IV

Chatham County Line

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 4, 2008)
• Original Release Date: March 4, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B00121QGDG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,114 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The finger-busting "Clear Blue Sky" banjo tune and the stately mandolin instrumental "Paige" prove that these North Carolinians aren’t ready to sacrifice their bluegrass roots. Yet Chatham County Line’s IV is a pop album built around close harmony singing with arrangements that owe as much to the ‘Stones as to the Stanley Brothers. It’s often pop with an edge. "Birmingham Jail" recounts that city’s Civil Rights travails. "I Got Worry" is a thumping blues number. "Chip of a Star" is ornate and textural thanks to flat-top and steel guitars that churn and sigh beneath leader Dave Wilson’s sweet, lilting voice. Across their nine-year history the band has crept toward a pleasing fusion of acoustic tradition and modernist songwriting, preserving and expanding their drumless mountain music sound as well as their audience. In the conservative realm of bluegrass that feat requires subtle mastery, a quality in abundance on this pleasing, accomplished album. --Ted Drozdowski

Product Description
New traditionalists Chatham County Line are back with their most ambitious album to date. The North Carolina quartet's fourth album is a boozy blend of Americana and loose acoustic rockers that exhibits the band's ever-evolving style. CCL continues their dedication to traditional instruments by using their love for bluegrass as a base on which to layer an eclectic blend of roots music. Bluegrass workouts like ''The Carolinian'' stand beside pop geared numbers such as ''Chip of a Star'' and the hard soul of ''Birmingham Jail.'' The progression seen on IV is helped along by legendary indie pop musician and producer Chris Stamey (dB's, Yo La Tengo, Ryan Adams, Alex Chilton, Alejandro Escovedo), making for a starkly heartfelt testament to making the past new again.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Confident new traditionalists following their own muse, May 8, 2008

By	J. Ross "a-music_fan" (Roseburg, OR USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Playing Time - 46:12 -- With three other albums under their belts since 2003, Chatham County Line calls "IV" a "coming out party" because they no longer feel constrained to a certain niche by bluegrass instrumentation. They are a young, enthusiastic band that has grown and progressed into a signature acoustic groove. On their first few albums, these North Carolinians grabbed attention with a refreshing bluegrass-tinged sound anchored around guitarist Dave Wilson's emotive lead vocals and prolific songwriting. Strong and energetic contemporary folk-inspired material have always permeated their projects. "IV" takes them even further on an intriguing journey into Americana territory, and it's a solid statement for a young quartet that's also been fortunate to maintain its same four personnel for years. Besides Wilson, CCL continues to also feature John Teer (fiddle, mandolin, viola), Chandler Holt (banjo, guitar), and Greg Readling (bass, pedal steel, piano).

"IV" takes the band beyond a mere modernistic interpretation of bluegrass. The opener, "Chip of a Star" is clearly arranged as radio-friendly commercial fare with its repetitive banjo riff. Songs like "County Boy/City Boy" illustrate the dichotomy of the band's contemporary folk-rock urban approach overlaid with some bluegrass sensibilities. When I first heard "Let It Rock" and "I Got Worry," it even crossed my mind that these boys might be enticed into a full plunge into electric music with a drummer. Perhaps a plugged-in CCL album will be their next stop on their evolving path. In the meantime, balladry is still a large part of their bag with numbers like "The Carolinian," "Sweet Eviction," "One More Minute," and "Birmingham Jail." One of the three numbers penned by Holt, "Clear Blue Sky" is an instrumental showcase for the band's clarion bluegrass chops. And then there's Teer's "Paige," a classically inspired mandolin tune that emphasizes timing, tone and technique. I respect all confident new traditionalists who follow their own muse. I know CCL's vibrant and unrestrained genre-bending sound will continue building them a legion of fans. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now, 29 Palms, CA)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Approaching greatness, September 25, 2008

By	Garbageman (the other side of California) - See all my reviews

Forgive the astronomical comparisons, but this here's their "Revolver". Everything locks into place, and the songwriting by now is so sharp it hits in all the right places. There are fine flourishes everywhere which add to the overall sound - the little riff at the end of "Chip of a Star" - I can't get enough of it - and there are vocal hooks all over the place that make the whole "traditional", "bluegrass", "newgrass" comparisons completely obsolete. And forget the word "crossover" - these guys have been playing pure "My Aim Is True" pop songs since the beginning, except they've been singing about WSM and the TVA and using bluegrass instruments. This ain't some half-arsed Ricky Skaggs nostalgia act, and they won't be playing in candystripe vests at the Kings Dominion burger tent anytime soon. "She" is the most beautiful song of '08 thus far, and a diamond in their catalog. "I Got Worry" is pure Americana that would have soundtracked "Who Is Bozo Texino?" marvelously. The harmonies in "One More Minute" are so crystal you are almost afraid to listen to them twice. Nearly every song is as perfect as you can get of this genre, which they themselves created. It's going to be mighty difficult for these guys to top this set, and I almost don't want to see them try. Just an absolutely flawless creation.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great bluegrass-indie crossover set, March 16, 2008

By	Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

North Carolina's up-and-coming Chatham County Line is a remarkably innovative band, moving from strength to strength until they arrive someplace entirely new. So here we are, on their fourth album, "IV," which is an alluring bluegrass-newgrass album that crosses over in ways that seem fresh and entirely new... Several songs have pop-tinged arrangements that are surprisingly unique, with sound combinations that I simply haven't heard yet from the decades-old "progressive bluegrass" scene... The results are exhilarating and enchanting. "Chip Of A Star," "The Carolina," "One More Minute..." The album unfolds with one memorable song after another, an admirably diverse and adventurous set. Striking a fine balance between tradition and innovation, CCL have an affinity for the indie-rock camp, but whereas a banjo lick or pedal steel dropped into a rock record has become commonplace, a truegrass band that has a truly alt-y sensibility is a more precious thing altogether. These folks elegantly straddle the line, and while I'll be enjoying this album for quite a while, I'm also looking forward to what comes next. Definitely worth checking out! (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue music reviews)