Bluegrass can often feel like it is speaking to its existing audience rather than reaching out to new people. There are plenty of artists who seem to be looking to bury the Bluegrass elements of their music, so it’s good to hear a band like Thinder and Rain who have managed to update the sound without losing the basic elements of the style. But Bluegrass is one of those styles you either get and love or is baffling. The Tom Paxton tribute album may well be a good way to dip your toes in the water. But for full on fans, The Grascals offer a state-of-the-art traditional album that should reach out to non afficianados. Something for everyone.
Magnolia Street String Band frontwoman Sheila Shukla’s inspiration for By the ‘Light of the Moon’ was a particularly fraught music class one day. She used music to change the energy in the room. Inspiration struck, and she then decided that their new record would be aimed at listeners of all ages. “Once I mentioned this to my daughter, she helped me write the first song ‘Slow Down Rabbit’ and the songs just kept coming,” says Shukla. While they have tried to aim the words at a younger audience the music is typically Bluegrass in the way they set up the series of solos that fill the middle of most of the songs. It’s fun, engaging music with lyrical twists that keeps you listening. A song about a ‘Car Transporter’ anyone?
Thunder and Rain describe their music as “powerhouse progressive bluegrass” They tell us that they “deliver nine action-packed story songs on their fourth studio album ‘Storybook Sessions’”. Opening with single ‘Warning Sign’ we are straight into a pop/country song. But after that the Bluegrass comes back with ‘Georgia Gals’ which sets the tone for the rest of the album with an updated newgrass sound which is far more subtle than the word “powerhouse” might suggest. The soloing is subtle rather than frenetic, and the Alison Krauss influence is clear on songs like ‘Scorpio’.
‘Bluegrass Sings Paxton’ is a compilation of his songs with a Bluegrass spin. The man himself appears on’ I Can’t Help But Wonder (Where I’m Bound).’ With a variety of artists contributing including Tim O’Brien, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Chris Jones and Sister Sadie this works as a good primer for where Bluegrass is in 2024. The musicians are respectful of Paxton’s legacy and don’t mess with his originals too much. More of a delicate update than a reworking.
The Grascals celebrate their 20 years anniversary with an album called ’20.’ ‘Tennessee Hound Dog’ kicks in with a classic piece of Bluegrass which threatens to tip over into chaos at minute, but never quite does. ‘Coal Dust Kisses’ lowers the temperature to a lovely mid-tempo tune. There is no drop in quality and plenty of variety. This could be one of the Bluegrass albums of the year. ‘Reflection’ is an introspective ballad, with one of the best guitar solos in a long time, ‘I Go’ is up-tempo but without losing sight of the tune. ‘Jenny’ is a waltz time tune which builds to a stately fiddle and Banjo solos with Pedal Steel drifting through from the background. This month’s entry in the “if you didn’t think you’d like Bluegrass, try this” contest.
