Tyler Grant – Flatpicker
This album was crafted with an abundance of bluegrass-inspired performances. It explores wild places, the human experience, longing for home & seeking personal connections. The 13 self-produced tracks that capture Flatpicker (Drops March 28/Grant Central Records) were recorded in Fort Collins, CO.
Tyler Grant (vocals/guitar) starts his musical & whimsical journey with acoustic clarity on the short instrumental introduction “The Wedge” but that’s just an appetizer. Then, without changing gears he slides into an upbeat bluegrass tempo on “Been Away Too Long.” Music that the late John Hartford would’ve been at home playing along with Mr. Grant.
The music’s pristine & informal despite the intricacies of the composition. The friendliness in Grant’s voice drives the tune as much as the expressive instrumentation & the diversity between the excellent interplay of individuals. It’s also humorous as Tyler nonchalantly names some of the musicians as they solo. Performing with a “live” feel as if they’re sitting on your sofa playing with a jug of moonshine at their heels.
Most songs are bluegrass & that means they’re satisfying & fun, even if not all set the woods on fire. All have the gusto to whip a set a legs to dance upon the wood, hands to clap over head & bare feet to stomp in time. At least “Goat Canyon Trestle” does to me. With its smoking banjos & steamroller violin cascading notes like a waterfall.
Then, away from the banjos & violin comes the acoustic guitar rhythm of “Canyon Flatpicking.” Another worthy instrumental interlude with that same excitement that Mason Williams’ “Classical Gas” inspired so many years ago. The little group makes one wonder if Tommy Emmanuel had joined their circle. Nah, it’s just Tyler fooling around on guitar.
The vocals are warm, homegrown & rural in spirit. Some tunes are more serious than just a bunch of down-home boys pickin’ on the back porch. “Turn The Page” is “orchestrated” with the charm of banjo, mandolin & violin congregating on a corner like a bunch of pedestrians waiting for the stop light to change.
“Sea of Cortez” is intricate & is an acoustic sizzler. If the late guitar-great John Fahey played bluegrass this is what he’d sound like. Notes seem to just drip from Tyler’s fingers individually & with impeccable precision. I’m surprised there isn’t a lot of string echo grating sound that many acoustic guitar players suffer through as they play with speed up & down the fretboard.
Perhaps Tyler is using the right microphones or has a better guitar. Or maybe, it’s just talent. It’s excellent. It all is.
Highlights – “The Wedge,” “Been Away Too Long,” “Goat Canyon Trestle,” “Canyon Flatpicking,” “Sea of Cortez,” “Coming Home To Stay,” “The Tuk Tuk,” & “The Beholder.”
Musicians – Andy Thorn (banjo), Adrian Engfer (bass/harmony), Erin Youngberg & Michael Daves (harmony), Dylan McCarthy (mandolin) & Andy Reiner (violin).
Photos courtesy of Jessie Bell. CD at https://www.tylergrant.com/ & https://www.tylergrant.com/merch