Tag Archives: bluegrass

Reviews

Album Review: The SteelDrivers–Bad For You

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Rating: 8.5/10

So let’s talk about the elephant in the room here, the obvious comparisons of the SteelDrivers’ new lead singer, Kelvin Damrell, to their former frontman Chris Stapleton. Personally, I thought I could listen to this record without that elephant being an issue, as I had only heard one song by this band with Stapleton–and none with their last frontman, Gary Nichols, for that matter. Then I put on this record and heard the voice of Kelvin Damrell belting out with grit and soul and untamed passion on the opener and title track, and from the first notes, I knew ignoring the Stapleton comparisons would in fact be a sheer impossibility; it sounds as if this guy, who was discovered by a happy accident on YouTube, was sent to the SteelDrivers from some sort of secret Chris Stapleton cloning factory where they’re working to mass produce one of the greatest voices in modern country music.

The band simply will not escape this comparison, and indeed, it’s hard to say if they even want to escape it. But for this listener, the Stapleton resemblance soon became secondary to the album itself because by the third track, I had to admit the inevitable truth, that with all love and respect to Chris Stapleton, Kelvin Damrell is better, especially for this band, with more passion and inflection and a little more sensitivity to the lyrics, providing the same soulful tones that we all love about his predecessor but somehow having a bit more of a sense about when to hold back that vocal power in exchange for raw expressions of emotion. It will be a matter of personal taste as to whether you prefer Damrell or Stapleton, but Kelvin Damrell has proven that he should at least be evaluated on his own merits, and that however similar to Stapleton he may sound in tone, his vocal choices and delivery set him apart–and besides, being compared vocally to Chris Stapleton is one of the highest praises any singer, country or otherwise, can hope to receive these days. So let’s move on from the elephant and discuss the album itself.

And this album is just so good for the soul. It’s great to hear the country genre being carried forward respectfully in more modern ways, and you certainly don’t always need banjo and fiddle to make a country song, but damn it, sometimes it’s just comforting to hear these instruments proudly in the mix, and the picking of Richard Bailey and fiddling of Tammy Rodgers serve as a nice cure for the drum machines and electronic sounds ailing country music in 2020. And although this is bluegrass music and respectful to the roots of that genre, it’s imbibed with soul and blues and instilled with a youth and energy which sets the SteelDrivers apart from so many other bluegrass bands. It’s also more lyrically focused than most bluegrass, making it much closer to its country music cousin. No disrespect to other cool bluegrass bands like the Infamous Stringdusters, whose every record is a statement of pure instrumental impressiveness, but the SteelDrivers are more concerned with the mood of these songs and with framing the instrumentation to fit the lyrics; they’re just being themselves, but consequently, this is an album perhaps more accessible than many in this subgenre and a good introduction for your country detractor friends into the world of bluegrass.

AS for the lyrics themselves, self-condemnation and sorrow run heavily through this record. These themes are present in the opener and title track, as the narrator calmly warns a woman to stay far away from him, reflecting ruefully, “ain’t it kind of me to tell you the truth.” There’s the bartender attempting to justify himself in the track of the same name by declaring, “Some may call me a sinner, but when it’s all said and done, I don’t pull the trigger, i just load the gun.” There’s unbridled heartache in “Falling Man,” brought to life by the raw emotion of Kelvin Damrell’s vocals and set off expertly by the sorrowful licks of the fiddle and banjo. It all seems to culminate in the brooding “Innocent Man,” set in a haunting minor key and seeing the narrator ruminating on the crime he committed. He’ll never get caught, but he’ll have to live with the decision for the rest of his life, and that’s almost worse than prison. There are a few lightweight tracks lyrically, but overall, the songwriting is a strength. There could be a bit more depth in places, but these lighter moments are generally lively and infectious and serve to brighten up the somber atmosphere a little.

This is a fine album and a welcome return for the SteelDrivers. It’s a great mix of beautiful bluegrass instrumentation and heartfelt songwriting, all infused with the blues and soul of Kelvin Damrell to create something really unique. On a personal note, it’s been quite awhile since i have had the motivation or inspiration to write about anything, and it’s wonderful to have such a great record to start all this anew. The year is young, but Bad for You has the kind of replay value that will give it staying power, and it may well be in the conversation when the endless 2020 lists start pouring in come December. Go give it a listen, and if you’re new to bluegrass, you may find this record a warm, wonderful welcome into another beautiful corner of our beloved country music.

