I’m The Happiest When I’m Moving
Mountain Home, 2021
8/10
Listen to I’m The Happiest When I’m Moving
The Alex Leach Band don’t disappoint on this debut album, where the frontman and guitarist Alex Leach is joined by JT Coleman (bass), Brandon Masur (banjo), and Joshua Gooding (mandolin), as well as his wife, Miranda, as they deliver some very modern and creative bluegrass.
“Take The Long Way Home” starts the listen with melodic, swift bluegrass fun where Leach’s soaring vocals and the lively banjo from Masur make an immediate impression, and “The Turntable” follows with fluent mandolin from Gooding alongside Leach’s expressive pipes.
In the middle, the soft and sweet “Take Me Back” is a duet with Miranda, whose pretty vocals add even more beauty to the ballad, while “Golden Rule” flows quickly with Leach’s precise rhythm guitar and Coleman’s plucked bass working together with much impact. “October Fall”, the album highlight, then displays much chemistry between banjo and mandolin amid the folk influenced climate.
Near the end, “Mandy Mae” soars with a timeless rural appeal that’s both graceful and adventurous, and “I Can’t Live This Way” exits the listen with one of the fastest tunes, as string acrobatics and warm vocal harmonies finish on a glorious display of their inimitable talent.
Although they’ve only been a band for 2 years, Leach and company clearly place their hat in the ring as one of the most exciting contemporary bluegrass outfits that exists today, and this excellent first record is a sign of more greatness on the horizon.
Travels well with: Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford- Still Here; Thomm Jutz- To Live In Two Worlds Volume Two