Southern Sky
Bonfire, 2025
9/10
The roots artist and Irish born Danny Burns brings us 9 new tracks of his timeless bluegrass and Celtic storytelling that recruits some serious talent.
The warm spirit of “Blue Ridge Blue” opens the listen with Burns’ cozy voice alongside Sam Bush’s lush mandolin and Matt Menefee’s fluid banjo, and “Brother Wind” follows Ethan Burkhardt’s skilled upright bass adding much sophistication to the heartfelt delivery.
Entering the middle, “Lips On Fire” welcomes Cecilia Castleman’s lovely pipes to Josh Methany’s colorful dobro via the emotive landscape, while “Keep Your Distance” benefits from Jerry Roe’s animated drums and Cody Kilby’s melodic guitar for the sing-alongs and authentic energy.
Deeper still, “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger” allows for Billy Contreras’ meticulous fiddle and strings to complement the dynamic album highlight, and the title track exits with Tim O’Brien’s alluring voice and octave mandolin which suits the vulnerable finish.
A top notch bluegrass effort that balances grit and grace, Burns enlists some excellent talent and it further solidifies his place as one of the best in modern roots sounds.
Travels well with: Danny Paisley- Bluegrass State Of Mind; Ashleigh Graham- I’ll Just Drive