Customer Reviews

Hand-Picked: 25 Years Of Bluegrass On Rounder Records

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rounder have priced this very competitively, hoping that people who buy this will think it is so brilliant that they will buy some of the albums from which the tracks are taken. To encourage this, the extensive liner notes give all the relevant information required to track down whichever album contains your favorite tracks. But although you might end up spending more money on Rounder albums, this compilation stands on its own merit.

What you get here, are 49 tracks recorded for one of the most important - perhaps the most important - bluegrass labels around. (Of course, Rounder do a lot more than bluegrass, but that's not relevant here.) Bluegrass music is generally upbeat, good-time music and that is the overall feel of this collection.

Among the 49 tracks, every aspect of bluegrass music is represented from traditional to contemporary and including all types of song that you might find on a bluegrass album. With such notable artists as J D Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, Claire Lynch, Alison Krauss, David Grisman, Tony Rice, Jim and Jesse, Del McCoury, Hazel Dickens, the Johnson mountain boys, Lynn Morris and Laurie Lewis represented here, this is a star-studded line-up. And I didn't name all the stars.

Famous songs are notable by their absence although some songs here are better known than others. Drifting too far from the shore (Boone Creek) is a traditional gospel song. When someone wants to leave (Allen brothers) is a cover of a Dolly Parton song from her Jolene album. Golden ring (Dry branch fire squad) is a cover of one of the classic duets by George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Sourwood Mountain (Allen Shelton) is a cover of a traditional folk song.

As an introduction to bluegrass music, this is brilliant - it is one of the best there is for that purpose. Appalachian stomp (two volumes) and the various O sister compilations are other great alternatives.

I think this CD is absolutely the best buy for your dollar. On it are a variety of bluegrass songs, something for everyone. If you are, like me, not familiar with some of the band/performers names that you see in the music store, these CD's will help you decide which artists you like enough to buy the whole CD's. One of my favorites is Blue Eyed Boston Boy, just love the harmony and the fact that the instrumental portions of the song are sparse, letting you concentrate much more on the lyrics. River of Jordan has always been a favorite of mine, and there are several others. There are a few, but only a few, cuts on the CD's that are hard to listen too (some of the vocals) but the instrumental parts of the songs are amazingly done. Some of my very favorites: Ricky Skaggs, Lynn Morris, Laurie Lewis, Claire Lynch, Tony Rice and Allison Kraus are featured on these CD's. Really, it's a great introduction to bluegrass or a nice addition to any collection.

Whether you like your bluegrass traditional, progressive or genre-bending; there is plenty to enjoy on this 49-track, two and a half hour collection from one of the most influential labels in bluegrass music.

This two-CD set reads like a who's who of bluegrass. JD Crowe, Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, David Grisman, Alison Krauss, Tony Trischka...the list goes on and on. And when you look at the price, this becomes a no-brainer. Enjoy! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

It would wrong to assume that this collection covers the entire bluegrass galaxy - no Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Stanley Brothers, Country Gentlemen, etc. - but the sweep of "Hand Picked" is breathtaking, and will certainly lead the interested listener to explore beyond the tracks included here. Within the context of "Hand Picked," one can witness the evolution of artists such as Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, David Grisman, Tony Trischka and Bela Fleck, and learn how the music evolved regionally through acts like Don Stover, Del McCoury and Joe Val. Women in bluegrass are prominently represented by the likes of Alison Krauss, Claire Lynch, Hazel Dickens, and Laurie Lewis.

And there are just so many great songs included here! In addition to the efforts of those mentioned above, The Bluegrass Cardinals (a West Coast band that took up residence in Virginia for a few years) weigh in with the Civil War ballad of the "Blue Eyed Boston Boy," while Dry Branch Fire Squad's Ron Thomason delivers a spare, emotional reading of "Golden Ring." A pre-country-megastar Vince Gill also appears on Here Today's "Lonesome River." Finally, the opening cut features one of the greatest bands ever - J.D. Crowe and the New South, featuring Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, and a then 17-year-old dobro player by the name of Jerry Douglas.

What should be obvious from listening to "Hand Picked" is that bluegrass (like rock, jazz, and classical genres) is a muli-facted, diverse music. Thanks to Rounder for releasing this collection - particularly at such an affordable price!

This is the BEST Bluegrass compilation ever... and you can't beat the price. The only problem is that you might play it too much... until you cant get the songs out of your head... but it will take a LONG time for this to happen even if you play them back to back because both Cds are so long (and there are two of them!) and ALL the songs are good! (except a couple, and that's probably personal preference)
Before I bought these I didnt even like bluegrass all THAT much... but these 2 cds are both are chalk full of great music: talented singing and harmonies, incredible instrumentation ... If you dont like bluegrass, but you have an open mind (and a truck and some open country) this is some real music, and you are going to like it I predict.

Note: DO NOT BUY FROM CAIMAN.cOM... they are a huge hassel. I ordered two of these from them and they couldnt get the order right even after 8 emails and 3 months. Fortunately Amazon has a great refund policy and I ended up buying the item from "reviewstore" because they had a perfect rating.

If you only had one bluegrass CD, this one from Rounder Records would be a great choice.

I purchased this CD a little more than a year ago, and it has cost me a small fortune, happily paid, ever since. Extraordinary range, from inventive newgrass to soulful traditionals, from smooth harmonies to fantastic high-mountain tenors whose voices can strip the paint off an old chair. What you won't find here are the most famous greats--Bill Monroe, the Stanleys, or Flatt and Scruggs (not Rounder artists)--but that's fine; it gives more breathing and playing room to the likes of Vern Williams, Hazel Dickens and many, many other wonders. One thing you should consider before buying, however, is that you can also get this CD as part of a multi-disc Rounder package that includes Blues, Cajun, etc. But think of what THAT's going to cost in the long run!

This bluegrass album has some real gems on it, including a few more like the "Browns" in singing style instead of the 'High Lonesome Sound' that I also like.

In particular, Hazel Dickens, Joe Val, and the Dry Branch Fire Squad really stand out. A few bands were semi-assembled for Rounder, some of them are also pretty good.

Except for Flatt and Scrugg's original album and the various Monroe Collections, this is probably my favorite Bluegrass set of albums. Of course, I have lots of favorites!

One great album. Some great old songs, and some great new songs. 49 great songs in all. Acts range from some old Hazel & Alice to newer ones like J.D. Crowe and Alison Kraus. If a CD could wear out, I'd have to replace this one.

The two-CD set, 25 Years of Bluegrass on Rounder Records, is sheer bluegrass bliss! Outstanding performances from a wide variety of traditional bluegrass artists. A must-have for bluegrass music fanciers everywhere. If you love bluegrass, you'll love 25 Years of Bluegrass. Banjo, mandolin, guitar, fiddle, bass, vocal harmony. It is the musical history of America.