Best of New Grass Revival

New Grass Revival | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 8, 1994)
• Original Release Date: March 8, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002TNY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,489 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anything But Ordinary, April 2, 2000

By 

Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Best of New Grass Revival (Audio CD)

This is all that's left of the three albums the final incarnation of the New Grass Revival did for Liberty in the second half of the Eighties. Founding members Sam Bush (fiddle, mandolin) and John Cowan (bass) are joined by Bela Fleck (banjo) and Pat Flynn (guitar) for some of the most innovative and inventive bluegrass committed to disc. The dynamics of the new band made a profound impact on the band. Bela Fleck is the premier banjoist in the world. Instrumentals like his "Metric Lips" and "Big Foot" blended bluegrass and jazz into an amazingly original sound. Pat Flynn, in addition to being an expressive singer, was also a talented songwriter ("Sweet Release", "Do What You Gotta Do").

The band flirted with Top 40 succes with songs like "Can't Stop Now," "Unconditional Love," "Friday Night in America" and "Callin' Baton Rouge." But the band was not going to pigeon-holed into a restrictive format, which won them critical praise if not commercial success. [But how can you not love a band who covers an obscure Beatles' B-side ("Im Down")?]

This disc represents the New Grass Revival at their peak. By the end of the decade Sam Bush called it quits to pursue a solo career (as well as frequent session work and a stint in Emmylou Harris' Nashville Ramblers). Fleck would form the Flecktones and continue his bluegrass/be-bop/jazz hybrid. [This configuration of the band also recorded the equally exceptional On the Boulevard on the Sugar Hill label.] But this nearly 70-minute, 18-song collection does an excellent job of representing one of bluegrass music's best progressive bands. As it was stated in the liner notes, "New Grass Revival will never be accused of being ordinary." HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What kind of music do you like? WHO CARES! Buy This!, September 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Best of New Grass Revival (Audio CD)

NGR is incredible. Hear some of the great hits of the last 10 years before they went mainstream by being recorded by Jeff Healey (Angel Eyes) or Garth Brooks (Callin' Baton Rouge, Do What You Gotta Do) and others. The lead singer has an absolutely phenomenal voice -- completely unbelievable. And of course, anything with Bela Fleck on it is guaranteed to kick the butt out of your stereo.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You've gotta hear it!!!, December 4, 2003

By 

Valerie *** (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best of New Grass Revival (Audio CD)

This band is outstanding!!! You have about the best musical combination you could ever ask for with this line-up. The talents within these guys are amazing. You get a good taste of different musical styles with NGR. John Cowan's vocals are hard and driving and yet beautiful when needed. His bass-playing compliments the band as well. Pat Flynn has a cool, kind of unique style of guitar playing and has some nice, tasteful, yet flashy phrases as well. Sam Bush....well...what's to say?? He is always a grade 'A' mandolin player!!! Bela Fleck is on the banjo. His name speaks on its own!!! He's always a great player. I highly recommend checking out this band.