Reviews

WOOD & WIRE No Label No Number In recent years, acoustic/folk-based bands like Mumford & Sons, the Avett Brothers, and the Lumineers, have captured a surprisingly large share of the modern music stage. Not surprisingly, some bands with a more bluegrass edge have eyed that success and seen opportunities to expand their own musical bases…

JOHN REISCHMAN WALK ALONG JOHN Corvus Records CR020    No one makes a mandolin sound better than John Reischman. Never flashy or ostentatious, Reischman has this sonic sorcerer’s ability to play the right note or phrase at just the right place with exquisite taste and tone. California-born Reischman has built an exceedingly long and impressive career…

DIX BRUCE & JULIE CLINE LOOK AT IT RAIN Musix CD 110 Dix Bruce is no stranger to guitarists and mandolinists. Known as a prolific writer/producer of literally dozens of instructional books, CDs, and DVDs, most of his performing outlet in recent years has been as the duo partner with guitarist Jim Nunally. But, here…

FELLER AND HILL AND THE BLUEGRASS BUCKAROOS Blue Circle Records BCR-035 Feller and Hill break from the gate with a sparkling debut that immediately drags you back to the classic era. Feller is Tom Feller, a respected sideman who has played with, among many, Rhonda Vincent and Larry Stephenson. He plays mandolin and bass and…

MIKE COMPTON AND JOE NEWBERRY LIVE AT BRANDYWINE FRIENDS No Label No Number Ragged and rangy in all the right ways, longtime string music ambassadors Mike Compton and banjo/guitar/vocalist Joe Newberry combine forces for a striking live set of rousing old-time string band music. Compton, whose career has spanned everything from solo mandolin CDs to…

THE BOXCARS IT’S JUST A ROAD Mountain Home Music MH14622 I’m of the opinion that you could pretty much lock any random handful of A-string country and bluegrass pickers in a rehearsal room and they could quickly meld themselves into a band with a distinct sound. But as often as not, such super-picker bands tend…