Customer Reviews

Bluegrass Album 3

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

 

 

I surfed past this, one of my favorite Bluegrass CD's to find a single 3 star review complaining that this band lacks a "dirty sound" that is "essential" to Bluegrass.

I'd be curious to know what "dirty sound" the reviewer means - but I'd say J.D. Crowe, Tony Rice, Bobby Hicks, Jerry Douglas and Doyle Lawson KNOW what is "essential" to Bluegrass, and they demonstrate this to great effect on these recordings. Where "The Bluegrass Albums" in volumes one and two were respectful of traditional Bluegrass - a la Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs, THIS Album wanted to be inclusive of the more modern "second generation" influences in both material and arrangements - for example adding the previously omitted Dobro with the unmatched voice of Jerry Douglas. Devil in Disguise starts off a FINE collection of tunes, that I would say include "Unfaithful One" and "Please Search Your Heart". (The 2nd time that Crowe and Lawson have recorded that particular tune.)

All of the Bluegrass Albums (I mean these six recorded by this collection of musicians) are "Bluegrass 101" to modern bluegrass musicians. Volume six is all instrumental (after Tony Rice's damaged vocal chords couldn't allow for his previous fine singing), but it is also.... dare I say it.... "essential".

This is probably my favorite of the 6 Bluegrass Album Band albums. Some very lively songs, like "Devil in Disguise" and "Come Back Darling" mix well with quieter tunes like "Unfaithful One."

As for the Boston Bean who said something idiotic about Bluegrass needing to have a "dirty" sound, that sounds right coming from someone from Mass. Don't listen to that tripe. I'm from Arkansas and have been listening to Bluegrass for 30+ years. I love this album, and I love the Bluegrass Album Band.

This is traditional Bluegrass - not "Newgrass" or "Spacegrass." Tradional musicians playing tradional instruments with a traditional sound. If you want "dirty" music, go listen to 2 Live Crew, or something. Sheesh.

Gary

I've been playing banjo and guitar for about 25 years now, and have always been a bluegrass fan. I think it would be hard to find an album that better represented bluegrass music. It's not often one encounters a more talented collection of musicians in any genre. Bluegrass music audiences are fortunate to have this and the other Bluegrass Album Band recordings as some of the finest ever made.

Some good tunes, some bad ones. The band just lacks that "dirty" sound, an integral part of any bluegrass band. They do a good job on "Big Spike Hammer" and "Down the Road", but nothing makes up for the dullness in "I'd rather be Alone", "Unfaithful One", "Hey Lonesome" and "Please Search your Heart", which has to be one of the most painful songs to listen to on this album.