REVIEW: Country Faith — County Faith Bluegrass (LP)
I do not attend church. My prayers are scattershot. Traditional Christian songs, however, wield a curious power over me. Gospel blues, bluegrass, and country music are rife with examples of artists whose songwriting and performances transcend dogma — expressive human voices free them from scripture and translate them into full-throated explorations of timeless themes. It is true we turn to art for entertainment, distraction, and other illusory comforts. We also turn to art attempting to define our lives and give them a larger context. The best traditional songs of this sort accomplish that without asking us to obey any laws or worship anyone.
Country Faith Bluegrass is the first release in the Country Faith series from Billy Blue Records. Founded in 2018 by Ed Leonard, Dottie Leonard Miller, and Jerry Salley, the boutique bluegrass label boasts an award-winning roster of performers. The album features fourteen songs from a variety of performers and bands and legends mingle with ace bluegrass musicians throughout. The likely centerpiece of the release is Dolly Parton’s previously unheard take on the venerable “In the Sweet By and By”. It is not enough to say some of the remaining thirteen songs are among the best the bluegrass and country music genres offer. Some of the best popular songwriting of the 20th century is represented here.
WEBSITE: http://countryfaith.com/
It leads off with Vince Gill’s joyful “All Prayed Up”. Gill has earned a reputation as a smooth purveyor of modern country ballads but even his detractors would never dispute the traditional spirit inhabiting his music. His fecund songwriting helps him stand out in a genre largely known for interpretation. The track isn’t new for this collection and, instead, dates to Gill’s 2006 album These Days but nonetheless fits well with the album’s theme. The customary elements are in place for a modern classic — fiddle, banjo, seamless vocal harmonies — and the song never fails to deliver. It doesn’t attempt to remake the wheel and embraces its lineage.
Dolly Parton’s powers for invoking lyricism through her voice has made her one of the late 20th century’s iconic singers. Those gifts are in full evidence during her interpretation of “In the Sweet By and By”. She carries the words as if she’s cradling a newborn child. The contributions from luminaries such as Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Bradley Walker, and Jerry Salley help further transform this track into one of the album’s seminal moments.
Starpower pervades the release. Alison Krauss’ partnership with The Cox Family on “Will There Be Any Stars?” is a highlight thanks to the audible chemistry achieved during the song’s chorus. It is an uniformly strong effort, however, and sustains the same high level of musicianship defining the album so far. A.P. Carter’s “Working on a Building” gets a first class treatment from The Issacs and Dale Ann Bradley. The bluesy overtones coloring the performance are across the board from the soulful vocals through its slide guitar; this sort of recasting illustrates the abiding flexibility of the material and breathes new life into the standard.
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/country-faith-bluegrass/1576758200
Countless performers have turned their attention towards Alfred Brumley’s “Rank Strangers to Me”. Bob Dylan has recorded the song and performed it live, among many others, including the classic Stanley Brothers take on the song. Joe Mullins and The Radio Ramblers never sound intimidated, however, and deliver a meditative and faithful rendition. Mullins does make one questionable decision when he breaks the song’s magical spell at its mid-way point and hits listeners with a brief spoken word lesson about the song’s history. If you have quibbles with anything on this release, they will be small. County Faith Bluegrass is an uplifting and satisfying listening experience from first note to last.
Colin Jordan
