Search - Kickin Grass :: Backroads

Most certainly high up in the mountains, sitting on a porch

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 11/25/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A review from Mark Gensman (Ground Zero Sound) written for the 800+ member Nwbluegrass Yahoogroup:



I got this CD in today and rather than take my normal sweet time, I decided to spend some time with it this afternoon.



First off, for you old timey, traditional bluegrass lovers. This is your CD. Even though there are several original cuts on the disc, the flavor is most certainly high up in the mountains, sitting on a porch or stomping your feet at a Saturday night get together in the barn.



The band is:

Patrick Walsh on upright bass

Jamie Dawson on mandolin

Lynda Wittig on guitar

Kyra Moore on banjo

Matt Hooper on fiddle



Kickin Grass is a group that started out backing a cloggers group and has since taken off on their own to great acclaim. They are from North Carolina and from the liner notes are getting popular in the festival circuit. I can see why they would be a great live band.



The CD appears to be a representation of how the band really sounds. But that brings up my only complaint and it really has nothing to do with the band. The overall tone and volume of the vocals was at times shrill and frequently distorted. If it was a case where the instruments were also distorted, I would think I got a bad CD, but the instruments were warm and present, while the vocals were not mixed or mastered properly at all and the volume of the vocals was uneven throughout the CD.



That said, as long as you play this CD at fairly low volume, the sonic problems may not be noticable..but about the band..



Really nice arrangements, good pickers and lots of energy which is hard to do in a studio. Here is the breakdown:



1. Left This Town - A nicely done original with a lot of traditional flavor. I really like the songs this band writes and they play with that barn dance energy that works well here.



2. Life Is Not A Guarantee - A very well done original ballad with strong old timey flavor.



3. Backroads - Another original. A great fiddle break and another up tempo bluegrass style romp.



4. Jokers Wild - Nice instrumental. This tune gives me an idea of how good they must be live, since it sounds like they are playing the song like they always do it.



5. Hello Trouble - Good bluegrass music with this uptempo spirited tune. Good fiddle break and nice tone on the instruments.



6. Sparrow - Another original with good lead vocal part. The Banjo is very nicely recorded and is actually "warm" if that isn't an oxymoron. The harmony vocals get quite shrill and a little distorted in spots. Great

arrangement.



7. Clinch Mountain Backstep - A well done traditional bluegrass tune. Very interesting doubled mandolin break that stands out from the other instrument breaks.



8. Little Piece Of Cornbread - Another excellent original written by Lynda Wittig. Very interesting mix with the vocals way behind the instruments and the words hard to discern at times. The instrument breaks are quite a bit louder than the lead vocal which is interesting at best.



9. Fire On The Mountain - This reminds me of a Neil Young ballad. Very tasty instrument backing and the breaks are really well done. The lead vocal is slightly distorted but I could see Neil Young doing this song.



10. Morning Train - Yet another original from Lynda Wittig. I must admit I am very impressed with the way this lady writes songs. They are very well crafted. This song sounds like a traditional Appalachian Mountain porch ballad with great harmony. The vocals are really, really loud and slightly

distorted (again) and uneven, but that does not mean the band didn't sing a great song.



11. Troubled Life - An original bluegrass style gospel song. Good harmonies but that dreaded distortion shows up again on certain parts of the lead vocal.



12. Black Mountain Flag - Traditional tune done well. The instrumental songs are well mixed, with good balance and nice tone for all the instruments.



All in all, a good band for those who prefer traditional bluegrass with old timey flavor and high lonesome vocals.



I would enjoy this band live, and I only wish more attention would have been given to the production.



The CD was produced by Steve Dilling of IIIrd Tyme Out and recorded at West Station Records. (Mark Gensman, Ground Zero Sound)

"