Home
Rounder, 2019
8/10
The young bluegrass prodigy returns with a sophomore studio album, and this time Billy Strings is tweaking his formula with pieces of country, punk, folk and psyche tendencies as he showcases his unparalleled picking.
“Taking Water” starts the album with swift, organic instrumentation and bluegrass wizardry, as Strings’ smooth pipes guide us with plenty of melody, and “Must Be Seven” follows with a more cautious approach as fiddle acrobatics highlight the setting.
Near the middle, “Watch It Fall” flows with an emotive spirit in its vocally harmonic delivery, while “Long Forgotten Dream” glides with gorgeous instrumentation and vocal manipulation for effect. “Enough To Leave”, one of the album’s best, then takes a turn into calmer waters, where sublime interplay between the players results in powerful and melodic balladry.
Deeper cuts offer us the quick, playful “Everything’s The Same” and “Guitar Peace” yields superb guitar playing alongside some spacey sounds. “Freedom” exits the affair with soothing group vocals on a barbershop influenced conclusion, adding yet another dimension to the record.
Strings was just named guitar player and new artist of the year by the International Bluegrass Music Awards, and Home proves me certainly deserved the accolade as the mid 20s artist plays like a seasoned vet here.
Travels well with: The Marcus King Band- The Marcus King Band; Greensky Bluegrass- Shouted, Written Down & Quoted