Roots

Rate It! Avg: 4.0 (33 ratings)
ALBUM INFORMATION

Total Tracks: 10   Total Length: 37:34

eMusic Review

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Peter Blackstock

eMusic Contributor

04.22.11
Blue Mountain, Roots
2003 | Label: Black Dog Recording / The Orchard

If you were drawn to country music by the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, you may want to check out the old-time sound of this family band; guests here include Emmylou Harris.

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Good rootsy alt-country

CosmicBob

This is a great band. Worth it.

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good old stuff

swartz

"Fair and Tender Ladies" and "Banks of the Ponchartrain" are great versions of melancholy folk songs. "Rye Whiskey" needs something more or less.

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They Say All Media Guide

It seems every alt-country act must record an exploratory roots album at one point or another. Wilco and Dave Alvin have done it quite successfully. While the members of Blue Mountain grew up in the Mississippi hill country, the traditional music they explore on Roots is of Appalachian origin, not country-blues. (Of course, Blue Mountain has never embraced the blues so why start now?) Choosing traditional public domain tunes of obvious Scots-Irish pedigree means we get plenty of songs about drinkin’, sinnin’, and murders of passion. Best of the set are the spare murder ballad “Rain and Snow” and the bittersweet “Banks of Lake Pontchartrain,” the singer intoning pain and defeat with a knowing wistfullness. These sad but beautiful tunes are well balanced with up-tempo versions of “That Nasty Swing” and “Little Stream of Whiskey.” Haunting and timeless songs performed by one America’s best alt-country groups. – John Duffy

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