The Grascals - The Famous Lefty Flynn's

The Grascals - The Famous Lefty Flynn's
2010, Rounder Records

Six time International Bluegrass Music Association Award winners The Grascals return with their fourth album, The Famous Lefty Flynn’s, mixing sounds traditional and modern in one of the most dynamic bluegrass albums of the year. With their roots firmly established in Nashville, The Grascals caught the ear of Dolly Parton early on, becoming her opening act and house band for a couple of years. The original quartet has grown to six members over the years, filling out a sound that is considered one of the most dynamic in Bluegrass music today.

The Famous Lefty Flynn's opens with "Last Train To Clarksville", an anti-war song written during the Vietnam war and made famous by the Monkees in 1966. The Grascals maintain the pop sensibility of the original while injecting a bit of Bill Monroe along with gorgeous vocal harmonies. "Son Of A Sawmill Man" is a barrel-ride of a song; a head-long musical rush you won't want to miss. It's highly entertaining, and Terry Eldredge shows off a great voice in the process, while the vocal harmonies are heavenly. "Satan And Grandma" is an amazing tune, coming out of a modern mix of gospel and bluegrass. "Satan And Grandma" is an ode to a matriarch who fought for her family and continually guided them toward the light.

"Everytime" is the song of a restless heart that is never happy where he is and always looking forward to the next place he'll be. "Out Comes The Sun" is a counter-intuitive love song, celebrating the times his baby is away, and extolling her ability to steal the light out of the day. The Grascals go instrumental on "Blue Rock Slide", showing off outstanding fiddle work supported by guitar and banjo work that while make the musicians in the crowd sick with envy. "The Famous Lefty Flynn" is a fabulous story song that pitches myth against reality in a story about treasure lost and treasure found.

"My Baby's Waiting On The Other Side" is blazing fast, full of amazing vocal harmonies and tremendous instrumental interplay. The song features the hottest fiddle work on the CD, and Terry Eldredge is absolutely on fire on the guitar. The Grascals' cover of Steve Earle's "My Old Friend The Blues" is solid, although perhaps not as inspired as the one by The Proclaimers a number of years back (and nowhere near the original). The Grascals put in a couple of solid if unremarkable turns on "Up This Hill And Down" and "I'm Blue I'm Lonesome" before launching into the pretty and heartfelt "Give Me Jesus". Something has happened to the energy level on the last four songs of the album, as if the band needed to pick four more songs to fill out the album and had to cull their previous cast-offs to make up space. The last four songs are all solid, just not up to the level of what came before.

The Grascals are exciting to listen to. As instrumentalists the band achieves moments of chemistry that are awe-inspiring. The final third of the album is certainly a letdown from the first eight songs, but on the whole this is a solid-to-plus album that's definitely worth spending some time on. The Grascals have the push of a big label and access to enough radio outlets that The Famous Lefty Flynn's is likely to be commercially successful, but in their best moments, The Grascals find the sort of sublime musicality that makes commercial success an afterthought.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Grascals at http://www.grascals.com/ or www.myspace.com/thegrascals. The Famous Lefty Flynn's is available as a CD or Download from Amazon.com. Digital copies are alsso available from iTunes.

Review: Doug Yeomans & Ben Doerfel - Generation Gap

Doug Yeomans & Ben Doerfel - Generation Gap
2009, Roots Music Records

Doug Yeomans is a Western, New York singer/songwriter and guitarist who can play almost anything with six strings on it. A renowned guitarist in Jazz, Rock, Blues and Bluegrass, Yeomans has one international guitar competition win under his belt and nearly 40 years of performance experience. Ben Doerfel is still in his middle teens and already picks a six string better than a host of people who have been doing it all their lives. The two team up on the wonderful collection entitled Generation Gap.

Generation Gap opens with Gold Rush, a classic fiddle tune that's done here with great texture and nuance. Yeomans and Doerfel trade runs with aplomb in a gentle game of one-upmanship where the only winner is the listener. Big Sciota is of a slightly gentler nature. This tune has been recorded by everyone from Jerry Douglas to Old Crow Medicine Show and is an old Bluegrass favorite. Yeomans and Doerfel show off a bit here, pulling off some fast and fancy fretwork in what might be the best technical recording on the disc. Up next is Wildwood Flower, a song written in 1860 by Joseph Philbrick Webster and made famous by The Carter Family. The tune itself was also used by Woody Guthrie for the verses of The Sinking Of The Reuben James. Yeomans And Doerfel treat Wildwood Flower with much deference, offering a soft and meandering reading that is a pleasure to listen to.

