NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND
Welcome To Woody Creek (Dualtone)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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After 38 years on the scene, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is one of the few acts that genuinely deserves the designation 'legendary.' Three of the current quintet, Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden and John McEuen, were there at the beginning, with Jimmy Ibbotson signing on in 1969. Only Bob Carpenter has logged less than 30 years with the band, but he blends like he's been there all along.

'Blend' is the operative word for the NGDB in more ways than one. Clearly one way is their remarkable facility with vocal harmony, which could be seen as the natural consequence of decades of joining voices, except that that's been a trademark virtually from day one. Another is their tradition of blending styles, ranging from folk rock to bluegrass to straight country to country pop, moving from one to another without batting an eye and then mixing them all up in the same tune. With the NGDB, 'expect the unexpected' is a musical way of life.

Evidence of both vocal and stylistic blending is all over their latest release, whether on one of the 11 new originals springing from various combinations of the band members or the incredibly effective bluegrass arrangement of the Lennon/McCartney cover, "Get Back."

Welcome To Woody Creek is a welcome new chapter in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band legend. There's no telling what the next chapter will hold, but I hope the story never ends.

Track List:

Walkin' In The Sunshine * Forever Don't Last * Jealous Moon * It's Morning * Get Back * She * Safe Back Home * Party On The Mountain * Any Love But Our Love * It's A New Day * Old Time's Sake * Midnight At Woody Creek

© 2004 - Shaun Dale