"The Valley Grass Website" review on "Quicksand"
Reprinted from the Valley Grass Website Jan. 1999 Issue. "Quicksand" Seldom does an album come along that grabs you by the throat right off the first song, and compels you to hit the repeat button. Quicksand is just such a CD. Mike Nadolson has been playing and singing bluegrass music in southern California for the last 20 years, most notable as leader of ‘Shadow Mountain,’ a band that included Ron Block and Dennis Caplinger. They were often joined by banjo player John Hickman. Musicians involved in this project include Dennis Caplinger, John Moore, Kenny Blackwell, David Dias, Dean Knight, David Richardson, Walden Dahl, and Bob Applebaum. The first cut on the CD, ‘Smokey Mountain Home,’ is a burner that gets your blood boiling! Traditionalists will also recognize new treatments of old favorites like ‘Nine Pound Hammer,’ ‘Cabin of Love,’ ‘Kentucky Girl,’ and ‘Someone Took My Place With You.’ There is a pleasing mix of more contemporary sounds that have a warm feel, especially ‘I Know My Way To You By Heart,’ ‘Uphill Climb,’ and ‘In The Gravel Yard.’ The instrumental work of Caplinger, Moore, Blackwell,
and Dias is especially superior. The subtleties of backup are not lost on
this crew, and they excel at making Nadolson’s vocals shine
throughout the album. For a spirited change of pace, the title cut, David Dias’ ‘Quicksand’ romps merrily along with ear-popping breaks by all the boys. All in all, a nicely balanced and entirely listenable CD with a lot of depth and solid ensemble picking. -Steve Hanes Ottawa Valley Bluegrass Music Association
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