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Avg: 4.0 (134 ratings)
- Date Released: March 4, 2008
- Genre: Country/Folk
- Style: Traditional Country
- Label: Yep Roc Records / Redeye
A bluegrass album that will satisfy diehards and dabblers alike.
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We Say...
Even some of the sharpest genre revivalists have a hard time when it comes to songwriting. More interested by nature in preserving a tradition than extending it, they fall back on commonplace, cliché and worse in their mission to create new copyrights. And sure enough, when this Raleigh acoustic country quartet starting making some noise, they seemed to have all the markings of a likeably generic touring band, resting their rep on the requisite musicianly bona fides that satisfy bluegrass diehards.
But Dave Wilson has a real knack for allowing his melodies to meander — the ascendant four-note hook that rambles through various permutations on "Chip of a Star" is a model of expert minimalism. What's more, he's got a pretty voice that follows those tunes wherever they lead without worrying whether it sounds pure or authentic. And thematically, his lyrics wander as well, as he tends toward mourning missed connections with women and other travails of life on the road. There's nothing generic about the music either, which even rocks a little — though more so on the sharply-sawed fiddle showcase "I Got Worry" than the more easy-rolling "Let It Rock." And if "Birmingham Jail" isn't quite as timely a political song as you might hope, a country band that keeps the nation's racist past in mind is a rare commodity. -
They Say...
Chatham County Line are a band deeply in love with bluegrass, but they aren't willing to be tied down by its traditions and conventions, and few groups have been as successful at fusing contemporary songwriting styles with the classic acoustic sound. IV -- which, sure enough, is the group's fourth album -- is full of inspired picking from all four members (Dave Wilson on guitar, vocals and harmonica, John Teer on mandolin, fiddle, viola and vocals, Chandler Holt on banjo, guitar and vocals, and Greg Readling on upright bass, pedal steel guitar, piano, and vocals) though this band is more interested in serving the songs than in showing off blazing speed, and producer and engineer Chris Stamey brings a natural, live sound to the recordings that gives this music a warmth and presence akin to sitting in the room with the band. But as good as Chatham County Line are (and they're very good indeed), what really sets this group apart is the strength of the songwriting; Wilson wrote or co-wrote all but three selections on IV, and he's an intelligent and eloquent lyricist who can also conjure a strong melody, whether he's celebrating some rowdy good times on "Let It Rock," charting the path of a grown-up love affair on "One More Minute" or bitterly recalling the true story of an act of racist violence in 1963 in "Birmingham Jail." Teer and Holt also wrote some songs for this set, and if they're not as prolific, they show Wilson doesn't have a monopoly on the talent in songcraft. The maturity and clear voice of Chatham County Line's music has more in common with top-shelf singer/songwriter stuff than cookie-cutter bluegrass, and IV delivers some absorbing, contemplative food for thought along with plenty of great acoustic music; anyone who thinks Alison Krauss and Nickel Creek are setting the high-water mark for adventurous bluegrass should certainly give this album a listen.
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| 01. |  |
Chip Of A Star |
4:31 |
|
| 02. | |
The Carolina |
3:59 |
|
| 03. | |
Let It Rock |
3:20 |
|
| 04. | |
One More Minute |
4:39 |
|
| 05. | |
Birmingham Jail |
4:17 |
|
| 06. | |
Sweet Eviction |
4:57 |
|
| 07. | |
I Got Worry |
3:46 |
|
| 08. | |
Clear Blue Sky |
1:57 |
|
| 09. | |
She |
3:05 |
|
| 10. | |
Whipping Boy |
3:13 |
|
| 11. | |
Paige |
1:53 |
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| 12. | |
Country Boy/City Boy |
3:08 |
|
| 13. | |
Thanks |
3:34 |
|
13 Total Tracks, 46:19 Total Length
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Credits
- Chris Stamey - Producer // Chris Stamey - Engineer // Brent Lambert - Mastering // Caitlin Cary - Harmony Vocals // Caitlin Cary - Harmony Vocals // Mary Gunn - Graphic Design // Greg Readling - Piano // Greg Readling - Pedal Steel // Greg Readling - Vocals // Greg Readling - Standup Bass // Daniel Coston - Photography // John Teer - Fiddle // John Teer - Mandolin // John Teer - Viola // John Teer - Vocals // Chandler Holt - Banjo // Chandler Holt - Guitar // Chandler Holt - Vocals // Dave Wilson - Guitar // Dave Wilson - Harmonica // Dave Wilson - Vocals // Julian Dreyer - Engineer
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