1. Hard Workin' Man
2. Lifting Up The Cross
3. Heartbreak Express
4. Pay Your Dues
5. God Bless Mommy
6. Big, Big Heartaches
7. The Other Side Of Towne
8. Tobaccoville Road
9. Laura Lie
10. Somebody's Gonna Let You Down
11. Salvation Of The Lord
12. The Day Hell Freezes Over
13. The Door
14. Sorry Ain't Far Behind
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1. Have Mercy
2. Thought That She Loved Me
3. The Mountain's Gonna Sing
4. Turn Up The Bottle
5. Nowhere To Lay Low
6. Sylvie
7. There Ain't No Easy Street
8. Mourning Dove
9. I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known
10. Shades Of Gray
11. Heartbreak Is Real
12. Hollerin' House
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1. Enter Highway
2. Heavy
3. Restless
4. Find Out
5. Road Hog
6. Salem And Staunton
7. Turn Back
8. Truck Stop Baby
9. Albion Road
10. Susanville
11. (I Need) Eighteen Wheels
12. Trixie's Diesel-Stop Cafe
13. Graveyard Shift
14. Down
15. Lead Foot
16. Yawn
17. Brake Lights
18. In My Pocket
19. Destination
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Bluegrass' supergroup, Grasstowne
releases it's sophomore CD. When the
first album was released, I was struck
by the sameness of it to so many
others and sadly that applies to this
one. It's not that there is anything
wrong with it but it lacks dynamics. In
fact, the one sparking factor is the
fiddle player and that is by Stuart
Duncan who is not even a member of
the group. I think there are two
reasons. Firstly the band produces
itself and as a result, the production is
flat. I keep finding myself yelling out
"Attack, Attack!!" They need to bring in
someone like Ronnie Bowman or Bil
VornDick to plant a proverbial boot in
their musical backsides. A good
example is "Pay Your Dues" which
sounds sluggish. This is a shame as I
know that each member from their
previous bands are exciting players
and singers. This seems so much of an
effort. The exceptions to this are on
Carl and Melba Montgomery's "Big, Big
Heartaches," George Jones' standard,
"The Door" and on the closer, "Sorrow
Ain't Hard To Find."
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I have often said that Bluegrass pickers
need to focus more on what is
happening now and less on the past as
regards subject matter. I have also
criticised Bluegrassers for continually
recording old material and not writing
meaningful new songs. Recently, Tom
and Dixie Hall have answered that in a
big way. So have Steep Canyon
Rangers. Their songs are solid, in the
Bluegrass vein but very much now. In
fact "I Thought That She Loved Me"
had a definite Tractors feel with an
Oklahoma shuffle feel to it. In fact that
is something I noticed about SCR; their
ability to use different rhythm patterns.
Graham Sharp is a writer to be lauded.
However, they have also used outside
material: Ledbelly's "Sylvie" is given an
interesting a capella treatment and
Merle Haggard's "I Must Be Somebody
Else You've Known" sounds like it was
written for Bluegrass.
My friend Ronnie Bowman has
produced an album to be proud of. Full
of light and air that allows the voices
and instruments to breathe. Some
Country performers and producers
could do well to listen to this CD. I
understand that the guys are going to
be touring with Steve Martin and in fact
Steve wrote the liner notes. I anticipate
that this is going to be one of the major
groups of the new generation. My only
gripe is why such terrible photographs?
This my Bluegrass CD of the Month.
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Now I know when I see my friend Bil
VornDick's name on a CD as producer,
then I know that it is going to be quality.
However, I have always found it difficult
how to deal with the Bee-Liners music.
There is no doubt that their music is
Bluegrass but their rhythm patterns are
very jazzy in formation and so it takes
listening a few times to get into their
collective heads. The album is a
concept one that chronicles aspects of
driving the open road. Within that
concept, like the road, their music twists
and turns into numerous musical styles.
I read the comments from the New York
Times' About.com in which it asked was
Bee-Liners' Buddy Woodward the next
Dan Tyminiski. I guess they don't get it
that no one wants to be the next
anyone but themselves. That apart, the
band is solid although lead singer,
Brandi Hart does wander off the note
on occasion but when you are singing
jazz that can happen. I have listened to
this CD three times and it does get
better each time. However, as I said
when reviewing the previous album, I
would like to see no guests so that I
can actually hear what is them. Guests
this time include Dan Dugmore and
John Jorgensen. The CD is dedicated
to the late Buckaroo, Tom Brumley and
I can imagine Buck singing "Trixie's
Diesel-Stop Cafe."
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