Customer Reviews

Things That Fly

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

 

 

The Stringdusters have managed to put out another amazing album in their third release 'Things That Fly'. If you are not familiar with these guys and you are a fan of acoustic music, you have missed the boat! While keeping a traditional bluegrass sound that even the most old school 'grass fan will do backflips over, they are diverse enough to catch the ear of the teenager who is listening to mainstream radio and have yet to figure out what good music is all about. Each member of the sextet is at the top of their game as musicians. From Andy Falco's guitar licks which ranks with the likes of Tony Rice to Jesse Cobb's at times jazz induced mando runs - these guys are both innovators and traditionalists, which is a fine line to walk! Their previous two albums have never fallen out of my CD rotation and I am glad to have another to add to the mix. And as a side note, their live shows have more improvised jams than most Dead shows ever thought about having, yet I see the traditional bluegrass fans at the shows sitting with a look of amazement on their face as the 'Dusters take bluegrass to a new level.

I give the album three thumbs up!

I saw them live about a month ago, and became intriged with their classic approach to bluegrass. Their CD exceeded my expectations with its depth. Don't miss out on this one if you are an acoustic music fan.

There's a power to this sextet's progressive acoustic and bluegrass sounds that leans into the listener like a poke in the chest. The instruments are mostly the standard acoustic assortment, but the verve with which they're picked, and the group's punchy vocal harmonies are heavier than one might expect from a contemporary acoustic outfit. As on their previous self-titled album, the band writes many of their own songs, generally avoids the standard bluegrass canon and stretch their genre with an acoustic reworking of U2's "In God's Country." The latter amplifies the song's force in group harmonies and a propulsive arrangement, but weans it from the original's anthemic emotion. The group's originals weave folk and country sounds with progressive arrangements and hot-picked strings. There are bluegrass intervals in their harmonies, but otherwise their melodies are quite progressive. The instrumental "Magic #9" suggests both - a melody with downtown jazz complications picked on acoustic string instruments from the hills.

The group features three lead vocalists, giving their sound more variety than a bluegrass band with a designated singer. They also welcome Dierks Bentley for a duet cover of Jody Stecher's humorous encounter with a panhandler, "17 Cents." Their new songs contemplate friends and family who are gone but not missing, previous generations whose impact reverberates through the family tree and friends who remain fresh in one's memory. The group's won bluegrass accolades (including several IBMA awards) and releases their CDs on vaunted Sugar Hill label, but there's more here than a recitation of form. The massed voices at the end of "Masquerade" momentarily bring to mind 10cc's "I'm Not in Love," and guitarist Andy Falco pulls things into new directions with the addition of organ and piano. Perhaps most importantly, the group treats studio recording as its own music-making opportunity - rather than a way to document the band's live sound. The vitality of live performance remains, but augmented by studio touches. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]

After their second CD, which I thought was slightly disappointing, I wasn't sure about buying another Stringdusters CD. But then I found out that Gary Paczosa was producing, and I immediately ordered it.
Wow. This CD has the major-league sound without the major-league tendency to forget about its roots. It's grounded in traditional territory, but soars in every song. I've listened to it over and over again, and I still get excited by the first three tracks! "All the Same" is my personal favorite. The bass digs a groove that the rest of the instruments complement rather than distract from, and it's almost impossible to listen to the song only once.

Sounds great. Superior original material. Excellent vocals and excellent playing. The only thing not to like is the toy-like package the CD comes in.

Listening to this on a good DVD player is a real experience. Theses guys are talented musicians, and since their last 2 CDs ,which were more Bluegrass sounding. These guys have really taken off into a sound that is almost orchestral. When you have Gary Paczosa in tow, the man for acoustic recordings in Nashville or where ever he is and then having it mastered by Doug Sax, well, not going to get better sound quality than that. I have heard many of Paczosa's recordings since 2000, including "One Moment More" by Mindy Smith which also had Doug Sax mastering it. You just can't lose, He knows how to put singers and musicians in the place to succeed.

On this CD, It starts out sounding very modern almost like chamber music, with the quality of sound on the instruments is other worldy. On track #9, there is a beautiful little 45 second number, which leads into track 10, a first time real normal structured song, and from there on in, the music becomes more of a vehicle of expression, that Falco and Hall do well with. I would compare the music here to the Punch Brothers. Just some real great musicianship.

As I was listening to this album again, I realized, if Cadillac Sky is the New Grass Revival for this new decade, The Stringdusters are the Seldom Scene. I could give no higher compliment.
This is wonderful, rich new bluegrass which is true to its roots but fresh and vital. Really fantastic.

I agree that is a great album. It's hard to explain, but that special place where popular music can take you the Stringdusters never leave. By popular I mean this is in a song based recording. Chris Pandolfi, the banjo player, said at the IMBA keynote address you that everybody has their own definition of bluegrass, but (to para phrase) it comes down to playing in the spirit of a Monroe and Scruggs. If you've listened to it for years, you know it when you hear it even if you can't articulate it. These gentleman play with that spirit, and they play with the ability that only the special ones have and they play together like no other bluegrass band has done. So much so one questions if it's even bluegrass anymore, but that answer doesn't matter. In modern bluegrass you need to write you own material. God Bless Bill Monroe, but we only need so many covers of "Molly and the Tenbrooks". But that is what made Monroe special, he recorded and wrote great songs. The Stringdusters do the same. "All the Same", "You Can't Stop the Changes", and "Love One Another" are just three of the songs new to me that I have fallen in love with. "17 Cents" and "In God's Country" have been around but I'm guessing this is the first time the two appear on the same recording, and they both sound like a natural extension of the Infamous Stringduster's musical language - which they are. Song after song done acoustically, but with a bit of studio help in framing the playing in unique sonic landscape; song after song that make my jaw drop in the notes that come out of my speakers; song after song I sing along. It's been a while since this was released and I don't see enough reviews. This is great music. Period. Bluegrass or not. If you love artistic expression that comes from the soul and from the heart and the banjo, fiddle and mandolin sound good to you, for all means spend the money on this recording as soon you've paid the rest of your bills.

I'm certainly not a music critic (or even a musician) but I know what I like---and I LIKE this a lot!!!

Another great album from the Infamous Stringdusters, building on the previous two.
These guys make a great band in addition to being simply brilliant individual players.