Wings Of A Jetliner
Adverb, 2020
8/10
An esteemed artist in the area of bluegrass, the always impressive Nate Lee returns with an all star cast as they help him flesh out several original instrumentals, as well as 7 vocal tunes where the band reinvent work from an eclectic bag of classics.
“Wonderbat” starts the listen with acrobatic mandolin from Lee as banjo from Ned Luberecki complements the swift bluegrass setting well, and this continues to the soulful vocals and rural melodies of “Tobacco”, where Becky Buller’s fiddle and harmony vocals add much to the climate.
Further on, “Somewhere Far Away”, a sweet ballad, displays Lee’s strong vocal prowess amid fluent banjo work, while the aptly titled “Serenity” brings precise string work as the bass, guitar, fiddle, mandolin and banjo all work together in the dynamic, Grisman-Rice inspired landscape. “Miner’s Grave”, one of the album’s best, then uses mood strategically as Daniel Salyer offers harmony vocals on the stirring execution.
Deeper in the affair, “The More I Pour” flows with an old time, western swing feel and “Love Medicine” exits the listen with precise picking in the modern bluegrass exit you won’t forget anytime soon.
Lee has kept busy in recent years playing in the Becky Buller Band, but let’s hope he still finds time for solo work as his craft yields a very compelling formula of folk, bluegrass and retro sounds the illuminate his sharp songwriting perfectly.
Travels well with: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers- The Choosing Road; Balsam Range- The Gospel Collection