Articles

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 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…

THE LOST PINES SWEET HONEY No Label No Number Lost Pines is a fairly new bluegrass band out of Austin, Tex., that features Talia Bryce on lead and harmony vocals and rhythm guitar, Christian Ward on lead vocals and banjo, Marc Lionetti on harmony vocals and lead guitar, Brian Bass, Shawn Dean, or Jon Kemppainen…

STEVE SPURGIN PAST PERFECT Blue Night Records BNR-221 What a pleasure to hear from Steve Spurgin again. Spurgin, probably best-known from his work with the supergroup California (which included Byron Berline, Dan Crary, John Hickman, and John Moore) and later with Sawmill Road, is a topnotch singer and first-rate songwriter and Past Perfect is a…

BILL EMERSON ECLIPSE Rural Rhythm RUR 1079 From the opening notes of this project, it should be apparent to any long-time fan of bluegrass, it’s always too long in hearing Bill Emerson’s banjo grace a new recording. His sound was integral to the classic early ’70s sound of the Country Gentlemen. Here, we get to…

FROM THE PEN OF LOUISA BRANSCOMB I’LL TAKE LOVE Compass Records 7 4553 2 The seeds for this collection of all original songs by Louisa Branscomb began with a conversation between Branscomb and Claire Lynch at the 2009 IBMA World Of Bluegrass. A long-time musician and songwriter, Branscomb has been prolific, writing songs inspired by…