IV

Another Country If the first step brings critical acclaim and the second garners Grammy® consideration, what could be in line for North Carolina native Tift Merritt since a 2002 emergence that left critics scrambling for adjectives? The talented singer/songwriter has often been miscast as a cou...	The Steeldrivers With one foot in the field and the other in the factory, The SteelDrivers are a beacon beaming their own version of rhythm'n'bluegrass far across the musical landscape. Highly regarded behind the scenes as songsmiths and session men - with innumerable hits, cuts, and licks to the...	Speed of the Whippoorwill Though the acoustic instrumentation of this drummerless Carolina quartet suggests a traditional bluegrass band, with most of the music driven by Chandler Holt's banjo and John Teer's mandolin, much of the material written by frontman Dave Wilson reflects even earlier traditions--...	Raising Sand Perhaps only the fantasy duo of King Kong and Bambi could be a more bizarre pairing than Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Yet on Raising Sand, their haunting and brilliant collaboration, the Led Zeppelin screamer and Nashville's most hypnotic song whisperer seem made for each othe...	Trouble in Mind On his new album, Trouble In Mind, the 32 year-old Carll navigates his way through both stormy weather and calm, sun-drenched waters with ease, emerging with songs that melt even the hardest heart in town. Their impact is heightened by the fact that they're songs born of both im...
All I Intended to Be Emmylou Harris has always had a way with woe. On All I Intended To Be, she seems more maudlin than ever as she sings her way through songs about loss, heartbreak, even the odd funeral. Of course, this is the kind of material Harris has always been comfortable with, but as her car...	Mudcrutch "I just finished a record with Mudcrutch, my old band before the Heartbreakers. I am over the moon about it. I couldn't have hoped for it to be as good as it came out." In summer 2007, Tom Petty reunited Mudcrutch, consisting of himself, Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Te...	Asking for Flowers After a three-year hiatus to catch up on life in her native Ontario, Kathleen Edwards has done nothing to separate herself from the small pool of North America's fast-rising songwriters, in which she is a deeply immersed member. Her third album continues her clear-minded, open-he...	Fleet Foxes It's now twenty years since grunge emerged from then culturally isolated Seattle and Fleet Foxes, the eponymous debut album from the city's latest heroes, demonstrates just how much American independent rock has mutated in that time. The five young members of Fleet Foxes make up ...	Tennessee Pusher Old Crow Medicine Show release in 2008 their third Nettwerk album called Tennessee Pusher. Produced by the legendary Don Was (Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones), the album features the first single "Caroline" along with 11 other Old Crow originals and an American stand...

Approaching greatness
Forgive the astronomical comparisons, but this here's their "Revolver". Everything locks into place, and the songwriting by now is so sharp it hits in all the right places. There are fine flourishes everywhere which add to the overall sound - the little riff at the end of "Chip of a Star" - I can't get enough of it - and there are vocal hooks all over the place that make the whole "traditional", "bluegrass", "newgrass" comparisons completely obsolete. And forget the word "crossover" - these guys have been playing pure "My Aim Is True" pop songs since the beginning, except they've been singing about WSM and the TVA and using bluegrass instruments. This ain't some half-arsed Ricky Skaggs nostalgia act, and they won't be playing in candystripe vests at the Kings Dominion burger tent anytime soon. "She" is the most beautiful song of '08 thus far, and a diamond in their catalog. "I Got Worry" is pure Americana that would have soundtracked "Who Is Bozo Texino?" marvelously. The harmonies in "One More Minute" are so crystal you are almost afraid to listen to them twice. Nearly every song is as perfect as you can get of this genre, which they themselves created. It's going to be mighty difficult for these guys to top this set, and I almost don't want to see them try. Just an absolutely flawless creation.

Confident new traditionalists following their own muse
Playing Time - 46:12 -- With three other albums under their belts since 2003, Chatham County Line calls "IV" a "coming out party" because they no longer feel constrained to a certain niche by bluegrass instrumentation. They are a young, enthusiastic band that has grown and progressed into a signature acoustic groove. On their first few albums, these North Carolinians grabbed attention with a refreshing bluegrass-tinged sound anchored around guitarist Dave Wilson's emotive lead vocals and prolific songwriting. Strong and energetic contemporary folk-inspired material have always permeated their projects. "IV" takes them even further on an intriguing journey into Americana territory, and it's a solid statement for a young quartet that's also been fortunate to maintain its same four personnel for years. Besides Wilson, CCL continues to also feature John Teer (fiddle, mandolin, viola), Chandler Holt (banjo, guitar), and Greg Readling (bass, pedal steel, piano). "IV" takes the band beyond a mere modernistic interpretation of bluegrass. The opener, "Chip of a Star" is clearly arranged as radio-friendly commercial fare with its repetitive banjo riff. Songs like "County Boy/City Boy" illustrate the dichotomy of the band's contemporary folk-rock urban approach overlaid with some bluegrass sensibilities. When I first heard "Let It Rock" and "I Got Worry," it even crossed my mind that these boys might be enticed into a full plunge into electric music with a drummer. Perhaps a plugged-in CCL album will be their next stop on their evolving path. In the meantime, balladry is still a large part of their bag with numbers like "The Carolinian," "Sweet Eviction," "One More Minute," and "Birmingham Jail." One of the three numbers penned by Holt, "Clear Blue Sky" is an instrumental showcase for the band's clarion bluegrass chops. And then there's Teer's "Paige," a classically inspired mandolin tune that emphasizes timing, tone and technique. I respect all confident new traditionalists who follow their own muse. I know CCL's vibrant and unrestrained genre-bending sound will continue building them a legion of fans. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now, 29 Palms, CA)

Highly Recommended
Chatham County Line takes a contemporary approach to bluegrass music, and make the music fresh as anything available today. Their latest collection contains a complete package of strong songwriting, instrumentation, and vocal harmonies. Sometimes less really can be more. The album starts off strong with the very catchy "Chip Of A Star", followed by the more traditional "The Carolina", upbeat "Let It Rock", and the pretty love ballad "One More Minute". "Birmingham Jail" is a bit odd. The song itself is wonderful, but they couldn't find a more recent subject for a topical song? The rest of the album continues the pattern with a couple of instrumentals (Clear Blue Sky/Paige) thrown in to show off their skills. Highly recommended for fans of alt-country/Americana.

Great bluegrass-indie crossover set
North Carolina's up-and-coming Chatham County Line is a remarkably innovative band, moving from strength to strength until they arrive someplace entirely new. So here we are, on their fourth album, "IV," which is an alluring bluegrass-newgrass album that crosses over in ways that seem fresh and entirely new... Several songs have pop-tinged arrangements that are surprisingly unique, with sound combinations that I simply haven't heard yet from the decades-old "progressive bluegrass" scene... The results are exhilarating and enchanting. "Chip Of A Star," "The Carolina," "One More Minute..." The album unfolds with one memorable song after another, an admirably diverse and adventurous set. Striking a fine balance between tradition and innovation, CCL have an affinity for the indie-rock camp, but whereas a banjo lick or pedal steel dropped into a rock record has become commonplace, a truegrass band that has a truly alt-y sensibility is a more precious thing altogether. These folks elegantly straddle the line, and while I'll be enjoying this album for quite a while, I'm also looking forward to what comes next. Definitely worth checking out! (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue music reviews)