Shady Grove is another American Folk Song with roots in both Celtic and Bluegrass traditions. It's been recorded by a score of notable artists including Jerry Garcia and Dave Grisman, Bill Monroe, Patty Loveless and Crooked Still. Doug Yeomans provides the vocal line very capable, but the picking is where the real action is at. Yeomans and Doerfel push each other to new heights in a bit of inspired play. Yeomans breaks out the banjo on Salt Creek, while Doerfel handles guitar duties. The interplay of the two instruments here is magical. Yeomans also kicks in through the wonders of technology with a second guitar part. Louise finds the duo taking a break from serious picking for a sweet and mellow country song. Yeomans is in wonderful voice.

After that brief interlude, Yeomans and Doerfel are right back at it on Clinch Mountain Backstep, a case of musical finger calisthenics with a serious Bluegrass feel. The guitar work here is so good it will make you weep. Bill Cheatham is another Bluegrass standard that's been recorded by folks such as Doc Watson, Leo Kottke and Chet Atkins. Yeomans and Doerfel both earn their CGPs on this gem. St. Anne's Reel explores the Celtic roots of bluegrass with a gentle touch that makes for a highly pleasant listen. Cherokee Shuffle is a traditional tune popularized by Fairport Convention. This is a technically difficult song to play and the duo make it sound easy. Generation Gap concludes with an instrumental take on Amazing Grace that grows from a meandering, pensive opening to a bluesy run to a verse played in the ethereal harmonic tones of the string-tops before ending on a vaguely jazzy reading.

Doug Yeomans and Ben Doerfel pull of an amazing performance on Generation Gap, made all the more impressive by the fact that Doerfel was only fourteen at the time it was recorded. The market for this sort of guitar instrumental album is somewhat limited, but if you are a guitar player, or particularly if you're learning, this is an album you must own. Fiddle tunes are often forgotten by players once they've used them in lessons to master fretwork and fast-picking techniques, but Yeomans and Doerfel remind us of what a pleasure they can be to hear when done right.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Doug Yeomans at www.dougyeomans.com. You can learn more about Ben Doerfel at www.myspace.com/bdoerfel. I could locate no online outlet for Generation Gap, although if you contact Doug Yeomans through his website I’m sure he’ll be happy to sell you one.

Review: Carrie Rodriguez - Live In Louisville

Carrie Rodriguez - Live In Louisville
2009 Luz Music/Mood Indigo Entertainment

Carrie Rodriguez garnered quite a reputation as a fiddle player, but the woman can sing like an angel; as we learned when we reviewed She Ain't Me last year. We liked it, and it appears that we weren't along. She Ain't Me peaked at #2 on the Americana charts and #18 on the AAA non-commercial charts in the US. She Ain't Me also garnered Rodriguez a "Songwriter Of The Year Award" in the Folk category from The Roots Music Association. Rodriguez appeared on Austin City Limits in the Fall of 2008 and again in July of 2009. On November 24, 2009 Luz Music in conjunction with Mood Indigo Entertainment will release Live In Louisville, a live performance recorded in April of 2007 while touring with Lucinda Williams. Live In Louisville features Rodriguez at her most elemental and includes two songs that have not appeared on CD previously.

The show opens with Dirty Leather, a dark story song that could be mistaken as a come-on song at first but turns into something entirely different. Rodriguez' dark, sultry alto may mislead listeners on first blush, but that same voice adds gravity to a story of illness and death. The song is amazing and even more powerful live than from the studio. 7 Angels On A Bicycle is a story of love, lost and infidelity wrapped in an arrangement that throws its arms around you and insists you come along for the ride. Rodriguez makes a personal plea on Before You Say Another Word. The instrumentation comes alive around her plaintive vocal; I was honestly blown away by the simple honesty of the song. Rodriguez may have a classic on her hands in I Don't Want To Play House Anymore. Don't be surprised if a generation or two from now this is one of the most covered Country/Roots songs there is. Rodriguez is powerful on the mic with a song that could become anthemic, and the backing band is superlative.

The fiddle comes to the fore on the instrumental Blackberry Blossom; a concert favorite you won't find anywhere else. Names like Allison Krauss and Natalie MacMaster come to mind here. Mask Of Moses makes a powerful statement about deception and trust; a firm Americana arrangement devolves into a jam with jazz structure before returning to it's most simple form. Rodriguez takes on Bill Monroe's You Won't Be Satisfied (That Way), bringing power and sex appeal that Monroe perhaps never imagined in one of many highlights on the album. If there was any question of sex appeal on You Won't Be Satisfied (That Way), 50's French Movie blows any questions right out the window with hurricane force. Rodriguez bulls through the song with the same sultry alto she's had the entire show. From desire to rejection we go with Never Gonna Be Your Bride, a barn-burner that'll have you two-stepping in spite of yourself. Rodriguez says goodnight with St. Peter's, a gorgeous tune that could be about unrequited love or about missing someone who's far away. Either way it's a powerful tune you won't soon forget.

