Articles

NIALL TONER ONWARDS & UPWARDS Pinecastle Records PRC 1182 This is the American debut on Pinecastle for one of music’s great stories. Niall Toner is an excellent, 68-year-old American country and bluegrass composer and singer who happens to be Irish. His fourth CD, Onwards & Upwards is Toner’s first recorded in the U.S. On Airplay…

TIM O’BRIEN & DARRELL SCOTT WE’RE USUALLY A LOT BETTER THAN THIS (LIVE) Full Light Records 478923 Well, if these two popular and talented bluegrass-country-folk singer/songwriters are ever better than this, I doubt if we could much stand it. Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott previously teamed up in 2000 for the Grammy-nominated studio album Real…

ROSIN IN THE AIRE A COLD FROSTY MORNING Rita Records 0101 This enjoyable debut album by Rosin In The Aire reveals a highly versatile band. Based in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, the ensemble’s love of music and its cumulative years of experience shine through. Leanne Cardinale (bass, hammered dulcimer), Tim Cardinale (guitar),…

A DEEPER SHADE OF BLUE NO MORE BLUES TTB Records No Number The problem with being a “best kept secret” is, well, remaining a secret. In a genre of music with so much talent, the step from regional favorite to national band is enormous. For Monroe, N.C.’s A Deeper Shade of Blue, they are hoping…

THE KICKIN’ GRASS BAND WALK WITH ME Superfan Records SFR005 Kickin’ Grass Band is a strongly traditional bluegrass band, singing songs of death and loss, redemption and revival. Singer and guitarist Linda Dawson authored about half the songs here, and she writes in a powerfully traditional style that matches her achingly sincere vocal style very…

DANNY PAISLEY AND THE SOUTHERN GRASS ROAD INTO TOWN Patuxent Music PX-CD-238 Each of the first three (Bob or Danny) Paisley and the Southern Grass recordings I’ve reviewed required a mention of the ultra-intensity of the music, both vocally and instrumentally. It didn’t matter if the song was fast or slow. The relentless attack that…