Customer Reviews

Leading Off

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You can't review this CD without adding the historical perspective that young Chris Thile was only 12 at the time. Yet he had also just won the national mandolin championship, and to say this is "good for a 12 year old" completely misses the point that Chris was already simply blowing people away. Now about twice as old, Chris has developed, to be sure. He has gone from a smiling little hot-shot kid mandolin player to the leader of Nickel Creek - a band with gold recordings and grammies in their pocket, with more on the way. Does Chris play better now than he did at 12? Well, yes, but just LISTEN to his playing on this recording. A Chicago Tribune review has been quoted often, calling Chris a "Force of Nature with a Flatpick". I saw Nickel Creek last night and Chris continues to storm the stage with siblings Sean and Sara Watkins - but this is the review for "Leading Off".

Chris'playing here is mature and inventive. He plays with bell-like clarity and machine-gun like speed. He alternates passages of mind-bending blues with soft, lovely contemplative movements. IBMA President (and Hot Rize banjoist) Pete Wernick surrounds Chris with great players like Pete himself, John Moore and Stuart Duncan.

It is difficult to say if the more impressive cuts are the ones written by pre-teen Chris (such as Chris Cross and Slime Rock) or his bewilderingly amazing interpretations of classic old tunes such as Salt Creek or Panhandle Rag. He performs a medley of old favorites which includes The Girl I Left Behind, Liberty, Arkansas Traveler and Whiskey Before Breakfast. I would simply ask that you compare 12-year old Chris' versions to versions recorded by Grisman, Wayne Benson, Sam Bush or Norman Blake. The truth is that young master Thile's playing at 12 years old already surpassed the "masters".

Get Chris' other recordings as well (don't miss "Into the Cauldron" with Mike Marshall or Chris on Mark O'Connor's 30th Anniversary recording). But don't pass up on "Leading Off" because it's only "a kid" playing. The kid is growing up to be an American Mozart.

This kid is magnificent. Talk about talent; he has it in abundance. If you like Bluegrass this is a must. I am an avid fan and have made all my friends listen (most of them bought the album too). Someone please be sure this boy knows how much we enjoy his work and encourage him to continue writing and playing songs. Thanks.

I picked this album up to complete my rotation of Thile CDs and continue to admire how much it has to offer. The picking style and proficiency of the boy is far less distant from the young man we hear today than one might think. Cut 4, River of Faith is complex, moving and waaay too mature for a 13 year old to compose. It's one of my favorite CT tunes. You might also be surprised to find the variety of styles we find in in his more recent releases: swing, irish, bluegrass and others hard to categorize. Stuart Duncan expertly accompanies many of these original tunes on fiddle.

Chris Thile is without a doubt one of the finest composers and virtuoso mandolinists of our time. This album features, for the most part, original compositions, works that Chris completed before his teenage years had begun. He's accompanied by Stuart Duncan, Pete Wernick and others. If you love Bela Fleck, David Grisman, and Stuart Duncan then Chris Thile is right up your alley. Don't go another day without hearing this.

True Chris was only 13 when this disc was recorded. But it is NOT kid's stuff. This is SERIOUS pickin'. On this release,all the bluegrass songs are written and/or arranged by Chris. These tracks are played with a very Blues-edged flavor. Every song is amazing. It was the last thing of Chris's I bought, Nickel Creek or otherwise, and it is one of my favorites.
Buy this disc and ENJOY !!

A must-have CD for any mandolin player. If you've never heard of Chris Thile induldge in a guilty pleasure and buy this CD. By my estimation, if you're in a slump and need some inspiration, this is the means to that end. Excellence at it's best! I bought a second CD as a back-up in case the first one gets damaged from overplaying. There it is in a nutshell; one of the best solo mandolin CD's available.

An amazing album by a mind blowing player. 13 years old? My god!
If you like blue grass mandolin, buy this.

If it wasn't for the cheesy photo on the cover of this CD, you'd never know it was recorded by a teenager. Chris Thile is one of the best--if not THE best--mandolin players in the world. And it shows on this CD. Don't let the fact that this was recorded by a kid keep you from buying it. It's quality music from a quality player. A player who has matured over the years into a bluegrass/newgrass superstar.

It's a great CD with a variety of music. And it's got Pete Wernick on the banjo!I own this CD and I never tire of it.

Chris Thile takes the instrument to refreshing limits of beauty and technical expertise.