 | Waiting On The Gravy TrainFreight HoppersRounder CD 11661-0433-2
Rounder Records
A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange |
| Waiting On The Gravy TrainFreight HoppersRounder CD 11661-0433-2
Rounder Records
A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange |
The latest from the Freight Hoppers is a toe-tapping old-timey treat. With David Bass' fiddle dancing around the Appalachian sound of Cary Fridley's vocals, this album starts out in high gear and never lets up. This being my first exposure to the Freight Hoppers, has caused me to pull out my Gid Tanner recordings for a new round of listening, and has set me on a mission to order more Freight Hoppers music.
This quartet has been gaining acclaim ever since placing second in a talent contest on public radio's Prairie Home Companion in 1993 (making one wonder who placed first). They have since recorded and toured throughout the U.S. producing instructional and performance videos for Homespun. Scanning their tour schedule I was disappointed to find no imminent visits to the west coast. Hopefully, that will change.
Regardless of one's overall musical background, one cannot help but appreciate the synchronicity of this band when they roll it into overdrive. Respectful of the tradition of string music, they still offer their own interpretations in a traditional context. Their tunes come from old recordings, other musicians, and their personal musical archives.
| Cary Fridley - Vocals, Guitar Frank Lee - Banjo David Bass - Fiddle James O'Keefe - Bass |
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Edited by Roberta B. Schwartz
(rschwartz@oeb.harvard.edu)
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