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Collaborations, Reviews

Collaborative Album Review: Molly Tuttle–When You’re Ready

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Rating: 7/10

I collaborated with The Musical Divide on the debut album from Molly Tuttle, a gifted bluegrass instrumentalist who has released a record blending those influences with folk pop and Americana to create something unique and promising. Check out the full review here!

Collaborative Album Review: Molly Tuttle – When You’re Ready

Reviews

Album Review: Seneca by Charles Wesley Godwin

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Rating: 8.5/10

The roots of our beloved country music can be traced back to Appalachia, to the mountains of West Virginia and Kentucky where the struggles of real people laid the foundation for an entire genre. Even today, some of the most compelling country music being made is coming out of this region, from Tyler Childers to Justin Payne to Dori freeman. Charles Wesley Godwin is the next artist to bring the Appalachian sound and spirit to life, taking a more singer/songwriter approach similar to that of Freeman. If Tyler Childers is the Turnpike of Appalachian country, writing great lyrics that are still fantastic live, Godwin is more like the Jason Eady of the region, with thoughtful details and stories that capture the soul more and more with each listen.

Appalachia is home to a people with deep ties to the land and a resigned familiarity with the hard times. Godwin speaks of both in the opening song of his debut album, (“Windmill) Keep on Turning,” as he paints a picture of a difficult existence but declares that a mountain sunrise can make all those problems insignificant. It’s the beginning of an epic that unfolds throughout Seneca, a journey through Appalachia in both sound and story, told through these characters and through the lens of Godwin’s own perspective. It’s not a concept album, but it’s a complete and accurate portrait of West Virginia, from the loneliness of the woods to the struggle of the people to the hope that runs through it all and the beauty of the land that makes everything worth it.

The production of Seneca is nothing short of impressive. It’s often seen as secondary on projects like this, where the songwriting is the crown jewel. But Godwin uses the production to his advantage, as a tool to heighten these stories, the way it was meant to be utilized. There’s delicate piano to add color on “Coal Country,” and crying fiddles to accentuate the loneliness of “Seneca creek.” There is variety in instrumentation, but Godwin has definitely found his sound, a rare accomplishment on a debut album. Most of these songs are in darker keys, and everything feels lonesome, as if the whole album were recorded in a coal mine or on some deserted mountainside. But it’s not desolate and atmospheric like say, Red Shahan’s latest album, which tried to set the tumbleweeds and endless West Texas sky to music; rather, this record still has a warmth and intimacy to it. It’s lonesome, yes, but not lonely. It’s peaceful, capturing the mood of the land it portrays beautifully.

And then there are the stories themselves, from the five-minute tale of a couple who made their life together by Seneca Creek in the song of the same name to the story of the miner who tries to comfort his widow in “Sorry for the wait.” Godwin paints a bittersweet picture of the land in “Coal Country,” a land he calls broken and describes as lying “in its grave of Appalachian stone.” His love for West Virginia pours out in every line, as well as his grief for the hardships its people have endured.

But there’s beauty and hope in this place too. “Hardwood Floors” provides a nice bit of levity, with plenty of fiddle and steel to accompany a nice ode to dancing and living in the moment and just sharing a night with the one you love. “Strawberry Queen” is one of the best songs on a stellar record; it’s a simple, charming little love song, but it illustrates the beauty in the simple things, and how any struggle is easier to make it through with the right one by your side. “Shrinks and Pills,” though it’s one of the few places on the record where the production isn’t fantastic, provides a rueful, humorous way of looking at everything, saying that Godwin sings because “these songs save a fortune on shrinks and pills.” These lighter moments are exactly what a dark, intense album like this needs to keep from being depressing and make the deeper stuff stand out all the more.

As mentioned, “Shrinks and Pills” is one of a couple instances where the production doesn’t enhance the material, or perhaps it would be fairer to say it’s one moment where Charles Wesley Godwin’s enunciation issues affect the song, as the production here drowns him out a little. His enunciation will probably get better with time, but it’s a consistent problem throughout the album. This is a record you must listen to quite closely to hear everything, both because of the rich details and Godwin’s enunciation. but by the same token, Seneca is the kind of record that is certainly worth this level of attention; it’s an album where you’ll want to listen time and time again to catch every detail, or study a vinyl for every last lyric so that you don’t miss a word of this magical story.

