Volume Five – Leave a Light On
I always thought bluegrass music was a little more melodic than the average country song. Some would argue with me, but on this latest bluegrass effort, the two opening tunes “Dying All Over Again” & “Dreams Like That” are exceptional examples of how bluegrass is consistently melody-driven & can indeed be exciting music.
The showcase features 10 musical lamps to Leave a Light On (Drops May 23/ Mountain Fever Records/33:56) produced by Glen Harrell (lead vocal/fiddle). The music is never heavy-handed & the vocals are expressive, by rootsy purists who have laid out some rewarding results through their picking. And if the singing doesn’t get you, the musicianship will.
I like that the band hasn’t written songs with cliché-packed, redundant lyrics. They concentrated on storytelling that has considerable merit. Sounding at times a bit like the duo Lowen & Navarro when they perform tunes like “Walking Among the Living.”
They approach a Hank Williams quality in songwriting is the ballad “You Don’t Care For Me Enough To Cry,” which even a deep-voiced country singer like the late Jim Reeves would’ve rendered with perfection. The ensemble constructs their songs carefully by never slipping past the border of commercialism but maintaining a mainstream affirmation in every song they play. “I’m Gonna Love You Like There’s No Tomorrow” is a wonderfully driven melody with a striking performance. There’s nothing played with a showboat-oriented display, yet they perform with confidence & sophistication, keeping it tight & loose only in their pastoral rootsy spirit. That takes skill.
Through all these tunes, there’s nothing hokey-pokey or corny. It’s also contemporary in a manner that it’s bluegrass for the new century. Their cover of the wonderful Dave Mason tune “We Just Disagree,” written by guitarist Jim Kruger. The bluegrass arrangement is perfectly suited to Volume Five’s repertoire. This was a good call. I wonder if Jim Kruger envisioned his song as a bluegrass number way back in 1977.
The title track “Leave a Light On” is another lightly rendered, uncomplicated ballad with a smooth veneer throughout. Jeff Partin’s (Resophonic guitar/bass) “What Can You Do” closes out the album on a high note. Lovely melody with emotional depth. Leaves you wanting to hear more.
The album is resplendent in its song selection & performance quality.
Highlights – “Dying All Over Again,” “Dreams Like That,” “Walking Among the Living,” “You Don’t Care For Me Enough To Cry,” “I’m Gonna Love You Like There’s No Tomorrow,” “We Just Disagree,” “Leave a Light On” & “What can You Do.”
Musicians – Jacob Burleson (guitar/harmony vocals), Aaron Ramsey (mandolin/harmony guitar), Jacob Eller (bass), Chris Wade (banjo) & Grayson Lane (piano).
Color image of Volume Five courtesy of their website. CD @ https://www.volumefivebg.com/
