"CBA" review on "Home is Where the Heart is"
Reprinted From the August 1999 Issue of the "California Bluegrass Association Web Site".
"Home is Where the Heart is"
This is the latest release by Bluegrass Etc. on the Tricopolis Records label. Bluegrass Etc. is a Southern California based group that is really making a name for itself.
There are a total of six
instrumental tunes on this album and six vocal tunes. As I sat down and
listened to this album, I knew right away that this was a
"pickers" CD. The picking on this project will blow you away. Their
arrangement of "Clinch Mountain Backstep" is like none
you've ever heard. I'm sure you pickers out there will thoroughly
enjoy their version of the "Roanoke/ Wheel Hoss Medley".
I'll
tell you folks, picking don't get any better than this. The music
presented here is a combination of bluegrass, newgrass, country and a
touch of cowboy music. If you like the cowboy type songs, take a good
listen to "Northern Plains", "Evangelina" and
"Sarah Hogan". Another song I particularly enjoyed was a song I
learned years ago called "Houndogs Never Die". ( I know
that Carl Pagter has been looking for a recorded version of this
song. Well, Carl, here it is).
All the vocal tunes have a strong lead vocal and some fantastic harmonies. The harmonies are well blended and smooth as silk. There wasn't a cut on this project that I didn't like. The entire album was a pleasure to listen to. If you want to hear some great singing and awesome picking, you need to add this one to you collection. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
~Ken Reynolds
