Articles

KEN PERLMAN FRAILS & FROLICS Redbud Recordings #103 Ken Perlman is a master banjo player. A long time ago, he looked at the banjo and the perceived limitations of the instrument and proceeded to take clawhammer banjo to places no one else has gone with as much success. The famous bum-ditty rhythm of the most…

NEFESH MOUNTAIN BENEATH THE OPEN SKY No Label No Number Nefesh Mountain’s second album, Beneath The Open Sky, puts on an all-out assault on the senses from the get-go. First, the cover art seems to be a mix of the 1960s rock scene meeting the folk scene. Then, when the CD starts to play, it comes…

SIDELINE FRONT AND CENTER Mountain Home MH17052 With its fourth album, this six-man “Carolina-style-grass” band of super pickers once again displays its flair for seamless instrumental prowess, exemplary song choices, soulful singing and overall nonpareil musicianship. Front And Centerkicks off with “Thunder Dan” (written by Josh Manning), a bruising, tongue-in-cheek story-song about a mythical mountain…

REBEKAH LONG RUN AWAY Luk Records Luk 100 Run Awayis Rebekah Long’s new solo album and highlights why she’s a needed fresh face in the bluegrass world. Simply put, her voice is as pure as her musical heart. She makes music that’s unique, quirky (in a great way), and authentic. Long was one of the…

MIDNIGHT SKYRACER FIRE No Label No Number    Okay, be sure to Google them, YouTube them, do what you need to do, but when you finish this issue of BU, go get Midnight Skyracer’s debut album Fire. It’s a must-have. One can only imagine the joy this hard-driving new group would bring on a nice spring afternoon with…

THE SONS OF NAVARONE NOBODY’S BUSINESS No Label No Number The Sons of Navarone come out firing with an album featuring high-level playing and singing. It takes an exceptional amount of skill to produce a release like Nobody’s Business. Considering only the picking and singing, this album is a brilliant outing by the Dutch/Belgian ensemble. All…