Before getting into the music – this CD looks and feels great. It’s arguably one of the nicest CDs and packaging I’ve ever seen (this is coming from someone who worked at a record store for five years). My understanding is that from the artwork to the packaging, it was mostly DIY (please correct me if I’m wrong), so very well done.
As for the music, most would call it Bluegrass. While it’s not far away, that’s not an accurate term. Without getting into definitions and histories involving Bill Monroe and his contemporaries, this album is definitely styled in the old-time tradition. Constant chugging banjos creating a drone effect, slower tempos, sparse arrangements. Think artists from the 20’s such as Doc Boggs, or for the uninitiated, recall the non-Soggy Bottom Boys tracks from “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You won’t find blistering solos or falsetto double harmonies, but you will find plenty of charm and atmosphere.
No review, however, is complete without nitpicks. Individually, all the vocals excel and are perfect for the music and vibe (as on my personal favorite, “New Orleans Blues”). The majority of the tracks contain group vocals though, which occasionally slip out from each other, creating a dissonance – walking a line between endearing and rushed.
Overall, this is a great album – more so as a first-time effort - equally suited as the soundtrack for a surf movie or a Friday evening on the back porch with a beer in hand.
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