[rating=9.00]
Bluegrass isn’t a new musical genre, but the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, part of the 2000 film, gave it a very grand, very specific, relatively mainstream moment, that eventually passed. Sure, there have been some subsequent moments where aspects of bluegrass have bubbled back into popular culture. Swedish DJ Avicii’s huge hit, “Wake Me Up,” was a bluegrass song jammed through electronic instrumentation. Mumford and Sons certainly take a lot of their cues from bluegrass. It’s still a format, but it’s a niche one. Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass, by bluegrass legend Del McCoury, probably isn’t going to change that situation, but in a perfect world, it would, because the album is an accessible and exciting path into bluegrass.
McCoury is a bluegrass legend. The singer/guitarist has been around since the 1960s, having played with bluegrass god Bill Monroe. McCoury now performs with his sons. Some think of bluegrass as the corny, banjo-drenched punchline to an overly obvious Deliverance joke, but metal is a much more of an apt comparable. Both genres rely on precision and instrumental expertise. And both genres need that expertise to be executed with taste and heart, or else they just sound like a record being played on the wrong speed. Metal and bluegrass both require artists to play not just fast, but thoughtfully. Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass, (a play on his 1968 solo debut album, Del McCoury Sings Bluegrass), the riffs are fast and furious, but always charming and musical.
The album leads off with “Hot Wired,” with the elder McCoury establishing no steps have been lost since that debut. His voice is deep and strong, giving listeners that country twang without getting too nasal. His sons are right there with him. Ronnie McCoury gets in some great mandolin breaks while Rob McCoury keeps things moving with his banjo. And Jason Carter’s fiddle brilliantly wafts through it all. What makes this track both special and surprising is the presence of electric guitar, courtesy of Heaven McCoury, Del’s grandson.
While the album is mostly covers, there’s a sincere personal connection within each of the songs. It’s not about hitting the right notes, so much as it’s about uncovering the right feeling–even at what feels like dangerous speeds. “That Ol’ Train” is a banjo showcase, but Rob shows off not just with deft speed, but with beautiful melodies. “First One Back in Town” is dark and Celtic, but Del doesn’t wallow in the maudlin lyrics so much as he honestly conveys them. “Ace of Hearts,” a 1980s pop country Alan Jackson song, becomes a breathless sprint in the hands of the Del McCoury band, but the pop underpinnings of the song are still there; they’re just hitting your ears incredibly fast.
Bluegrass fans will love this album, but anyone who thinks they might be interested in bluegrass will also enjoy it. The songs are strong and the performances are flawless. Even if you know nothing about bluegrass, the honesty and sincerity of Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass will speak to you. Almost instantly.
