Crooked Still / Infamous Stringdusters

Two of the best young Newgrass groups have new albums.

Crooked Still - will release Some Strange Country on May 18th on Signature Sounds. They are certainly a genre bending groups always, but they rise to a new level on this. The album is beautifully arranged,lyrically infused with both spiritual and earthly wisdom, and as always the musicianship demands accolades. Heavyweights Tim O'brien and Ricky Skaggs lend a hand. In fact, "I'm Troubled" which features O'brien may be the best track. Crooked Still is no longer emerging. With the release of Some Strange Country hey have arrived.

The infamous Stringdusters - Will release Things that Fly on Tuesday. On this release they move even more toward the progressive side of the Bluegrass spectrum. The breadth of their musical palate is increasing. With this release they have created a masterpiece. Check out the EPK below.

Ron Block of Union Station Finishing Production of Album by Mandolin Prodigy

As Allison Krauss tours with Robert Plant in Spring of 2008 members of Union Station are going to be working on various projects. One of these projects is currently under way. Ron Block is working on production of an album by 15 year old Bluegrass Mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull. The album will be released in the Spring of 2008 on Rounder. Contributing musicians include Tony Rice, Dan Tyminski and Rob Ickes. However, dont't think that she will intimidated sharing the studio with these legends. She has already shared the stage with Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, IIIrd Time Out and appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. She also appeared on the Randy Khors video on CMT that has been previously featured here on AWT. She wrote several of the songs for the album, which will be her second release. She released her first album Angel Mountain in 2002 when she was only 10.

She has done all of this by the age of 15 and what have I done my life? Well to quote Jimmy Buffett "I'm an over 40 victim of fate."

Check out this video:

Merle Haggard - The Bluegrass Sessions

It seems a lot of artists are jumping on the acoustic bandwagon and putting out Bluegrass albums these days. So it would be real easy for such an album to get lost in the shuffle. Not so when the artist is Merle Haggard. In fact, you have no choice but to listen. Recorded at Ricky Skaggs place in Hendersonville, Tennessee; The Bluegrass Sessions features an all-star lineup:

Marty Stuart - Mandolin
Carl Jackson - Guitar
Rob Ickes - Dobro
Charlie Cushman - Banjo
Aubrey Haynie - Fiddle
Alison Krauss - Voclas on "Mama's Hungry Eyes"

In recent years Haggard has experienced a renaissance and has released some albums that could rank up there with his classics. Too bad the Nashville brass has failed to notice. Unfortunately that is the current reality of mainstream country radio. Legends like Merle Haggard don't get airplay. His songwriting has been served well by the years and lyrically he is writing introspective songs characterized by depth and honesty. For example, on "Learning to Live with Myself" he sings, "I learned to live with my darlin' God took my darlin' away. Down through the years he took all my peers and left me here in the clay ... Til he gives me the call the hardest of all will be learning to live with myself." Or consider the words from "Pray", "Get your eyes off yourself. Think of somebody else. Imagine how hard life could be. Count your blessings again. Kiss the lips of your friend and pray, pray, pray. Not that Haggard leaves the honky tonk behind, as evidenced by "Runaway Momma," but I think this introspective journey is one we will all take before the end of our lives. After all he has come through in his life, it is good to see Haagard look back and realized he enjoyed the journey.

Watch this in Studio video of "Holding Things Together:



This review also appears on: Twangville

Reluctant City Stages Preview

For readers in Birmingham I am reluctantly doing a City Stages preview. The lineup admittedly is a disappointment this year for City Stages but there are enough notables to mention:

Friday:
Bruce Cockburn- He hasn't been to Birmingham in years. The last time he was at City Stages was absolutely a spiritual experience. Don't miss this if it is the only thing you see at the festival this year.
Willy Mason - See my previous post on him. It is one of my favorite CDs so far this year and one of the few acts that is not a Stages retread or recently performed in Birmingham.
Saturday:
Adam Hood- An Alabama native that is not new to Birmingham but "Different Groove" is a great album. (See my recent review)
Will Kimbrough/Tommy Womack- These two have been around a while. Having them play together was one of the few original ideas the festival organizers had this year.
Matthew Perryman Jones- Heard he stole the show at the Reg's Coffeehouse celebration at the Alabama Theater. I missed the event so I am lookin forward to his set.
Sunday:
Stoll Vaughn- I also missed him at Reg's show but I absolutely love this CD.
Robinella- Probably her third appearance in the city in the last year but she is still fantastic.
Sam Bush- I am glad they signed him this year. His live shows are legendary and he is a virtuoso unrivalled. This is one not to miss. I've seen him many times and never been disappointed.
Ricky Skaggs- Credit to the organizers for the Sunday bluegrass lineup. Sam Bush followed by Ricky Skaggs is hard to beat.

A Sign of the Apocolypse for City Stages:
What no mention of Poison or Ratt headlining the Miller Stage you ask? Of course I am excited about it like an 80's schoolgirl in heat! But I can't bring myself to go. You see my parachute pants are too tight these days and they quit making my favorite hair gel years ago. Goodbye City Stages it has been a nice ride!