Reviews
The Westbound Rangers – Southern Bread & Butter For It
THE WESTBOUND RANGERS SOUTHERN BREAD & BUTTER FOR IT No Label No Number Blending elements of modern jamgrass bands like the Avett Brothers, the burbling sounds of old-timey mountain music and even the drum and electric instrument phases of the Osborne Brothers in the 1950s, the Westbound Rangers have created a highly personal and addictive…
The Wronglers with Jimmie Dale Gilmore – Heirloom Music
THE WRONGLERS WITH JIMMIE DALE GILMORE HEIRLOOM MUSIC Neanderthal NR001 The revisiting of older material, much of it traditional, is a theme for several projects this year. This concept album from Jimmie Dale Gilmore and the Wronglers, (the name is a play on a popular dungaree company name) is another project that goes backward to…
Kathy Barwick – In My Life
KATHY BARWICK IN MY LIFE FGMRecords FGM-132 Kathy Barwick first appeared on my radar as the resonator guitarist with the fine northern California bluegrass band, the All-Girl Boys. Since then, she’s been branching out in a variety of other areas, most notably as an instructor and a columnist teaching flatpicking guitar. Based on her first…
The Grascals – Dance ‘Til Your Stockins are Hot And Ravelin’: A Tribute To Music Of The Andy Griffith Show
THE GRASCALS DANCE ’TIL YOUR STOCKINGS ARE HOT AND RAVELIN’: A TRIBUTE TO MUSIC OF THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW Bluegrascal Records BGR-CD-1001 The mythos of television is a reality to some folks and the great programs of yesterday still play the airwaves. Fifty years ago, the Andy Griffith Show ran for eight years. We watched…
The Expedition Show
THE EXPEDITION SHOW Mountain Fever Records MFR110214 Not only are the members of the Expedition Show veterans individually, the ensemble is nearing its tenth birthday under one name or another. On The Expedition Show, its first release since 2008’s Brand New Set Of Blues, the quartet demonstrates solid professionalism, considerable skills, and smart arrangements. The…
Town Mountain – Steady Operator
TOWN MOUNTAIN STEADY OPERATOR Pinecastle Records PRC 1174 Town Mountain hails from Asheville, N.C.’s fertile bluegrass scene. They are among a crop of young musicians in the area (which includes the Steep Canyon Rangers) who are producing quality original traditional bluegrass material. Their third album, Steady Operator, showcases their writing and their tightly integrated band…