Contemporary bluegrass and gospel songs of faith
Rick Lang is a contemporary songwriter whose works have been recorded by a who’s-who of modern bluegrass players, including the Lonesome River Band, IIIrd Tyme Out and Southern Rail. Mandolinist Jesse Brock and guitarist John Miller have teamed with a collection of crack singers and acoustic instrumentalists to record fourteen of Lang’s tunes. The lead vocalists include Russell Moore, Junior Sisk, Jeff Parker, and Dale Perry, with Brock, Miller and the supremely talented Dale Ann Bradley adding harmonies. Lang writes songs of praise that are filled with musical spirit, which makes them enjoyable by bluegrass fans of all religious and irreligious stripes. The arrangements focus on the lyrics and vocals, but the players show their wares in support and in short instrumental breaks; Roger Williams’ dobro is particularly compelling. This is a low-key, at times an almost meditative album whose religious conviction is laid into both the words and beautiful music. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com] 