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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Album of the Decade?, January 24, 2006
A couple times each decade, I discover a musical artist that completely captivates me and takes over the music listening part of my life (and that is a huge part of my life). In the past it's been artists as different as The Band, The Grateful Dead, Shawn Colvin, Sarah McLachlan, and Patty Griffin. Ten days ago I discovered Railroad Earth and I've listened to nothing else since then.
On first listen, Railroad Earth sounds like traditional bluegrass, but it soon becomes evident they are so much more than bluegrass. Their music is quality folk-rock played on bluegrass instruments, with touches of awe-inspiring Grateful Dead style jamming and improvisation. Each of these guys is a master of his instrument(s), but I'm especially blown away by Tim Carbone and his magical violin playing. The songs, mostly written by lead singer Todd Sheaffer, are sometimes sad (Bird In A House), moving (Railroad Earth), or just plain fun (Head, Like a Buddha). And they all have interesting, non-trivial, and beautiful melodies. Did I mention these boys can jam? If this music doesn't get you dancing, no matter where you're listening to it, you better get yourself a doctor -- quick!
This live CD is a wonderful collection of inspired performances of great songs. The music is so rich and full of instrumental nuances, it can be listened to over and over without growing wearisome. And that's exactly what I've done since I got "Elko" -- listened to it over and over and over and over...
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Utterly Amazing, January 27, 2006
Having seen Railroad Earth live, having worn out several CD players playing their first three discs, and having driven friends and neighbors to distraction by constantly touting RRE's praises, I greeted their new live CD with joy and fear.
Joy at the idea that their quarter-hour live raveups and spontaneous creativity onstage would now be available to hear over and over, and fear that the CD might somehow disappoint. What a waste of worry. "Elko" is a Masterpiece. It is so good tasks stay undone, the dog goes unwalked, the TV stays off, and the wife all but ignored while I sit in my earphone cocoon and listen to it again and again.
Is "Elko" the album of the Decade so far, as suggested by an earlier poster? Damn Skippy it is. The only trouble is what category does it belong in. For starters, it's the best live album I've heard in ages. Bluegrass? The best Bluegrass album I've heard in ages. Jam Grass? Well yeah, except how can you call RRE merely a Jam Grass band when they are so far beyond that? Elko also has jazz elements, World Music chops, Celtic, folk, pop, Southern rock, Credence Clearwater Swamp rock and Lord knows what else. The album shows this extraordinary group of musicians is not reigned in by convention. In an age of musical stultification, RRE is that rarest breath of fresh air, taking acoustic (and mildly electric) music to areas it's never been to before.
The music is amazingly layered. Unlike so many bluegrass outfits which trade leads while everyone else strums along in the background, RRE plays like each member is being paid by the note. Plus they manage to sound precise and improvisational at the same time, no mean trick. As a result each tune demands repeated playing while the listener is constantly discovering new joys in the music.
The two CD set contains more than two hours of music, mostly up- or mid-tempo. There are a few new tunes--the title tune is especially appealing--plus great performances of previously unrecorded tunes like "Warhead Boogie." Add to that some amazing workouts on familiar numbers, such as "Seven Story Mountain" and "Bird in the House. The duel between the amazing fiddler Tim Carbone and mandolin master John Skehan on "Head" is worth the price of the CD itself.
The rhythm section rocks, the playing is a magnificent blend of exactitude and flights of fancy, and as usual, the unique voice of lead singer/ primary songwriter Todd Shaeffer give the songs their emotional cues.
It's not a matter of picking a favorite tune on the CD, it's a matter of finding one that isn't a favorite. So far, little luck with that.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great album- a must for your collection!, November 5, 2007
This is my favorite Railroad Earth album, and a "must" for any dynamic music collection. Its a phenomenal quality live CD and shows how truly talented all the musicians are....they really jam-out! Its hard not to want to dance to most of the songs- they are all pretty much up-beat, peppy songs you'll probably end up (like I do) humming constantly after hearing the CD.
If you have a chance to check them out live, I highly recommend it as well. I've seen them a few times and they are amazing in concert. They are really tight and amazing musicians. If you are deciding amongst their various albums, I can't recommend this one highly enough!
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