Customer Reviews

Best of New Grass Revival

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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

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.

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.

This is a very good "best of" compilation of some of NGR's more notable works from the extremely talented Bush-Cowan-Flynn-Fleck years. The album does not fall in the "anthology" category, however, as no selections from the band's previous lineups and six releases are included. Hopefully, that unfulfilled project will someday grace our collections. Only three albums contribute to the 18 tracks on this recording, with the first four tracks being previously unreleased at that time. With the reissue of "New Grass Revival", in CD format in 1986 on Capitol Records, all of these tunes are available on three albums from this iteration of the band; "New Grass Revival", "Hold To A Dream", and "Friday Night In America". A legitimate follower would probably have all of these albums but if you want to lighten your load from time-to-time, carry the "Best Of....". It still gives the listener an earful of the band at their best. This is also highly recommended for the first-time listener as an introduction to a great band.

A KICKING REVIEW OF THE "SUPERSTAR" NGR AT THEIR BEST. TIGHT HARMONIES,INSTUMENTAL VIRTUOSITY, AND GREAT SONG SELECTION ABOUND. I WANT TO SAY, HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED OUT NGR'S DEBUT ALBUM AND THEIR "FLY THROUGH THE COUNTRY" AND "WHEN THE STORM IS OVER" CD'S, YOU HAVE MISSED THE ORIGINAL NGR WHICH HAD A DIFFERENT BUT NO LESS AWESOME SOUND. HEAR IT AND BELIEVE THAT BELA AND PAT APPRECIATE IT!!

Though I usually prefer rock or metal, this cd is almost musically perfect. NGR is one group that can produce as well live (if not better) as when recording. With music that will take you through a variety of emotions, I just Can't get enough. My personal favorite title is metric lips with can't stop now a close second. Great job guys! And thank you.

In every genre of music there are people or groups that can be called "the best ever". In Blugrass,or more specifically in New Grass, these guys are it. Although the band has changed members a few times over the years, I feel the members responsible for all the tracks on this greatest hits album are the best and quite frankly, individually and collectively, are one of the most talented, progressive thinking bands that ever came together to create music. Individually, John Cowen has a terrific voice. Pat Fynn is a fantastic guitar player and a gifted songwriter. Sam Bush is a legendary fiddle and mandolin player who just wows you with his energy and creativity and is clearly one of, if not the best ever at what he does. Bela Fleck is a once in a lifetime talent. What he does with a banjo is nothing short of phenomenal. Not only his ability on the strings but his creativity to write what he plays. Bela Fleck is quite simply, the greatest banjo player on the planet, ever, period. Unfortunately, after the band broke up Fleck went off to another planet playing some kind of weird,(albeit still fantastically creative)funk/jazz/banjo music.
To truly appreciate this music one must first understand that bluegrass has never been about being the greatest singer, or having the catchiest lyrics. Bluegrass is about the instruments. So if you listen to this collection of songs from that standpoint instead of trying to compare it to todays "radio" music, then your ears will be blessed with some of the most wonderful, complex, and harmoneous music ever created. In my opinion, it is musical perfection.

I think that I have said it all with "You can't appreciate it until you have heard it". Between John Cowan's voice and the talents of Sam Bush on mandolin and violin, Pat Flynn on Rhythm and lead guitar and Bela Fleck wailing on the banjo, this is a can't miss for those lovers of contemporary Bluegrass or Dawg music! To see John Cowan in concert, well, you'll be blown away! The CD's don't do justice to John Cowan LIVE! You can visit John's web site.....

You like Jon Bon Jovi's voice? This guys better! You like smoking instrumental leads? You'll love this. You like bluegrass,r&b, reggae and jazz? Save money and just but this one cd. I can't tell you when the last time I sat down and listened to a cd...AND I AM A PROFESSIONAL DJ. It's fun, bouncy, cheerful, soulful, great harmony and wonderful American roots music.

The music is great, but the CD I received, although in the original wrapping, has a scratch on it, and you can't play the first two tracks.