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Now, it would make a better story if I now said the Steep Canyon Ramblers were the second coming of Bill Monroe, descended from heaven riding the fabled Stewball, effortlessly playing rings around the likes of Tony Rice and David Grisman. No, this young band, formed at UNC-Chapel Hill, is zero threat to Del McCoury at next year's IBMA awards. What they are, though, is a soulful, minimal-flash, bluegrass outfit, who (mostly) write their own and (mostly) write them pretty darn well. Steep Canyon's lead tunesmith, judging by composition tally, is banjoist Graham Sharp, whose banjer pickin' is crisp, clean, and bends in all the right places. His baritone voice, only featured on lead once, brings to mind the late John Hartford. Guitarist Woody Platt takes the lion's share of the lead vocals and he possesses a smooth, expressive tenor not unlike grasser-turned-producer Jim Rooney. Lizzie Hamilton is the fiddler, and is effective on back-up harmonizing, but less than scintillating when she takes a lead. Mandolinist Mike Guggino is valuable on harmonies, both as a tenor and a baritone. His mandolin playing is, alas, a bit perfunctory, with Mr. Sharp's banjo or Miss Lizzie's fiddle providing most of the instrumental propulsion. Charles Humphrey III, no doubt fresh from a "three-hour cruise," mans the bass. The lead-off track, "Carolina Home," written by Sharp and Platt, is the strongest song and should immediately be used by the North Carolina Department of Tourism: "Valleys wide/Chills my sight/I'll never roam from my Carolina home." Mr. Sharp on banjo is especially inventive, deftly varying his runs, but never losing the rhythm. Platt takes lead vocal, with Guggino and Lizzie providing a solid harmony foundation. It's an in-the-pocket bluegrass tune that steps lively. My only complaint is that, at only 1:45, the song isn't long enough. This isn't Buddy Holly; it's bluegrass. Extend the groove a bit, but, for God's sake, don't "jam." The title track, written by Sharp, is a barebones, country waltz with Platt singing a tasteful, charismatic lead, strongly suggestive of the aforementioned Jim Rooney. The lyric tells of a Scrooge-like factory owner, Mr. Taylor, mistreating his poor, humble, mountain-folk employees while sitting on the front porch of his mansion sipping "soda and scotch." So despicable was this Mr. Taylor that, even when he is murdered, the police just "nod their heads" and let it go. Yeah, it's all a bit much, and all a bit sophomoric. However, attached to a capable tune, and sung by a capable tenor, it is quite fetching. Such is the power of music. An additional standout song is yet another Graham Sharp tune, "Money Out of Sand." This time, he takes lead vocal, and his low, sly baritone is a nice contrast to Platt's tenor. Ms. Hamilton is fine on fiddle, engaging in some interesting interplay with Sharp on banjo. The lyric, though a bit enviro, is hipper than the title track: "And they said folk's out here are makin' money out of sand." It's a real toetapper, with some unexpected instrumental twists and turns. One misstep is the final cut, a tepid cover of Steve Young's "Traveling Kind." Word to the wise: cover Steve Young at your own peril, for he can call down thunder. All in all, Mr. Taylor's New Home is a tight package, with some heartfelt writin', singin', and playin'. Now, if the Steep Canyon Rangers would focus more on their strengths -- Graham Sharp's songwriting/banjo picking and Woody Platt's lead singing -- they just might drop a monster on us down the road. Oh, and give Mr. Sharp's baritone another lead or two. And sit up straight. And tuck in those shirttails... |
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