Hot Pickers in Japan
Fede | Naples, Italy | 05/12/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The album was recorded in Tokyo and originally issued on Nippon Columbia. Rowan takes the risk to touch on an extremely sensitive issue with his compelling 'Hiroshima Mon Amour', the only original. The rest of the album is traditional bluegrass, but atypical in that Rowan is the only singer. But his singing is so good you don't miss the harmonies, and the other pickers, an all-star lineup (Statman, Trischka, Douglas, Mason) make up for their aphony by fully honoring the promise of the album's title. Just listen to what they do with (to?) Oh Susannah."