[rating=7.00]
The Packway Handle Band got much more than they bargained for when they asked beloved blues singer-songwriter Jim White to produce their new record. What began as a simple request turned into more than just your average collaboration, with White joining the band and adding his own songs, too, for Take it Like a Man. Take it Like a Man alternates between songs written by White and the Packway Handle Band, almost as two albums interwoven cohesively. A gritty bluegrass sound as a whole, but with country and folk nuances, it’s an interesting concept to “take turns” so to speak, but for these particular artists, it really works.
The best way to listen to this record is as one big band, rather than separate entities, and when you do, you’ll hear a bunch of musicians having a blast together. The best example of this is on their one full-on collaboration “Corn Pone Refugee”, an over the top, speedy banjo tune that boasts the album’s best bluegrass harmonies. The energy created with this song is magnetic, and you can hear how much fun they had recording it.
Similarly, “Blood on the Fiddle, Blood on the Bow” is a crazy, frenetic display of fiddle playing that ventures to the dark side, with an undeniable ominousness that’s bound to draw you in. When the fiddle hits that harsh, shrill high note, it’s arresting and unpredictable. “Sorrow’s Shine”, too, is a darker song, so deeply melancholic, but so beautiful, it will conjure visions of storm clouds in the mountains. This is one of the most traditional Americana tunes on the record, and also one of the strongest. The vocals are delicate and haunting, and the instrumentals simple and clean.
“Not a Song” and “Jim 3:16” lighten the load just the right amount when they come along. “Not a Song” could be described as pop-bluegrass, and its melody and chorus are addicting and particularly susceptible to heavy rotation. “Jim 3:16” finds the band injecting humor and poignancy into their lyrics, when they sing “A bar is just a church where they serve beer”.” Truer words were never sang.
The greatest quality of Take it Like a Man is the serendipity of it all. The fact that the Packway Handle Band wanted White to produce their record and White happened to have been hoarding some bluegrass songs he was dying to record makes these circumstances so pleasing. It’s a great big bluegrass melting pot that results in a delightfully tasty dish of rich bluegrass and roots music and clever songwriting. White blends so seamlessly with these five guys, and without overstating it, it’s a match made in heaven.
