There was a time when an album like this would have been automatically branded "progressive" bluegrass, what with all the melodic banjo playing and the inclusion of songs by
Fleetwood Mac
(
"Over My Head"
) and
Tom Petty
"I Won't Back Down"
). But
Dale Ann Bradley
makes even the most rockish source material sound like it was steeped in Appalachian spring water. And when she wraps her golden vocal cords around old-time material like the gospel evergreen
"Heaven"
(which features guest vocals by
Darrin Vincent
and
Quicksilver
alumnus
Jamie Dailey
) or the traditional
"Blue Eyed Boy,"
she makes creaky old songs sound new. A couple of songs might take you aback with their subject matter:
"Will I Be Good Enough"
graphically captures both the joy and the terror of the first-time parent;
"Music City Queen"
is a
Bradley
original that addresses the perils of trying to make one's name in Nashville's notoriously cutthroat music scene; the
cover is given a suitably defiant interpretation, and the title track seems almost mischievously ambiguous -- is it a plea or a subtle threat? Her accompanists are worth noting: it's always a pleasure to hear
Alison Brown
stretching out in a bluegrass context, and
Stuart Duncan
contributes not only his usual stellar fiddle playing but also some very nice clawhammer on
"Blue Eyed Boy."
~ Rick Anderson