BRUCE MOLSKY
Poor Man's Troubles (Rounder)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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If you're a fan of Appalachian music generally, and old-time fiddle specifically, then just knowing there's a new Bruce Molsky album on the racks means you've probably abandoned your 'puter for a trip to the CD store already, but if you're among the uninitiated, well, this is the perfect disc to get started.

There's plenty of Molsky fiddle here, along with healthy doses of his excellent guitar and banjo work. While a good many of the tracks are solo performances, he has plenty of friends to call on when the tune needs another voice or another picker, and what a crop of friends they are. Among those making appearances on Poor Man's Troubles are Darol Anger, Martin Hayes, Dudley Connell, Audrey Molsky, Paul Brown and Beverly Smith. If you don't know at least some of those names, you just haven't been paying attention to the best bluegrass and traditional music of the last couple decades.

There's only one thing I'm not sure I like about this disc. Bruce Molsky's version of Henry Thomas' "Fishin' Blues" nails the tune so straight and true that I may have to give up playing one of my favorite songs forever. Or maybe I just need to practice longer and harder. That's gonna be tough, though, because I'm probably going to burn up a lot of what should be practice time listening to this one over and over and over....

Track List:

Poor Man's Troubles * Rove Riley Rove * Old Greasy Coat * Fishin' Blues * Lonesome John * Peg And Awl * Brothers And Sisters * Cabin Creek * Bolts And Locks * Jeff Sturgeon * The Poor Cowboy * John Cole * Chinquapin Pie * I Truly Understand * Billy Joe Banes * Callahan * Terrell Texas Blues * Cousin Sally Brown * Field Holler/Piney Woods/Lost Indian * Grigsby's Hornpipe

© 2000 - Shaun Dale