Ladies and gentlemen, Charles Wesley Godwin has arrived, and this is one of the best debut albums I’ve ever had the privilege of reviewing. It’s well-written and excellently produced, a perfect picture of the land and culture from which it originated. The year is young, but this is easily the best album so far in 2019, and hopefully, it will be the first of many for Charles Wesley Godwin.

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Reviews

Album Review: Jason Eady–I Travel On

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Rating: 9/10

Jason Eady’s is a name I want to shout from rooftops and post on billboards, and if you ask me to name an underrated traditional artist getting criminally overlooked in 2018, I’ll say Eady every time. If Keith Whitley was his generation’s shot at Haggard and Jones, as Garth Brooks stated in his Country Music Hall of Fame induction, then Jason Eady is this generation’s shot at Keith Whitley, with a voice so pure and filled with emotion and absolutely born to sing traditional country music. There is a comfort in his voice and a talent in his pen rivaled by few, and this remains true album after album, as he continues to project great music out into the atmosphere without ever a lapse in quality. And yet the mainstream will never take notice, and even many independent fans won’t pay proper attention and give him the respect he is due, for Eady is not the country soul hybrid of Chris Stapleton or the rock/Americana blend of Jason Isbell, or even the upbeat Red dirt of Turnpike Troubadours. He’s too country for the success and recognition enjoyed by those artists, and it’s a shame because in a just world, Jason Eady would be a household name.

The pen of Jason Eady, as I mentioned, is his greatest strength. On any given day, you can pop in any of his previous three records and find something new and hidden in the lyrics. His turns of phrase are sneaky and riddled with deeper meaning, infused with subtlety and depth of emotion so that even months later, there’s something fresh to uncover. And yet, for all that, this new album isn’t really that way, the writing being more straightforward and direct. It’s not your typical Jason Eady record in that sense; the songwriting is more simple, though still great, and there’s not really a moment where you’re taken completely aback by the brilliance and poetry of a lyric like on some of his more recent material.

Yet I Travel On earns its place alongside all those other great Jason eady albums, and even above many of them–in fact, I would argue this is his best album aside from Daylight and Dark, which is my favorite record of all time–and it’s because of the sound and the instrumentation. seeing Eady live is a special experience and one that any fan of his or of live music in general should seek out. And now we get to hear this live touring band on an album, except made even better with the added harmonies of Courtney Patton that enhance every Jason Eady release. The whole thing was cut live in the studio, everything feeling loose and organic and vibrant. It’s all infectious and upbeat, the way you hear these songs out on the road. Bluegrass player Kevin Foster, who plays lead guitar and fiddle in Eady’s touring band, always adds so much to these songs live, and it’s great to hear that unleashed on a record. Not to mention the added bluegrass flair from Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, two badass bluegrass pickers in their own right called upon to add flavor and vitality to this record.

And it was just the right time to add all these flourishes too, for as its title suggests, this album is very much a tale of the road, of restless characters passing through on their journeys. As I said, there isn’t one song or lyric that will blow you away, but the whole thing is injected with this rambling spirit that just works so well. We have songs like “That’s Alright” and the title track, where the narrators are trying to find themselves as they travel from place to place. In “She Had to Run,” our heroine is escaping abuse, leaving as fast as she possibly can because that’s the only thing left for her to do. And then there’s “The Climb,” where the man’s journey is metaphorical–he’s following a dream, and he’s reached the point on the mountain where he’s gone too far to turn back but can’t really reach the top. It’s just such a simple yet profound line when Eady sings, “he’s not lost, he just don’t know what to do.” I think we find ourselves in this position so often in our journey, at a crossroads and not knowing which way to turn.

It all comes to a head musically and lyrically in “Pretty When I Die,” where all these bluegrass hints and flourishes finally come bursting out, and all the energy and uncertainty of the road comes pouring out right along with it. In this little tune, Eady declares that he doesn’t want to take an easy route or travel on a road he’s already been on before, and that at the end of this whole journey of life, he wants to “look like a man who tried.” He wants a story for every line on his face when he dies. The introspective companion to this song, and the one that shows off the best instance of Jason’s writing on this project, is “Happy Man,” wherein he lets us know that if he dies today, he would die happy, and that he’s thankful for all of the blessings in his life.

