Here are a pair of artists that hold onto the tradition of America’s sound, but also at times adding a new lemon twist.
Guitarist and vocalist Peter Rowan delivers delicious traditional bluegrass on this album with Blaine Sprouse/fid, Patrick Sauber/ban-g, Tim O’Brien/g, Chris Henry/mand, Don Rigsby/mand, Jack Lawrence/g, Paul Knight/b and Jamie Oldaker/dr. The tunes mix Rowans’ own pen along with traditional such as the pick and grinnin’ “The True and Tremblin’ Brakeman,” the waltzing “Hills of Roane County”or Bill Monroe’s “Can’t You Hear Me Calling” and Ledbetter’s boogie-ing “Alabama Bound.” A handful of pieces by Carter and Ralph Stanley feature some great mandolin work and hiccupping vocals on “Too Late To Cry” while Rowan on his own “Drumbeats on the Watchtower” is folksy, upbeat, cheerful and with the leader’s avuncular voice. A real charmer!
Known by various monikers such as Bhoomi Sparsha, Sal Paradise, Fleetwood and Floyd Graves Fordham, Reverend Freakchild mixes country styled blues with country as well as other worldly atmospheres on this album of roots and branches. With Hugh Pool’s harrowing harmonica, Freakchild creates an ominous and sardonic “Personal Jesus (On the Mainline)” that either calls for salvation or needs repentance. Mark Karan’s fuzzy and distorted guitar teams with Chris Parker’s reliable drums join with the Reverends dark voice and steel guitar for a dark boogie’d “Hippie Bluesman Blues” with a Dylanesque attitude prevails with Jay Collins’ saxes on a thick and palpable “It’s Alrioght Ma (I’m Only Bleeding.” A trip to the back porch of Louisiana takes you to “Opus Space” and Brian Mitchell’s piano pounds like Jerry Lee Lewis on “15 Going on 50.” Dark hues in the bayou.