This is a self released album available from the bands website although individual tracks are available to download at Amazon for the usual price.
The band are a three piece who hail from Portland, Maine in North East USA and specialise in authentic bluegrass with excellent vocals and superb high energy instrumental pickin'. What sets them apart is that vocal prowess that shines out across the 13 tracks here. The album gets off to a sprightly start with 'Broken Things' which is, at its heart, another list song but they put such infectious punchy energy into it that you can't help but grin along inanely and the fiddle refrain gives it a massive lift and it leaves any Mumford & Sons comparisons trailing in the dust. This is quickly followed by an even more sprightly 'Bound to Ride' that is powered by some fine banjo pickin' and a hot fiddle that makes an impressive opening gambit. Things slow up for the title track 'Loving a Fool' a sad lament for a lost cause that's drenched in misery and tears with a suitably mournful vocal and heavenly backing vocals.
Across the forty minutes of music we have a range of distressed anxious characters who are bemoaning how life sometimes turns out but overall we are uplifted more than we are dashed. There's a raft of influences at play here from the great Hank Williams through Woody Guthrie and a touch of Marty Robins. There's upset and disaster aplenty and that old time feeling is well captured especially on the banjo and harmonica laced 'How They're Rolling' where we get some lovely tight-knit three part harmony alongside some tasty pickin' and wild wailing harmonica.
'Shady Green Pastures' takes us right back to those tight old fashioned a-Capella harmonies and a superb gospel feel that brings a lump to the most cynical of throats, spine tingling stuff that can't fail to stir your heart. 'Red Red Rose' is a gruesome murder ballad that, like any good murder ballad, sucks you in and involves you in all the grisly details - lovely.
'This Time Last Year' is a corker and had me checking on-line to see if it was a cover as it seemed so familiar. The aching vocal refrain will make grown men cry and comes over like an instant classic with a sad a melancholic vocal and a heartbreaking lyric about love and loss - wonderful stuff. This is followed by another gospel ditty 'A Voice From on High' that could be about the crucifixion and is a real olde worlde hymn - just like you don't hear anymore.
'Just Because' IS a cover and one of those songs that everyone knows but few people can tell you who wrote it. It may have been written by one William York and whilst I know that The Stanley Brothers recorded it the version I know best is by Elvis. The take here though is a bluegrass romp and flashes with humour and cheekiness. It leads us straight into an uptempo 'Money is for Spending' complete with rockabilly Stray Cats style-guitar-boogie with some hot banjo thrown in.
So, what we have here is a fun, old timey album with much to recommend it. It isn't fantastically original or innovative but it is an entertaining listen and has a wonderful contemporary sheen that will keep you coming back for a while.
Words: Greg Johnson
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