DRY BRANCH FIRE SQUAD
Hand Hewn (Rounder)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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It's been 25 years since Ron Thomason put the original Dry Branch Fire Squad together to play traditional Appalachian music, and unless there are some well-hidden LPs somewhere out there, they've never made anything but magic. The cast of characters around Thomason has changed over the years, finally stabilizing in all but the banjo position over the past several of them, but they never lacked for a cohesive sound, whether tackling a demanding bluegrass piece or a spine-tingling old timey number with close harmony vocals.

On Hand Hewn, we're given some of everything, most of it anchored by Thomason's mandolin and its perfect ally, the acoustic guitar of Suzanne Thomas. Thomas' role in the Squad has always been important, but on Hand Hewn it seems almost a 50/50 star bill, with Thomas and Thomason going note-for-note in two-part harmony on nearly every song. The exception is "Black Lung." The liner notes credit Ron Thomason's guest duet partner thusly: "Hazel Dickens: Heart-rending vocal." Amen.

The rest of the Squad performs admirably and as expected. This is a band you can always count on. The only thing you may have come to expect that you won't find in abundance on Hand Hewn in that trademark Dry Branch humor. This is an album more about life, about emotion and passion. Fine by me. Some of us like music that moves us, and you can't listen to this whole CD without being touched by at least one of the stories. Come to think of it, that's true of all their releases, isn't it? Happy 25th to the Dry Branch Fire Squad, and here's to many more.

© 2001 - DJ Johnson