2010-02-25
This Boston-based band takes a bluegrass foundation and adds innovation in both songwriting and musicianship. At times, the cuts seem "old-timey," like the Gary, Indiana* radio station WJKS, from when comes the band's name (cf. "New Shoes" and "We Will Have Our Day"). In other moments, the break from the expected brings added interest and depth (cf. title track, "All the Buildings"). The group is kind of an "acoustic all-star" configuration: the mandolin player is the first-ever graduate from the prestigious Berklee School of Music on that instrument; the guitarist has a "flatpicking championship" under his belt; the primary lyricist is a John Lennon Songwriting Award winner; and the main vocalist won a national Canadian folk music performing honor. Nice that they all found one another. Give this disc a spin. Michael J. 02/10 F-Americana [*How a Gary, Indiana station got away with playing bluegrass might be interesting research sometime.]NEIL YOUNG
FORK IN THE ROAD
Lou Rhodes
Beloved One
JOHN MCCUTCHEON
This Land: Woodie Guthrie's America
LEE BAINES III & THE GLORY FIRES
There Is A Bomb In Gilead
SUSAN WERNER
CLASSICS
THE BLACK LILLIES
100 Miles Of Wreckage
The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.