Carrie Rodriguez is a presence on CD, as we learned previously; but on stage she blossoms into a performer the likes of who is not often seen. Not flashy or garish, Rodriguez performs with a humility and grace that belies her talent, seeming to take nothing for granted from the crowd and giving her all on every song. What's most impressive is that all of this is readily apparent even on a live recording on CD. Live In Louisville may just be one of the best live recordings I've heard (and I've heard many, official or otherwise, over the years). If you're a fan of Carrie Rodriguez and don't own it yet, plunk down the cash for Live In Louisville. If you're not familiar with Carrie Rodriguez, you're in for a treat. Start here.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Carrie Rodriguez at http://www.carrierodriguez.com/ or www.myspace.com/carrierodriguez. Live In Louisville goes into national release on November 24, 2009, but if you just can’t wait you can buy it now through Rodriguez’ web store.

Review: Ron Hawkins - 10 Kinds Of Lonely

Ron Hawkins - 10 Kinds Of Lonely
2009, Ron Hawkins

Ron Hawkins has been a part of the Toronto music scene for nearly eighteen years now, both with The Lowest Of The Low and as a solo artist. The Lowest Of The Low remains one of the most influential Canadian bands of the 1990's, with their debut album Shakespeare, My Butt named as one of the ten greatest Canadian albums of all time. As a solo artist, Hawkins has maintained a somewhat lower profile, with a small but highly devoted following primarily in Southern Ontario and Western New York. This is surprising as Hawkins may just be one of the finest lyricists of his generation, drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and poet Charles Bukowski. After many years performing his alt-Rock compositions, Hawkins decided it was time to take his brand of world-weary and intelligent song-writing and dress it up in a Country/Americana shell. The result is 10 Kinds Of Lonely, due for release in August of 2009.

10 Kinds Of Lonely opens with The Devil Went Down, a tales of post-modern decay told in a minimalist Americana arrangement. Hawkins alternates the decay of a small town with the ebbing fortunes of one of its residents as they dance down parallel spiral staircases. Deadman finds Hawkins canting about unrequited love. His Blues-inspired musical spirit drives the song. The song features the sort of lyrical magic that is Hawkins' signature: "A dead man talkin' about love is like a soldier talkin' about peace / You keep talkin' about love but that name ain't familiar to me). Sticking with the general theme, Don't Be Long is a musical ultimatum that lacks the courage of its convictions; a snapshot of a dysfunctional relationship where love overpowers common sense on conditional terms.

Ron Hawkins has always had an ability to paint people in his songs in ways that seem more alive than any photograph might. Genevieve is one such song; once again playing on the theme of unrequited love, Hawkins speaks with respect to someone who might not ever love herself enough to be loved. Hawkins dwells in the underside of human emotion but always with a deft touch ("All those neighborhood boys just wanna get in your corduroys / Can't blame 'em but they miss the point with a girl like you"). Telltale Heart is a real treat, with Hawkins reaching for a bit of the High Lonesome sound of Bill Monroe. The song never quite becomes a bluegrass tune, but you can hear the theoretical arrangement practically coalesce around a song that actualizes as a maudlin waltz. The vocal harmonies provide sonic layers to an otherwise sparse arrangement. Lyrically Telltale Heart is one of the more purely poetic songs on the disc and is a personal favorite. The Prodigal Sun plays on the biblical concept but also suggests a feeling of turning a page on the past, as if the young man has sowed his oats and is finally coming home to take up the mantle of his life.

D.F.W. finds Ron Hawkins in classic troubadour form. Here he paints a picture of a relationship and a person that breathes before your ears as it falls apart in cinematic scope. The arrangement is reserved and quiet; nearly reverent. The song also features one Hawkins' finest lyrical turns yet: "Woke Up Sunday Morning with a freight train on my chest / evangelically alone; just me and that old infinite jest / Words can feel like stones, words can be a noose / God speed, D.F.W.”. The song is a heartbreaking thing of beauty; a masterpiece, and may perhaps be his finest composition overall. The Rain's The Thing features a melancholy spirit mixed with hope and a dash of wisdom in a moment that is typically Ron Hawkins even in a vaguely Country setting. 10 Kinds Of Lonely closes out the set; something of a children's counting book set to music with a more mature theme. The song seems to confirm the sense that 10 Kinds Of Lonely is something of a musical/personal corner for Hawkins.

