Customer Reviews

Company We Keep

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Playing Time - 51:37 -- It's difficult to maintain your place when you're already on top. Everyone's been wondering how the Del McCoury Band would follow the album "It's Just the Night," that won IBMA's Album of the Year Award for 2004. The very first item you notice about The Del McCoury Band's "The Company We Keep" (the second on their own McCoury Music label, distributed exclusively by Sugar Hill Records) is the high quality production of the 12-page fold out CD jacket with liner notes, numerous color photos, and lyrics to all songs on this generous 52-minute project. First impressions and marketing ARE important! While the music always takes priority, it's great to see their record company not skimp on the rest of the product. Del and the Boys have never been content to merely rest on their laurels. Rather, they've always been strong proponents of giving their fans 125% whether it be in live concert or on compact disc. That's the attitude that Del conveys when he sings his original (co-written with Harley Allen) "Never Grow Up Boy" about being a "guitar pickin', bluegrass singing, never grow up boy" whose dreams "can set men free." Del and Harley also wrote "Keep Her While She's There." Del also collaborated with Don Schlitz on "If Here is Where You Are." Ronnie McCoury's instrumental "Seventh Heaven" is top-notch.

The Del McCoury Band is also a full-speed-ahead band packed with vocal and instrumental energy and excitement. One song in ¾ time (When Fall's Coming Down) provides its nice contrasting rhythmic beat at track eleven. They keep their music upbeat and distinctive as they deliver the bluegrass goods written by such songcrafters as Mark Walton, Joseph New & Jeff Silbar, Larry Keel, Liz Meyer, Gary Nicholson, Jeff & Dean Presley, Jerry Salley & Susanne Mumpower-Johnson, Mark Simos & Jon Weisberger. We have to thank these writers for some very cool songs that bring out the best in this band! We have to thank the Del McCoury Band for being some of the hardest working musicians in the bluegrass business, and for being meticulous with all the details that come with the fame. Not just great entertainers, the band members are truly highly credible and professional emissaries for the genre. In eight years, McCoury's been IBMA's Entertainer of the Year. "The Company We Keep" pays tribute and expresses gratitude to all friends, family and team members who have helped make them what they are. The CD's back cover shows Del's grandkids at the head of the table and indicates that the McCoury bluegrass tradition is in very good hands. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

The same arguments plaque bluegrass over tradition , new grass or other hybrids. For me there is room for it all. The Del Mccoury Band has always maintained a balance between the old and new in both arrangements and songs chosen. In the award arena, I have heard fellow bluegrass fans state "They won another one, what about the other great bands." The fact is the Del Mccoury Band continues to maintain a standard of excellence sustained by few.
This cd is no exception. Its all there, great playing, arrangements devoid of musical cliches, and five star song. What else could anyone want?

Del McCoury and the boys continue to deliver with "The Company We Keep." When you combine some of the most talented musicians in the country with one of the most distinctive voices, how can you go wrong? Anyone with a penchant for bluegrass will be pleased with this cd.

Over the years, the Del McCoury Band have had it both ways: Playing traditional bluegrass AND adding elements of progressive bluegrass. Recent albums have included songs by Richard Thompson ("1952 Vincent Black Lightning") and John Sebastian ("Nashville Cats"). This time out on THE COMPANY WE KEEP, they keep the proceedings strictly traditional.

With Jason Carter (fiddle) and sons Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo) providing the sparks, Del makes good use of his plaintive tenor vocals on this 14-track collection. Del co-wrote three of the albums tracks, including the autobiographical "Never Grow Up Boy" where he asserts: "I make my Living with a guitar/My job is standing on a stage/I played in churches, fairs and dive bars/I ain't never gonna act my age." And at age sixty-seven, let's hope he never does. [Running Time - 48:37] Highly Recommended

From the very first song I loved this cd. Great fiddles and singing and lyrics to make me smile- terrifically entertaining and upbeat. These musicians are the real thing. Even better to see them live.

I honestly can't think of when I've heard a bluegrass band play with such empathy and virtuosity. Maybe the last time was more than a decade ago in Tucson, Arizona, but I know I haven't heard anything here in New York City that remotely comes close to The Del McCoury Band. Until last Saturday, when this wonderful band played a great set - which included celebrated banjo musician Bela Fleck on one number - at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium. Much of their set consisted of music from this CD and earlier releases from 2001, including a great cover version of a song written by legendary British folk rocker Richard Thompson. Del has a great tenor voice and is a fine guitarist too. But maybe more importantly, his superb musical talents also run in the family, since sons Rob and Ronnie are stellar virtuosos on the banjo and mandolin. I'm not sure if one can say that this is Newgrass music; it's just simply great Bluegrass. For this reason alone I am not surprised to hear that this band has earned countless awards from their peers in Nashville and elsewhere; awards which I am certain they'll continue earning well into the future.

Good album. Just a shade below their "It's Just the Night" CD, but very good.

McCoury's unique voice and great bluegrass style shows in every song. Great CD!

Being new to bluegrass, when I first heard "Nothin' Special" on the radio I imagined Del McCoury to be some long haired rounder going from dive bar to dive bar. Well what a suprise when my CD arrived and I discovered Del McCoury to be an older gentleman with a dignified looking wife, grown up sons and even grandchildren. But it was Del's unique voice and great music which first caught my attention and this album certainly doesn't disappoint.

I found Del's original songs to be the most believable and poignant, especially "Never Grow Up Boy - where he professes his love for making music and his still a "kid at heart" spirit. But he also has the good taste to choose excellent songwriters and many of their songs shine as well, such as the honest and truthful "Fathers And Sons". Overall an excellent CD well worth the purchase.

As wonderful as it is to hear these fine musicians play their instruments, there isn't a single song with words or music memorable enough that I want to listen to it again. None will withstand the test of time and become classics.