David McPherson “The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern: A Complete History” Dundurn Press (2017) The Horseshoe Tavern is a modest throwback bar which has endured through Toronto’s growth as an international city. Even today, it exists as an island amongst shiny steel and urban growth. It shares its DNA with the countless anachronistic outposts that dot the […]
Category: Reviews
Infamous Stringdusters: “Laws of Gravity”
Infamous Stringdusters “Laws of Gravity” Compass Records The Infamous Stringdusters have always been difficult to categorize. That’s part of their charm. Part traditional bluegrass (leaning on sound bluegrass instrumentation, namely guitar, Dobro, banjo, fiddle, and standup bass), part jam band (extended sets of songs in their live shows in which one song triggers another), and […]
Ron Block: “Hogan’s House of Music”
Ron Block “Hogan’s House of Music” Self-released Ron Block’s new release, “Hogan’s House of Music” works on several levels. Block’s release is a lively and admiring tribute to traditional and bluegrass sounds that made him the player that he is today. And, the work could be included in an aural time capsule to demonstrate the […]
Rod Picott: “Fortune”
Rod Picott “Fortune” Welding Records Rod Picott was born and raised in the Northeast, but these days he is all about the road. Now based in Nashville, Picott has carved up a tasty slice of Americana for himself, and his appetites display starkly on “Fortune”, his new release from Welding Records. ”Fortune” is honest, solid […]
Rhonda Vincent and The Rage: “All The Rage”
Rhonda Vincent and The Rage “All The Rage” Upper Management Records Rhonda Vincent has been a solid voice of bluegrass music since the 1970’s. She first performed with a family band (The Sally Mountain Show), before setting out on her own. Her career took a country turn for a few years, but she’s mostly a […]
Noam Pikelny: “Universal Favorite”
Noam Pikelny “Universal Favorite” Rounder Records Noam Pikelny is the most ingratiating musical iconoclast you’re likely to come across. He has deep roots in the Americana genre, and his playing, on banjo in most contexts, is precise and brilliant. Pikelny has produced a string of outstanding solo records, most recently “Universal Favorite”. Despite the success […]
The Infamous Stringdusters: “Undercover” EP
The Infamous Stringdusters “Undercover” EP Lumenhouse Recordings Known for their live shows, The Infamous Stringdusters constantly search to capture the delirium of their stage fusillades on record releases. The Stringdusters’ challenge flows, in part, from their conscious choice to stream virtually every live show for free (via Mixlr ) and to generously post, for little […]
O’Connor Band (featuring Mark O’Connor): “Comin’ Home”
O’Connor Band (featuring Mark O’Connor) “Comin’ Home” Rounder Records Mark O’Connor has covered a lot of ground in his musical career; starting as a prodigy on the fiddle, with such disparate mentors as Benny Thomassen and Stephane Grappelli. Back in the ’90’s he had a six-year run as CMA’s Musician of the Year. In addition […]
Nu-Blu: “Vagabonds”
Nu-Blu “Vagabonds” Voxhall Records In bluegrass music these days, accomplished pickers abound. Some say, however, that the soul of bluegrass music is in vocals. Sonny Osborne, an estimable banjo player, would often say that his brother Bobby’s vocals “paid for the farm”, despite The Osborne Brothers’ success as a bluegrass band. If the late Mr. […]
Mr. Sun: “The People Need Light”
Mr. Sun “The People Need Light” Compass Records To say that Mr. Sun is a four-piece string band is both praise and diminishment. The band owes as much to David Grisman and Stephane Grappelli as it does to Bill Monroe. Mr. Sun could sit in with each and tear up the room. In fact, most […]