Ron Hawkins is a rare talent who is under-appreciated in his own time and place. The fact that he never really caught on in the US is a shame, because there is a distinct hunger for his brand of honesty (musical and literal). I will make the proper disclaimer and tell you I am personally a fan of his (have been since about 1993 or so), but I was blown away by 10 Kinds Of Lonely. His last couple of projects (solo and with The Lowest Of The Low) have been outstanding but not necessarily a big stretch. 10 Kinds Of Lonely is a stretch; a risky one and Hawkins nailed it. 10 Kinds Of Lonely can be nothing short of a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc; it's a treasure.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ron Hawkins at http://www.ronhawkins.com/. 10 Kinds Of Lonely will be officially released on or about August 6, 2009. You’ll be able to pick up a copy at http://www.victimlesscapitalism.com/.

Review: Bryan Clark - Gossip, Inspiration & Slander

Bryan Clark - Gossip, Inspiration & Slander
2008, Rainfeather Records

Bryan Clark is a true Renaissance man; a self-motivated, self-governed life-long learner and lover of music. With a Masters and Ph.D. in music, the singer/songwriter/arranger/session player and college professor seeks to understand himself and then the world through his music. Three highly successful bluegrass tribute albums with his band Honeywagon helped him learn the Bluegrass form (Sympathy for Bluegrass - A Tribute To The Rolling Stones; Grass Stains and Green Day, Bluegrass). Tiring of L.A., Clark relocated to Nashville, where he has released five successful and groundbreaking solo albums. Not one for the politics of Nashville or the traditional bent of Bluegrass, Clark works to bend genres and create new sounds from old. His latest album, the double-disc set Gossip, Inspiration & Slander, features an acoustic disc and an electric disc. With three songs shared between the two discs, listeners get a chance to hear the musical development of the creative process, but also get to hear the breadth and depth of Clark's stylistic range and talent. Clark's music has been featured on shows such as America's Next Top Model and Project Runway, as well as on networks such as VH1, FOX, ESPN and Oxygen.

The acoustic disc opens with Angelyne and a gorgeous, old-time country/bluegrass sound. Clark has a heart throb voice and the harmonies that surround him here just build an amazing aural canvas. The second track, Midnight Kisses is pure gold. The song has a great country sound with distinct pop sensibilities and a killer acoustic arrangement. The musicianship here is amazing. It’s one of those songs that stick in your head from the first time you hear it; you won’t be able to help yourself from singing/tapping along. Nights Like These is great pop country, but would benefit from an electric arrangement. Kiss The Bride is a bit of classic songwriting; a song about addiction and the choices people make. There is an implied inevitability to the song that is artfully told. For Predictions Of You, Clark explores a long distance relationship posthumously from the perspective of a man who can’t let go. The song walks the line between sweet and vaguely disturbing as the protagonist’s devotion becomes clear. The acoustic disc also features some fine instrumental work on Blackberry Blossom, Dom On The Saddlehorn, Midnight And The Harvest Moon and Bill Cheatum.

The electric disc gives a picture of the more commercial side of Clark, as well as an interesting stylistic tendency toward Texas Red Dirt Country. Two songs reminded me distinctly of Lyle Lovett in writing style. Bumper To Bumper sounds like it could be a Lovett outtake, mixing in the same wry wit Lovett is known for. Don’t Blame Me gets into some Texas-style acoustic blues, with song craft reminiscent of Lovett. This is the best song on both discs overall. That aside, I didn’t enjoy the electric disc quite as much as the acoustic. The sound here is solid and has strong commercial legs, but the musicianship on the acoustic disc is difficult to equal, much less top. The electric Angelyne just doesn’t live up to the acoustic version, and Midnight Kisses has a slick sound that will play well to Country radio, but loses a bit in the translation to electric instruments. Be sure also to check out The Way It Is, Nights Like These and All That Really Matters.

Bryan Clark is the real deal, a hard core country singer/songwriter with deep Texas roots who can play the commercial game but rights significant songs. Gossip, Inspiration & Slander is a classic, although I would recommend the acoustic disc first and foremost. Clark is an inestimable talent and this album could make him a superstar with the right breaks. Here’s hoping it happens. We need more Bryan Clark.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Bryan Clark at http://www.bryanclarkmusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Gossip, Inspiration and Slander at CDBaby.