Jason Eady has been blessed with the kind of comfort and healing in his voice that almost can’t be explained, a comfort which makes his stories ones that you have to listen to over and over. When he sings of traveling through life and the struggles and challenges that that entails, you just want to pull up a chair and listen, and draw from that wisdom. There is a thoughtfulness in his pen that is unmatched, and even if it doesn’t come out in overly deep lyrics like in some of his earlier output, it’s there in the beauty and simplicity of a song like “Always a Woman.” It’s that comfort and wisdom that draws you into any Jason Eady record, but I Travel On sets itself apart because it’s also infectious and catchy and able to be replayed for months, even after you’ve been captured that first time by the writing.

As an Eady fan, I do wish there had been a moment here that blew me away lyrically, and for longtime fans, there isn’t really a moment like that anywhere. But this album holds its own in his discography because it brings an energy and musicality that didn’t exist on any of Eady’s other records. Sometimes there’s something to be said for simplicity, for just singing three chords and the truth, and that’s what Jason Eady delivers with I Travel On. And this is the album to show people who don’t know his music, for this is the one that can bring people in and turn them on to the greatness we’ve all had the privilege of knowing. Now go and listen to this fine record.

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Reviews

Album Review: Billy Strings–Turmoil & Tinfoil

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Rating: 6/10

Another album here that comes from my back burner, and another one of the few bluegrass projects I’ve been able to cover this year. With the incredible amount of music to listen to, you might look at this rating and find it strange that I’d choose to pull this one from the back burner and make sure it got a full-length review in 2017. Surely there might be better stuff to highlight?

But it’s not the rating that’s important here; there are some truly disappointing sixes–as you’ll see soon–because you feel like an artist is capable of so much more. And then there are sixes where you’re excited because an artist is still developing, and you see past this project to the full potential, and with this album, it’s definitely a case of the latter.

With bluegrass in particular, there’s this stereotype hanging over the music, and often for good reason, that much of it is the same. It’s great that it stays so connected to the roots of that genre, but it often lacks the vibrancy and youthfulness needed to keep it interesting and sustain it in these times. And because of the potential for sameness, there’s also an even more pronounced urgency to set yourself apart from the rest. With Flatt Lonesome, it’s the songwriting and the sheer vocal chemistry and talent. With the Infamous Stringdusters, it’s the incredible instrumentation and the experiments with different sounds, like the bluesy tones of “This ol’ Building.” With Billy Strings, it’s experimental sounds as well, woven into this album so that you come away wondering why no one else has thought of this before.

This is most present on the front half of the album. “Meet me at the Creek” is just a stellar, nine-minute exhibition of bluegrass awesomeness. “Living Like an Animal,” though completely minimalist in its approach, staying on basically one chord, has an animal-like sound echoing through it that takes it from totally boring to infinitely interesting. The title track is similar, with long instrumental breaks and an almost Middle Eastern riff to set it apart from every other bluegrass tune endlessly parading along in this key. It’s the ability and ingenuity of Billy Strings to alter these songs only the slightest bit and recreate them as something fresh and vibrant within this incredibly restrictive genre while still keeping that genre’s roots intact which makes this most impressive. “While I’m Waiting Here” and “On the Line,” though not especially different instrumentally, do stand out for their songwriting on this half of the record. But again, songwriting is not the ultimate strength of Billy Strings or of this project, it’s the fresh, forward-thinking approach brought to the instrumentation and sound, especially on this front half.

And that’s why this particular album falls short in the back half. It starts to become no different than any other bluegrass record. Well, except for the incredibly weird, acid-dropping experience that is “Spinning,” but that’s not experimentation with bluegrass, that’s just a strange rambling about multiverses and women with skirts made of various body parts…yeah. The message is that we should all work together, but it’s delivered in the strangest way humanly possible. Other than that, though, the album is just pretty typical in the back half. That’s not to say it’s necessarily bad, and if you’re more of a bluegrass fan, you might like it better. For me, seeking out only the best in the genre, this half does little to establish Billy Strings as anything different than what’s going on in the rest of bluegrass.

However, it’s the cool, promising stuff on the front half of the record that makes Billy Strings someone to keep an eye on and which leaves me excited as a listener. This hasn’t been one of the easiest reviews to write because there’s just not a ton to say for me, especially given the boring parts of this album. But the parts of this record where Billy shines, so infused with life and spirit and bringing something absolutely unique and fresh to this genre, cannot be ignored and are the reason I kept coming back and searching for words for this project. This is not the best bluegrass album I have heard all year, but indeed, some parts of this constitute the best and most interesting bluegrass I have heard in my entire, though incredibly limited, experience with this genre. I am certainly looking forward to what Billy Strings could develop into, but for now, we definitely have some promise here.

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