Up All Night
Mountain Home, 2021
9/10
The modern bluegrass sensations The Grascals are back with a dozen well executed tracks, as the sextet continue their mountain friendly rock that even brings some gospel spirit to the many strings that comprise their formula.
“Sleepy Little Night” starts the listen with cozy strings and smooth vocals as timeless bluegrass flows with intimacy, and “Thankful” follows with fluid banjo and gorgeous harmony vocals in the melodic, rural climate.
“Low Down Blues” lands in the middle and indeed brings blues ideas to the sublime string interaction and soaring singing, while “It’s A String Thing” flows with incredible precision as the flawless string manipulation is nothing short of stunning. “This Ol’ Train”, one of the album’s best, then emits much beauty and harmony as the 6 members bring their respective talents in spades.
Approaching the end, “Flowers And Lace” enters ballad territory and comes with a stirring landscape of poetic, rootsy song craft, and “Traveling The Highway Home” exits the listen swift and showcases incredible picking in a playful bluegrass sort of way.
The Grascals, i.e. John Bryan (guitar, vocals), Chris Davis (guitar, vocals), Adam Haynes (fiddle), Danny Roberts (mandolin), Kristin Scott Benson (banjo) and Terry Smith (bass, vocals) again prove just why they’ve been Grammy nominated 3 times, and this installment might just have some of their best work to date, which, of course, is no easy task.
Travels well with: Chuck Wagon Gang- Radio Days; The Alex Leach Band- I’m The Happiest When I’m Moving