By Pete Wraith

Tracks: I’d Rather Be A Lonesome Pine / Pikeville Flood / Some Day / Midnight Storm / Keen Mountain Prison / Getting Over You / Last Dollar Blues / He Walked All The Way Home / Cold Frosty Morning / Find Me Out On A Mountain Top / Whither Thou Go / May Your Life Be Sweet And Simple.

Personnel: Wayne Taylor (bass, lead vocal, harmony vocal); Shawn Lane (mandolin, fiddle, lead vocal, harmony vocal); Rob Ickes (dobro, harmony vocal); Jason Burleson (banjo, mandolin, harmony vocal); Tim Stafford (guitar, lead vocal, harmony vocal).

THIS RECENT BLUE HIGHWAY CD is what I would describe as an “Industry standard modern Nashville bluegrass album”. Many of the tracks have a modal, minor or blues feel. This type of song has either a Dm - G - C progression reminiscent of Wild Bill Jones or a G - F - D progression, rather than the more familiar G - C - D associated with trad bluegrass and country. This new style, I think, is a conscious attempt to re-acquaint bluegrass to its roots in “Anglo-Scots-Irish modal old-time tunes of the mountains”. I’ve noticed this trend in contemporary bluegrass music over the last couple of years. Lonesome River Band’s first release Carrying The Tradition has only two in this style whereas Alison Krauss and Union Station’s ‘So Long So Wrong’ has five including the title track.

The other major influences here are Blues and Gospel and two fine a capella tracks demonstrate the genre well. The first, Some Day, is from the writing of Olive Stockton (Tim Stafford’s wife’s Aunt) music by Stafford and the second Whither Thou Go, words and music by Tim Stafford. I suppose you have to write your own gospel songs these days - Doyle Lawson got most of the good ones a few years back.

My favourite track is He Walked All The Way Home by Merlefest Songwriter Competition winner David Norris. This is an epic tale of a soldier who “walked all the way home to start his life again”. The war of course is the War Between the States (or as my Southern friends insist on calling it “The War of Northern Aggression”). This song will become popular with the Southern bluegrass lovers because it evokes those emotions that make them what they are. It’s a song of living history that will probably make the author a lot of money - I’ve since found out that it’s a candidate for a new Civil War drama soundtrack.

On a five star scale I rate this record as a three. The playing is solid, arrangement solid, singing reliable! So why only a three? For me it’s too safe. Bluegrass needs to be on the edge, a little unpredictable even. There is little here that would shake the stalwart bluegrass fan. As a test of this view I played this CD for someone who has been into bluegrass for a while and likes modern stuff. When he’d had a good listen to it I asked if he wanted me to tape it for him. “Na”, he said, “don’t bother!”

Can anyone out there recommend something that I could rave on about, that is on the edge and has something new to say?

Pete Wraith, Huddersfield

CD loaned for review by and available from:
Frets Old & New, Fazakerly. Tel: 0151-525-2781

Daily Planet - Clarkes Secret

By Jake Nichols

Personnel: Leon Hunt (Banjo, Dobro), Jason Titley (Guitar, Mandolin, Percussion), Dominic Harrison (Bass, Guitar) and Jamie Matthews (Harmonica, Jew's Harp). Guests on this album are Tim O’Brien, Mike Pryor, Matt Flinner and Tony Furtado to name but a few.

First impressions of the CD are good as the inlay card is eye catching and listings inside are humorous and in depth. On playing the CD you are immediately blasted with a traditional number in Fireball Mail. On this great, really driving, track the powerful singing and mandolin are by Tim O’Brien. After this track the rest get slightly more progressive. All the tracks have a bluegrassy feel but incorporate different rhythm’s and instruments.

This CD is nearly all instrumentals which may put some people off but the selection of tunes is so varied it's enough to keep you interested. The pieces are very atmospheric.

Every member of this band is amazing on their instrument and they really gel together. The use of percussion is really tastefully done and adds to the mood of the music. All the tracks are to the same excellent standard and for this reason it's impossible to choose favourite tracks - they all have their own qualities. My person favourites are Liberties, Over The Waterfall / Ride The Bore and Darkwater.

I advise everyone to buy this album because it is totally different to anything else around and has such a wide variety of tunes that anyone with a wide taste in music should like it!

Jake Nichols, Enfield

Further details: Tel Jamie 01225-330842 http://www.sonicstate.com/daily/planet.html

Updated 23rd Jan 1999