” which gives a new slant on…

BIG VIRGINIA SKY No Label No Number On their website, Big Virginia Sky describes themselves as a “bluegrass-influenced Americana group,” and that seems like a fair way to approach this group and their debut recording after about three years together. At the forefront of the group are James Adkins, his guitar, singing, and songwriting. Scott…