Long Time To Be Gone
Jalopy, 2022
8/10
Listen to Long Time To Be Gone
The 17 year old banjo extraordinaire Nora Brown returns with a 3rd album, where Appalachian instrumentals and traditional tunes were fleshed out at the historic St. Ann’s Church in Brooklyn Heights.
“Jenny Put The Kettle On” starts the listen with swirling grandfather banjo and Brown’s expressive pipes in the up-picking style delivery, and “Miner’s Dream” follows with a dreamy quality to its unique tuning of the Snake Head.
Further on, the fretless banjo of “Cumberland Gap” displays both thumb-lead two-finger and finger-lead techniques in Brown’s fascinating playing, while “Coke Oven March” brings the Snake Head back for a very meticulous album highlight that manipulates the banjo with incredible warmth and playfulness.
Towards the end, “Po’ Black Sheep” stems from a banjo-fiddle duo, but Brown’s solo fretless banjo version is quite mesmerizing, and “Rye Whiskey- Little Birdie” exits the listen and puts a Roscoe banjo on display amid the intimate vocals and two finger style and later on one up picking.
Not only is her banjo prowess unparalleled, but Brown’s distinct and memorable singing is also very much appreciated, and the tonal difference between the banjos she plays makes for a highly unique and absorbing affair.
Travels well with: Mama’s Broke- Narrow Line; Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves- Hurricane Clarice