Review: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - Lonely Street

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - Lonely Street
2009, Rounder Records

In an era when no one artist stays dominant in any musical category for more than an album or two, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver's longevity and persistence is astounding. Inspired early on by the legendary Bill Monroe, Lawson has built a 30-year recording career with Quicksilver, and to say it's a highly decorated career is an understatement. Between the years of 2001 and 2007, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver is the only group to take home the Independent Bluegrass Musician Association's award as Vocal Group Of The Year, racking up a total of 14 IBMA awards in the past 13 years. Lawson himself has been a fixture in the bluegrass world for 45 years, receiving multiple GRAMMY nominations and a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor affords by that organization to traditional folk artists. 2009 sees the release of Lawson's latest release with Quicksilver, Lonely Street. The awards will come, but for Dawson it's always been about one thing: the music.

Even 45 years into a storied career, Doyle Lawson has a classic Country voice that’s as clear and true as ever. Lonely Street opens with what can only be described as a prologue in Monroe’s Mandolin. An open tribute to Bill Monroe and the foundation he laid for bluegrass pickers everywhere, Lawson gives a master class in the high lonesome sound that was Monroe’s trademark. It’s a fitting tribute, and the instrumentation and harmonies here are gorgeous. Sound aside; Lawson knows a thing or three about story telling in song. Best example might be Johnny & Sally, which follows a classic formula for the style and yet manages to be sweet in an old-fashioned sense. It’s a witty tune about forbidden love and the good things that come out of it sometimes. The Human Race is a philosophical tune that reminds us what’s important while also reminding us how short-sighted people can be at times. (“Are we losing the human race / Do we ever really learn from our mistakes / Who’s ahead, who’s behind, will there ever be a finish line / are we losing the human race?”).

Lawson & Quicksilver brings us through Old-time country (Yesterday’s Songs), Gospel (When The Last Of Our Days Shall Come) and a good old back porch, flat-picking instrumental (Down Around Bear Cove). An added treat are the two covers presented here. Porter Wagoner’s Big Wind goes back to Country’s early roots for a classic rendition of a great song. Marty Robbins’ Call Me Up And I’ll Come Callin’ On You might quietly be one of the best songs in the Country Music Canon. Lawson puts his own imprint on the song without losing its spirit.

The respect Lawson receives in the industry and the awards that he’s received are a testament to the quality of the music he makes. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver are legends. As Lawson moves into the latter half of his fifth decade in music, he shows no signs of slowing down. Lonely Street shows a performer and band at the top of their game.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver at http://www.doylelawson.com/. You can purchase a copy of Lonely Street at Amazon.com.

Review: Spring Creek - Way Up On A Mountain

Spring Creek - Way Up On A Mountain
2009, Rebel Records

Something special happens when Appalachian bluegrass hits Rocky Mountain air, how else can you explain the burgeoning neo-traditional bluegrass scene out west? It's hard to think of a band that better personifies that scene than Spring Creek. Based in Lyons, Colorado, Spring Creek is the only band to ever win the band competition at both the Telluride and RockyGrass Festivals in the same year. 2009 sees the release of their label debut, Way Up On A Mountain, featuring 8 original songs and covers of Bill Monroe and Ricky Nelson.

Spring Creek establishes the framework early with My Love Is Way Up On A Mountain, going traditional hard and early. The musicianship here is top notch, and the harmony structures are impeccable. Fingerpickers will be highly impressed by both the technical and expressive qualities of the guitar and banjo work. Another Lonesome Night, featuring Jessica Smith on lead vocals, sounds like something you might have heard on the Grand Ol' Opry. Smith's voice has a distinctive edge to it that makes her instantly memorable, but there isn't a voice here you couldn't spend hours listening to. My favorite song on the disc is Tangled In The Pines, with its wonderfully dark shading and traditional sound.

Spring Creek takes a trip down instrumental lane with a touch of Jazz on Cuba Vera Swing before blasting off into Try And Catch The Wind, perhaps the highest energy song on the disc. Lonesome Town is a sweet and sentimental song with a 1930's vocal group touch. The instruments are mostly background as the full quartet shows off their impressive pipes and ability to harmonize. Slow Down is a up-tempo waltz about taking things slow. The song is very intelligently written and hits a less-is-more vibe on instrumentation that is delightful. Be sure to check out the rip-roaring dueling violins on In Despair, 'Til You Come Back To Me and Drivin' Me Crazy.

There has been something of a Renaissance in Bluegrass music the past few years, and a lot of bands are rediscovering the joys of back porch picking styles, but few have done so with the energy, talent and pure joy of Spring Creek. Way Up On A Mountain is not only a great introduction to Spring Creek but to Bluegrass itself. This one's going to end up on a lot of year-end lists, and might even have an award or two in its future.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spring Creek at http://www.springcreekbluegrassband.com/. You can purchase a copy of Way Up On A Mountain through Amazon.com, or download it through Amazon MP3.