RAILROAD EARTH
The Good Life (Sugar Hill)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Railroad Earth delivers another set that demonstrates why they've made such a strong move to the head of the pack among the string-band influenced end of the jam band spectrum. Of course, they're dandy pickers, setting up one infectious toe tapper after another with John Skehan's mandolin and Tim Carbone's fiddle cutting through with consistently apt decoration and impressive solos. I'm also a big fan of Todd Sheaffer's vocals, but the real key to my ever-growing admiration for the music of Railroad Earth is the simple fact that there's nobody out there writing better songs in this style than Sheaffer.

As amazingly talented as the musicians here, and in many other bands, are, the simple fact is that there are a lot more great bluegrass jammers than great jamband songwriters. Sheaffer's that, and more. The combination of first rate songs and a creative, simpatico group of pickers to play them is unbeatable, and earns my unconditional recommendation.

Track List:

Storms * Bread And Water * Mourning Flies * Long Way To Go * The Good Life * In The Basement * Water Fountain Quicksand * Goat * Said What You Mean * Way Of The Buffalo * Reach The Stars

© 2005 - Shaun Dale