Reviews

ADAM McPEAK AND MOUNTAIN THUNDER THE LAST DIRT ROAD Kindred Records KR15005 The McPeak Brothers were a band noted for a tuneful sound, energetic delivery, and some forward-looking ideas on presentation and song selection. As they no longer play, it has fallen to Adam McPeak and his group Mountain Thunder to uphold the legacy. Adam,…

THE ROUSTABOUTS BLUEGRASS BAND PATCHWORK No Label No Number It almost goes without saying that any heritage-respecting band hailing from Bakersfield must give Buck and Merle their due. In the case of The Roustabouts, a quintet that leans towards traditional bluegrass and features bassist/vocalist Brian Hacker, guitarist/vocalist Craig Wilson, mandolinist/vocalist Kelvin Gregory, fiddler/vocalist Paul Lee,…

TRINITY RIVER BAND HEARTSTRINGS Orange Blossom Records No Number Not much has changed in the year since the last release from Trinity River. Certainly, there’s the obvious. The younger players, particularly Brianna Harris on fiddle, have another year of experience behind them. In that age range, such advancements can be huge. But predominantly the sound…

BUCK MOUNTAIN BAND BULL AT THE WAGON Bent Trees No Number Buck Mountain Band is Bob Taylor on fiddle and harmony vocals, Debbie Larson on bass and harmony vocals, Amy Boucher on banjo and lead and harmony vocals, Harrol Blevins on guitar and lead and harmony vocals, Dan Peck on guitar and banjo and harmony…

JEREMY GARRETT THE RV SESSIONS No Label No Number    Jeremy Garrett, of the Infamous Stringdusters, recorded (and largely wrote) this album in the RV in which he lived. Hence the title. Garrett can’t you tell where it was recorded. It could just have easily been Sun Studios. What recording in an RV does, however,…

CHRIS JONES & THE NIGHT DRIVERS RUN AWAY TONIGHT Mountain Home MH16122 There’s nothing particularly overwhelming about Chris Jones & the Night Drivers in terms of flashy picking or pyrotechnic vocals. This veteran band’s power lies in its understated soulfulness, earnestness, and subtlety. These qualities shine through brightly in the band’s finely crafted original songs…