Reviews

IDLETYMES POOR MOUNTAIN HOME Poor Mountain Records No Number    Nearly thirty years as a band on any level doesn’t happen by accident. Southern Ohio and northern West Virginia’s Idletymes offers strong playing and singing with equal comfort on contemporary and traditional bluegrass material. Idletymes has developed into quite a good band and released this…

TAMMY JONES ROBINETTE LET IT SHINE Little Creek No Number Produced by Mark Fain, this all-Gospel release features Ms. Robinette’s pleasing vocals backed by an impressive cadre of bluegrass musicians and vocalists. The band consists of Mark Fain (bass), Ron Block (guitar, banjo), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle), Rob Ickes (resonator guitar), Andy Leftwich (mandolin), and Molly…

DAVE ADKINS NOTHING TO LOSE Mountain Fever Records MFR140311 Kentucky-based vocalist Dave Adkins spent several years working in country and rock bands. So finding such colorations in his delivery on this forceful album of country and traditional and contemporary-style bluegrass tunes is not surprising. We are the heirs of our past, and for Adkins his…

THE HARPER FAMILY THROUGH IT ALL Pisgah Ridge PR14972    As has been said about many family groups featuring young players, the Harper Family continues to sharpen their overall sound. By now though, the Harpers have moved beyond the “leap forward” stage and are in more of a “honing and refining” stage. In other words,…

DRY BRANCH FIRE SQUAD THE GOSPEL WAY No Label No Number Though billed as a companion to Don’t Forget The Song that Dry Branch Fire Squad is releasing simultaneously, The Gospel Way needs no pairing to be fully enjoyed. Both were recorded at the same session and used similar recording techniques, but one doesn’t necessarily…

BILL EMERSON AND SWEET DIXIE DANCIN’ ANNIE Rural Rhythm Records RUR-1117 Along about track seven of this the fourth recording made for Rural Rhythm Records by Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie, the band hits a three-song stretch that gives the album a lift. Seven songs in might seem late in the tracking for such a…