The Never Ending Years

A former IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist of the year and national mandolin champion, Thomas Cassell has performed with everyone from Billy Strings and Jim Lauderdale to Missy Raines, Becky Buller and Bryan Sutton.

His latest album, and follow-up to his 2028 instrumental collection Voyager reveals Cassell’s  impressive talents as both a singer and lyricist. 

There’s a particular introspective depth to songs like “Autumn Leaves Don’t Fall,” “The Ripples Go On Forever” (cowritten with Tim Stafford) and “Wish I Was a Railroad Train.” “Reincarnation in Retrospect” (featuring Rob Ickes on resophonic guitar and Tim Stafford on guitar) takes a sardonic look at the “many lives” theory.

“Old Methuselah” is a lively instrumental with brisk interplay between Cassell, Jake Stargel (guitar), Cory Walker (banjo), Jason Carter (fiddle) and Jeff Picker on bass. “The Old Tennessee River” is a similarly inspired instrumental work out.

Cassell also turns in a fine rendition of Guy Clark’s philosophical “Hands” with Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle and Missy Raines on bass.

“When I’ve Got Tennessee” (with Ronnie McCoury on harmonies) and “Welcome to Virginia” are a pair of catchy emotional travelogues. In the latter song, Cassell laments, with tongue in cheek: “If Virginia is for lovers, how come my heart is broken?”