RIYL: Yonder Mountain String Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Nickel Creek
Sam Bush conveys the impression of an agreeable guy, a musician immersed in what he does. He boasts that same affinity for his fans that Jimmy Buffett displays in acting the role of cheerleader while readily encouraging unabashed celebration simply for celebration’s sake. But where Buffett’s built a reputation for being a party practitioner who induces his fans to wear silly hats and label themselves Parrot Heads, Bush invokes a merry mood simply by showing up, creating a communal Zen-like experience that takes its root in his music alone. Fans who flock to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival each year can attest to the joyful Bush bash that occurs every time he takes the stage, but for the uninitiated, his new LP, Circles Around Me, ought to suffice.
Bush helped invent the genre now known as “Nu-grass” while heading the New Grass Revival, and while he’s broadened his palette over the years, he’s also managed to maintain his populist appeal along the way. The title track opens the new disc with him marveling at the blessings generated by the kinship of his fan following, with Telluride accruing special mention. But then Bush gets down to business, tossing his limber fiddle and mandolin into the exhilarating frenzy of the album’s bluegrass banter. A trio of sure-footed instrumentals – “The Old North Woods,” “Blue Mountain” and “Junior Heywood” – provide the keynote offerings, but covers of Guy Clark’s mournful “The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle” and a harmony-fueled “Roll on Buddy, Roll On” vary the template ever so slightly while adding a supple touch to the proceedings.
Truth be told, Bush’s main strength lies as an ensemble player and, in fact, aside from the fiddle workout “Apple Blossom,” Circles Around Me benefits tremendously from the collective input of Bush’s collaborators – Del McCoury, Edgar Meyer and Jerry Douglas included. Happily then, these circles remain unbroken. (Sugarhill 2009)
After evoking obvious reverence for classic Americana on their self-titled studio debut, the Band of Heathens morph their roots rock regimen with hints of blues, soul and a swampy moan. The allusions to the Band are still there of course – the new album’s “L.A. County Blues,” “What’s This World” and “Look At Miss Ohio” instantly reaffirm those references – but this time around they expand their palate, journeying up the Mississippi with “Golden Calf,” emulating an old-time gospel choir on “Shine a Light” and taking a funky furlough via “You’re Gonna Miss Me” and “Somebody Tell Me The Truth.” Varying the pace from unassuming shuffles to tattered refrains, the group colors the arrangements with rustic embellishment – banjo, Wurlitzer piano, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and forlorn vocals – clearly enhancing the set’s distinct retro feel. An able demonstration of genuine down-home resolve, One Foot in the Ether provides the band taking a sure step forward.
