JOHN DRISKELL HOPKINS AND BALSAM RANGE

Daylight

2013-01-26

As a founding and current member of the Zac Brown Band, guitar player/writer/singer John Driskell Hopkins has plenty of experience with the country/rock music scene. Daylight, however, is his first solo release. Teaming up with North Carolina bluegrass band, Balsam Range, this Atlanta artist has made an album of contemporary country music, with bluegrass leanings. Many of the songs here would be right at home on any contemporary country radio station, such as the throwaways "Be My Girl", "How Could I" and the duet "Bye Baby Goodbye". It's when things get bluegrassy that Daylight really shines. "She Don't Love Me Today" sports fun lyrics and vocal harmonies. There is the darkly humorous "The Devil Lives in a Mason Jar". Fast-paced bluegrass instruments and vocals back Mr. Hopkins gravelly voice on "It's Not Ok" and "Shady Bald Breakdown" is obviously "Foggy Mountain"-inspired. Rebecca Ruth

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Folk

  • reviewed 03/2017

    Scotty Haze
    Still In The Game

  • reviewed 11/2004

    The Ditty Bops
    The Ditty Bops

  • reviewed 02/2008

    COWBOY JUNKIES
    Trinity Revisited

  • reviewed 02/2016

    Wakey Wakey
    Overreactivist

  • reviewed 03/2008

    David Wilcox
    Airstream

  • reviewed 08/2004

    The Avett Brothers
    Mignonette

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

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.