Hot Buttered Rum – ‘The Kite And The Key’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

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Bay Area band Hot Buttered Rum’s new EP The Kite and the Key was recorded at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco, CA. It is the first in a series of three consecutive EP’s that Hot Buttered Rum intends to release. The band reached out to Tim Carbone of New Jersey-based bluegrass band Railroad Earth to produce and mix the album. Tim is a popular producer in the NYC music scene and an excellent violin player in a fabulous band who, like Hot Buttered Rum, are part of the jamgrass scene. His presence in the studio was clearly a wise choice that resulted in a fine EP.

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Opening track “Weary Ways” is loud and radiates with a self-proclaimed “country blues.” Followed up by “I Wanna Know” – a personal highlight- the band slows down and we find inspired music. Soft rhythms are punctuated by a violin melody that dances around Erik Yates’ vocalizing and coalesces into an intricate jam. Followed by punchy rhythms, the band plays with the tempo and finds a renewed energy. On “Maybe I Just Feel That Way” we find ourselves in familiar old timey bluegrass territory that has a modern touch while the band shows off their abilities on their respective instruments. The following track, “First Rodeo,” is a slowed down bluegrass ballad that is dripping with emotion, while “So Much” has a enjoyable pace but the vocals are lacking, especially on the high end, and when the pace builds the following jam is too familiar. Finishing the album with “You Be the Fiddle,” another more traditional bluegrass song, might suggest a new direction for the band. Considered a longtime leader of the jamgrass scene, the band seems to be embracing their more traditional roots.

Hot Buttered Rum has a fun and playful rhythm that is the forefront when the band pushes their bluegrass far into the jam band ether. At times they play more traditional music but they tend to follow with rocking bluegrass, especially in live performances where the band is known for improvisation and intricate, loud jamming. This latest release shows a group that is on the rise and should always be mentioned with the other greats of the genre. Their current tour teams them with Poor Man’s Whiskey where they finish the night by taking the stage together and performing Paul Simon’s classic Graceland.

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