Bluegrass

Country legend Ricky Skaggs goes Bluegrass with brand new album

11/3/2011
Brylee Plyshevsky

Mention the word ‘Country’ and even the most discerning music lover will more than likely run for the hills. Regardless of what popular opinion perceives country music to represent it still holds a huge handful of fans across America and the globe. Grammy award winning artist Ricky Skaggs is one of the reasons behind this, his music finding not only fans but countless awards including this years ICM Entertainer of the Year and Musician of the Year.

The Grascals tribute 'The Andy Griffith Show'

5/6/2011
Jon Duck
Artist: 
The Grascals

'Dance 'til Your Stockings Are Hot and Ravelin' is the talk of the bluegrass world as of late. This album created by The Grascals is in honor of one of the greatest television shows of all time, The Andy Griffth Show.

Lonesome Whistle

4/4/2011
Claudine Paul
Artist: 
The Roys

Country duo the Roys hone in on universal themed concepts on new music release Lonesome Whistle.

The Grascals & Friends

3/2/2011
Stephanie Tardugno
Artist: 
The Grascals

The Grascals’ latest CD, The Grascals & Friends, features the group performing several duets with close friends. These friends include: Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Dierks Bentley, Joe Nichols, Charlie Daniels, Tom T. Hall, The Oak Ridge Boys and Darryl Worley.

The band is made up of Terry Eldredge and Jamie Johnson on guitar, Terry Smith on bass, Danny Roberts on the mandolin, Jeremy Abshire on the fiddle and Kristin Scott Benson on the banjo.

The album features 13 different tracks:

1. Tiger By The Tail (with Brad Paisley)
2. Folsom Prison Blues (with Dierks Bentley)

Reviewer Rating: 
4.00Stars

The Quieter the Better

4/12/2010
Matt Knapil
Artist: 
Kristy Hanson

Kristy Hanson’s pop-bluegrass album Into the Quiet starts off sounding like a great album. But as soon as one starts to listen to the lyrics the album takes a turn for the worst.

I really wanted to like this album, the music is great, the feel is great, and the musicianship is great, but the lyrics are incredibly cliché and contrived. I tried to enjoy it, I really did, but unfortunately I just couldn’t get passed the lyrics.

Cathy-Anne McClintock

7/23/2009
Lawnada Johnson
Artist: 
Cathy-Anne McClintock

Cathy-Anne McClintock's self-titled album is very mellow and soothing. She has a light voice, but her lyrics are deep. The album consists of 13 tracks that are acoustic with her guitar.

"Strong Enough" is a witty sound that brings a smile upon anyone's face. Cathy-Anne sings, "Are you strong enough to be my man/nothing's true and nothing's right/ let me be alone tonight/ because you can't change the way I am." Cathy-Anne knows who she is and is looking for someone that can love her the way she is and be "man enough to be [her] man."

Reviewer Rating: 
3.50Stars

The Second Gleam

5/3/2009
Andrew Randall
Artist: 
The Avett Brothers

The Second Gleam is the most recent release from Southern punk-bluegrass group, the Avett Brothers.

"Tear Down the House" starts off the album, and gives the listener a taste of what they're in for. It is a beautiful song about a man reflecting on how nothing lasts forever. He laments this as well as his own mortality in the wonderful voice of Seth Avett.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.50Stars

The Gleam

5/2/2009
Andrew Randall
Artist: 
The Avett Brothers

The Gleam is an album from punk-bluegrass fusion band the Avett Brothers. It's an album filled with songs covering topics ranging from alcoholism to breakups.

"When I Drink" is a slower song with an upbeat bluegrass tone. Its subject matter though, is not upbeat at all. The song is about a man coming to grips with the fact that he's an alcoholic and rectifying his past mistakes.

"Yardsale" is a beautiful song romanticizing the history of items you would find at any old yard sale. Seth Avett vocally laments on what could have been.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.50Stars

Queen Fareena

3/18/2009
Alyssa Marcus
Artist: 
Kelly Carmichael

Although Kelly Carmichael is an accomplished guitarist who played with Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix and Black Sabbath, he began performing the blues as a solo artist in 2002 and never looked back.

This was a smart decision for Carmichael since the result of his switch was the creation of two albums, the second being 2009's "Queen Fareena." He has fun playing his music, and it's apparent in the way he uses both his instruments and his voice.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.00Stars

Let's Do Something...

3/15/2009
JC Chute
Artist: 
Bill Evans & Megan Lynch

Let's Do Something, by Bill Evans and Megan Lynch, is a winning CD, made up of one great song after another, that serves as a clear reminder of just why bluegrass is still a beloved musical genre today. By far the most recognizable track is a cover of Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic," which remains faithful to the original without losing its individuality, and whose chorus is a beautiful blend of both artists' considerable vocal talents.

Reviewer Rating: 
5.00Stars
Syndicate content