Reviews

VALERIE SMITH THE HUMAN CONDITION Bell Buckle Records No Number If you’re familiar with Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, you already know the powerful punch of versatility that her voice can travel. She demonstrates that creative stretching with her singing on The Human Condition. Through her unique spin on this collection of cover songs, Smith…

GREG BLAKE SONGS OF HEART AND HOME No Label GBM 2015001 Greg Blake, the fine lead singer and guitarist with Jeff Scroggins & Colorado and a West Virginia transplant, has released his first solo effort, and the results are very impressive. He’s joined by a top-flight lineup of supporting musicians including Scroggins on banjo, John…

THE DAPPLED GRAYS LAST NIGHT, TOMORROW No Label No Number The Atlanta-based Dappled Grays are Leah Calvert (fiddle), Casey Cook (guitar), Michael Smith (mandolin), Greg Earnest (banjo), and Keith Morris (bass). This is the third project in their 16-year history as a group. Eight of the eleven selections are band originals. The others are from…

THE RAILSPLITTERS THE FASTER IT GOES No Label No Number One of the most valuable fallback tools a reviewer has in describing a new band is comparison. This allows one to write things like “This mandolinist plays like a young Bill Monroe or maybe an old Chris Thile,” or “This singer has a tone that’s…

THE BING BROTHERS AND JAKE KRACK LIVE ON BROADWAY NYC No Label No Number This DVD catches a set by the Bing Brothers playing on March 14, 2015 for the Celtic Appalachia Celebration presented by the Irish Arts Center in New York City. Mick Maloney introduces the band. Mike Bing is on mandolin and Tim…

GEORGE CLARK SHIFFLETT, III LEGACY Shifflett Family Entertainment SFE-0002 From the opener, Marty Robbins’ “El Paso City,” to the bluesy stomp of the closer, “Lovesick Blues,” singer/guitarist George Shifflett III offers up an enjoyable album of bluegrass and bluegrass-style covers of country tunes. Among the 13 tracks are such standards as “In The Garden,” “Last…