The Hole
Mountain Home, 2019
8/10
Though you may not recognize John Bowman’s name, you’ve certainly heard him before, as he’s been a member of seminal outfits like Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Alison Krauss & Union Station and The Isaacs. On his own, he retains the timeless spirit of those full bands, as he fuses country and bluegrass gospel across these 6 tunes.
“You Ought’ve Been There (Johnny Run The Pews)” gets the listen started with a blistering pace of string picking fun and bluegrass dynamics in the highly melodic opener, and “I Didn’t Drive The Nails” follows with warm balladry and pretty, bare instrumentation.
Elsewhere, “The Hole” offers fiddle acrobatics and expressive vocals from Bowman alongside strategic keys, while “Silverthorn Mountain” flows with a shuffling pace of gorgeous rural fun. “I’ll Talk It All Over With Him” ends the listen quick and memorable, with complicated solos and vocal harmonies to punctuate the soothing yet playful EP.
A fantastic story teller, Bowman glides through these tunes with an esteemed band backing him, and makes all the covers his own. Hopefully a precursor to a full length, Bowman again proves that he’s one of the best in business with The Hole.
Travels well with: The Boxcars- All In; Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver- Life Is A Story