Dan Crary "Lady's Fancy" (Rounder, 1977)
This is a nice set of bluegrass guitar instrumentals -- Crary is as sleek and expressive a flatpicker as you could ever hope for -- but it's also a bit on the safe side, and all starts to sound the same after a few tracks. If sheer musicianship wows you, this is a fine album, with a few heavy-hitters there to back Crary up... Sam Bush? Sure. John Cowan? John Reisman? Why not? One fun note is to see future commerical country hunk Vince Gill on the ticket as well, still in his bluegrassy phase (and getting teased by Crary in the liner notes, too!) This disc may be all about technical perfection, but there's plenty of feeling and soul in it as well.

Dan Crary & Lonnie Hoppers "...And Their American Band" (Pinecastle, 2000)
A laid-back set of progressive bluegrass and Americana-y acoustic tunes, with typically sweet, tasteful guitar work by Dan Crary, solid banjo playing by Lonnie Hoppers, and particularly noteworthy fiddling by Jamie Haage. This is a pleasantly relaxed set by some old timers with nothing to prove except their love of refined roots music. Not blistering, drag-race-y bluegrass, but mighty fine for those of us who can take things at a slower pace.

Mike Craver "Shining Down" (Sapsucker, 2002)
This set of idiosyncratic, inventive, antique-sounding piano-based songs is hardly what you'd call "bluegrass," but since Craver was a founding member of the Red Clay Ramblers, one of my enduring favorites of the hippie-era bluegrass scene, I think it's worth bringing to your attention. The songs do share a certain Gilded Age feel in common with country's old-timey roots, but this is more of a play on the bygone traditions of music-hall and vaudeville performers, bringing to mind early Randy Newman, or the later work of Great Britain's Ian Whitcomb. The songs are about showbiz, World War I, goofs on old themes such as disaster ballads or vintage Hawaiiana (for example, the tounge-twisting "That Wicky Wacky Hula Hula Honka Wonka Honolulu Hawaiian Honey Of Mine...") Many of these tunes were drawn from theatre pieces Craver has worked on over the years, distinctly separate projects, but the album holds together with Carver's unique, wry sense of humor. Longtime fans will want to check this out, to hear what carver's been up to in the last few years. [Check out Mike Craver's website for more information about his post-Ramblers career...]

The Crooked Jades "Going To The Races" (Crooked Records, 1998)
The first album by one of San Francisco's finest old-time stringbands. Here the Jades emerge as amiable acoustic twangsters, along the lines of the Dry Branch Fire Brigade -- knowledgable, enthusiastic and relatively accessible to bluegrassers and other non-old timey fans alike. The vocal chores are evenly split between the guys and gals, and when they really get going, their clattering enthusiasm is a thing to behold.

The Crooked Jades "Seven Sisters: A Kentucky Portrait" (Crooked Records, 2000)
The soundtrack to a documentary film about several generations of an Appalachian family, this shows the band's intensified interest in the more rarified, stark and otherworldly strains of old-timey music. These city folks nail it right on the head... Sinking deeper under the tow of old-timey music's darker side, the Jades present the passionate fatalism of mountain music along with all its musical charm. Singing higher and more plaintively, playing tighter and more aggressively, this is clearly a band that has found its footing, and is setting off to make its own original mark on some old, traditional music. And when the hair starts to stand up on the back of your neck, that's how you know they've succeeded. Cool record -- check it out!

The Crooked Jades "The Unfortunate Rake, Volume 1" (Crooked Records, 2000)
Under the guidance of their pal and guest producer, Richard Buckner, the Crooked Jades go even deeper into the Gothic side of the old-timey continuum. Once again, I'm not a big fan of high-concept country, but I am intrigued by their efforts to recast these foreboding old themes into an updated sensibility. There are lots of nice touches, such as their slowing an old barndancing standard such as "Ida Red" down to a near-crawl, and allowing the antiquated, somewhat saucy, lyrics to take on new twists and secondary meanings. The picking and plunking is pretty good, too -- these city kids know how to play a breakdown right -- although at times I have to struggle the vocals, particularly those that are most openly imitative of Richard Buckner. As with many alt.country artistes, the Jades have a tendency to sound a little stilted, but they back it up with a strong command of their material, and this record is several notches above the rest of the crowd. Particularly fascinating are their variant versions of traditional songs -- in the best folkloric tradition, they travel familiar paths, but they veer off into the forest from time to time, just when you least expect it. Great record -- highly recommended!

The Crooked Jades "The Unfortunate Rake, Volume 2" (Copper Creek, 2003)

The Crooked Jades "The Crooked Jades" (EP) (Self-Released, 2005)
With a new lineup and increasing ease behind the mics, San Francisco's Crooked Jades have produced possibly their best record to date. This five-song EP features two originals and three traditional tunes, each of which are delivered with a solid, confident elegance... While their earlier old-timey albums have had a choppiness and self-conscious air at times, this is a smooth, self-assured set, with nary a forced note to be heard... Can't wait to hear the band's next full-length album!

Crooked Jades "World's On Fire" (2006)
This San Fran outfit has become notably less bluegrassy or old-timey, and now they've entered into artsy musical terrain that's truly distinctive and new. The songs are arch and intellectually dense, the music is in turns expansive and tightly cut. Now, as a rather pedestrian listener myself, I have to confess this didn't have enough of a melody-chorus orientation for me to latch onto it -- I'll be darned if I could tell you what any of these songs are about -- but for anyone looking for new, unconventional music that is pushing the boundaries of Americana and twang, I'd say this disc is a must-hear record. I don't know what the hell the Jades are doing here, but I know it's something new. You might wanna check it out.

Crooked Jades "Shining Darkness" (Jade Note, 2008)
(Produced by Bruce Kaplan & Jeff Kazor)
This SF Bay Area-based art-twang ensemble has really hit their stride on this disc. Their old-timey roots are still intact, but their approach to the material more fluid now, absorbing more modern influences like twangadelic, avant freak-folk, as well as a softer vocal style, mainly on the numbers where singer Leah Abrahmson projects a Gillian Welch-like vibe. The band's old love of Gothic-death song material persists, but it's leavened by a wider sonic palette that allows the group to really program the album as a musical journey, with stops along the backwoods, swamps and cottonfields of America's inner psyche. Of all the Crooked Jades albums thus far, this one is my favorite. Worth checking out!

Crooked Still "Shaken By A Low Sound" (Signature Sound, 2006)

Crooked Still "Hop High" (Signature Sound, 2007)

Crooked Still "Still Crooked" (Signature Sound, 2008)
(Produced by Eric Merrill)
This Boston-based acoustic ensemble has perfected its sound, a dark but not dour Gothic update of the old-timey Appalachian stringband music, delivered with a subtle sheen of classical and art-song influences; sort of like Ralph Stanley as interpreted by This Mortal Coil, but with firmer roots in traditional bluegrass than that formula might imply. At any rate, this is a very accomplished album, smoother, more focussed and less ostentatiously "bent" than many modern old-time revivalist bands. Lead vocalist Aoife O'Donovan is the guiding force on this album -- although all the musicians give strong contributions, she provides the band's focus and its driving aesthetic, as she intones and croons, steering listeners into dark, moody lyrical corners. Nonstandard arrangements also add to the band's unique sound, particularly with a cello helping fill in the soundscape (with newcomer Tristan Clarridge replacing founding member Rushad Eggleston in that role...) Music fans of many stripes will be struck by this album; folk, bluegrass and freak-folk fans alike will flock to this band's banner. Some more traditionalist country lovers may find them a bit arty, but they're certainly worth checking out. Recommended.

Crooked Still "Some Strange Country" (Signature Sound, 2010)

The Crowe Brothers "Jesus Is Coming" (King)

The Crowe Brothers "The Winds Are Blowing In Maggie Valley" (King)

The Crowe Brothers "The Gospel Way" (Copper Creek, 1997)

The Crowe Brothers "Regenesis" (Rural Rhythm, 1999)

The Crowe Brothers "Brothers'N'Harmony" (Rural Rhythm, 2008)
(Produced by Josh Crowe & Steve Thomas)
A nice, old-fashioned bluegrass harmony set from brothers Josh and Wayne Crowe, veterans of Raymond Fairchild's old band, whose unaffected duets harken back to the work of classic '50s acts such as Jim & Jesse or the Louvin Brothers. This disc isn't anchored in flashy, highpowered picking -- indeed, the musicianship has a choppy, occasionally awkward quality that some (myself included) might say is a blessing in this era of the too-perfectly produced bluegrass record. In contrast, these guys sound like earnest enthusiasts, the kind of folks you'd love to hear singing an informal set at a music festival tailgate party. The song selection is flawless, a delicious series of oldies and heartfelt gospel tunes, including a couple of Reno & Smiley classics, and some originals from Josh Crowe that are quite nice. If you like the old-school bluegrass of the 1950s golden era, where sentiment mixed with sizzle, you'll definitely want to check this one out -- it turned out to be a dark horse favorite around our household!

J. D. Crowe -- see artist discography

Cumberland Highlanders "Cumberland Mountain Home" (Black Mountain, 2000)
Nice, straightforward Stanley Brothers/Bill Monroe-style high lonesome truegrass. Solid picking and wispy old-timer vocals that sound like pure, unadulterated Kentucky. Apparently these folks have their own TV show, extolling the virtues of good old-fashioned mountain music... and with several veterans of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (and various other bluegrass bands), the Highlanders definitely have the chops to back it up. Dr. Ralph Stanley makes a guest appearance as well... How's that for authenticity?? Nice stuff! (The band's website can be found at: www.cumberlandhighlanders.com.)

---

Hick Music Index

---