So on this Twang Tuesday I checked the Roots Music Report Bluegrass Chart and saw two interesting names new to the chart. The first was Nate Grower and his self-titled album and Gold Heart My Sisters and Me was the second.I went to Rhapsody and downloaded both albums onto the mp3 player and enjoyed them both!
Nate Grower is a young Fiddle player born in Western New York and now residing in Maryland. The album is filled with lots of good fiddle tunes and some nice tracks with vocals. From his website:
Not many records will give you both a refined rendition of Texas Swing fiddle king Benny Thomasson’s “Kansas City Kitty” and a gnarly explosion of unapologetic old time like Jenes Cottrell’s “Cherry River Line”. This one does. You get a taste of the composer in Mr. Grower with the joyful opener “New Fall Reel” and the simply exquisite closer “Cedarwood.” A further sense of Grower’s creativity is evident in the inventive arrangements of the underrated fiddle tunes “Big Sciota” and “Cattle in the Cane.”
But don’t worry, you still get a satisfying dose of fiddle standards, as Nate rocks out on an impossibly fast “Fire on the Mountain”, goes old school with a fiddle and banjo duet of “Grey Eagle”, and references Buddy Spicher on “Uptown Blues.” You’ll have to clean the moss out of your CD player after the fiddle kick on Flatt and Scruggs’ “Why Did You Wander”, but Nate will cleanse your soul for you with his kick on “I’ve Just Seen the Rock of Ages”
While instrumentals are at the center of Nate Grower vocal harmonies are what stand out on My Sisters and Me by Gold Heart. Sisters Analise (mandolin, 20), Jocelyn (guitar, 17) and Shelby (fiddle, 14)Gold form the core of Gold Heart. The band adds dad Trent and Russ Carson on banjo to form their traveling quintet. You can check out their website for all of the awards the band has won. Nine of the twelve tracks on the album are originals with sister Jocelyn writing the majority of the songs.
Here are some press quotes about the band:
“If angels sing bluegrass, this is what it sounds like.” ~Keith Lawrence (Bluegrass Notes)
“I have watched this band progress and grow over the past couple of years and am honored to know them personally. I enjoy their family harmony and great instrumentation. I’m sure if you take the time to listen you won’t be disappointed, but entertained as well as amazed at their talent.” ~Mike Scott (Ronnie Reno & The Reno Tradition)
Since I only listened to both albums briefly it’s hard to say what songs are favorites so maybe I can listen through the week and tell you more later. Anyway I do know that both of the albums are well worth some time on the mp3 player so check them out!
Here’s a performance by Gold Heart!