Not Your Momma's Bluegrass

Bluegrass immediately invokes the stereotypical image of a four piece string band playing in a barn and possibly involving someone playing a jug. Modern bluegrass has taken on a very modern vibe widely adopted by the hipster crowds in large cities. It is still widely popular across the south, where the banjo and mandolin live strong.

My love for the genre stemmed from groups such as New Riders of the Purple Sage, Nickel Creek, and String Cheese Incident. The three artists featured this week though have many elements in common with those groups but with a modern sound. Despite the creative names for these bands the songs still maintain the lyrical melodies and sound of traditional bluegrass, while these groups have adapted a modern sound. You can still find the boom-chuck if you listen close enough, but plenty of Blues riffs as well. The voicing from the string instruments still evoke this natural sound that is hard to find these days. They may not be playing in barns but many purists still play from a single microphone and truly concentrate on blending intricate vocal harmonies and counter melodies. Soul-piercing vocals run rampant through these artists with strong lyrics and songwriting. Shuffle up and deal and enjoy this week's installment. Stay sane out there.