The Alex Leach Band- All the Way review

My review of The Alex Leach Band’s second album All the Way is up at Country Standard Time. Read it here. Here is how it started before the editor did his thing: “As he’s matured, many of us have grown up with Alex Leach. I’ve been listening to him on WDVX for more than twenty…

Rate this:

Cedar Hill- New Chapter review

Cedar Hill New Chapter Mountain Fever Bluegrass can be complex. It doesn’t have to be. Simultaneously, it isn’t simple music, and it certainly isn’t easy to play. I just spent a weekend at a bluegrass festival featuring 18 acts, nine of them solid bluegrass of various shades. These groups all impressed in various ways, but…

Rate this:

Scott Vestal, et al- Bluegrass 2022 review

Scott Vestal, et al Bluegrass 2022 Pinecastle Bluegrass 2022 is the ninth in a series of instrumental bluegrass sets featuring Scott Vestal (banjo) and whomever he is playing with at the time. The series began in 1995 and ran consecutively until 2001 before being resurrected in 2020. This latest volume features Cody Kilby (guitar), Byron…

Rate this:

Jim Hurst- From the Ground Up review

Jim Hurst From the Ground Up Pinecastle It has been some many years since I last heard a Jim Hurst album. I purchased Intrepid years ago upon release, and his performance of “Dew On The Mountain” remains one of my favourites. Jim Hurst is under-known within the acoustic and bluegrass worlds despite a career of…

Rate this:

Peter Rowan- Calling You From My Mountain review

Peter Rowan Calling You From My Mountain Rebel Records In various configurations and eliminating live sets, Peter Rowan has recorded well over 40 albums of new music. That’s a lot, but considering his career going back to the 60s and the quality of his experimentation, both within and outside bluegrass, not an unwelcome amount. A…

Rate this:

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys- Never Slow Down review

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys Never Slow Down Smithsonian Folkways East Tennessee’s The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, despite their on-stage lightness and good humour, take their bluegrass seriously. This is their career, and they are focused and single-minded in the sensible pursuit of not only financial stability but musical ideals. Several albums into their career including a…

Rate this:

Del McCoury Band- Almost Proud review

My review of The Del McCoury Band’s latest, …almost proud has been published at Country Standard Time. I hope you’ll consider heading over that direction and giving it a read.

Rate this:

Chris Jones & the Night Drivers- Make Each Second Last review

Chris Jones & the Night Drivers Make Each Second Last Mountain Home ChrisJonesGrass.com In a recording and performing career now stretching forty years, Chris Jones has become one of bluegrass music’s most recognizable voices, bandleaders, and personalities. His rich, melodic baritone is pleasingly distinctive, and via his leadership of the Night Drivers approaching thirty years…

Rate this:

James Reams- Like a Flowing River & Soundtrack Album review

James Reams Like a Flowing River & Soundtrack AlbumRedbird Music JamesReams.com Concise review published at Country Standard Time, here. Long-winded feature follows… James Reams is absolutely unique. As such, there is no one in bluegrass quite like him. Born in Kentucky, he came of age in Wisconsin and matured in Brooklyn as a teacher and…

Rate this:

Swamp Tooth- B-Flat Earth review

Every year I find that I’ve missed a few very strong albums that were sent to me for review but for whatever reason (excuse) I didn’t get to write about. So I try to rectify the situation buy writing a few capsule reviews before the previous year is too far in the rear view. 2021…

Rate this: