The sleeve notes on this album makes it clear that Old Sledge need to make this music. Music drawn from across the ages from countless old 78s, from different times, different places but not necessarily from a different set of needs. They are young enough to have been raised on different music genres but have been drawn back to this old-time aggregation of country and blues forms. The bring enthusiasm and energy and no little skill to their delivery of these often timeless songs. The trio blend their voices but both Chance McCoy and Sabra Guzmán take lead vocals on the songs, the latter brings a plaintiveness and purpose to the songs she sings while the former sings with conviction and clarity. The songs including some instrumentals with Ben Townsend's banjo to the fore draw from a wide repertoire of songs. These include the title track written by Fiddlin' John Carson, Roscoe Holcomb's Boat's Up The River, Danville Girl from Doc Boggs and a slew of traditional songs like Deep Elum Blues and St. James Infirmary. Old Sledge deliver their old-time music for modern times with an understanding and intent. The bass of Jake Hopping rounds out the quartet of players who are the players who created this life-affirming album. There are a lot of bands out there drawn to this style of music, some are better than others, though all are committed to breathing new life into old songs. Old Sledge skill is in the spirit they bring to these tunes, that a strong sense of where these songs came from and where they need to go now. That in itself is something to applaud, as is this convincing album.
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Hardcore Country, Folk, Bluegrass, Roots & Americana
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