Reviews (page 5 of 7)
I went into this unenthusiastically but ended up enjoying it. Feels like a great album to have on while doing chores around the house or sipping coffee in the morning. It brought back memories of riding our bikes into Red Hook in Brooklyn and heading to the back room of Sonny's bar. Musicians would sit in a circle playing improve bluegrass. Anyone could participate, but you only would if you had actual talent. I imagine they covered some of the tunes on this album.
I like Opry style from time to time, but this just went on forever! Not great but just good.
Mixed bag here as some songs have more twang than I prefer, but the sound quality was shockingly good for something from 1972. I'd only ever heard "Fishin' in the Dark" from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, so I was surprised to learn that 1) they've been making music since the 60's and 2) they're at least as much bluegrass as country. This album would fit right in with The Comatose Brothers or Old Crow Medicine Show albums from 30-40 years later, so I thank these folks (and all the guest performances) for their service. Gotta say the second half of this double album falls off, though. Early on I had this pegged as a 4, but it was hard to get through the back half. 3.4
Not my cup of tea, but clearly should be on this list. The musicianship is great, the vocals good or annoying depending on singer (mostly the latter imo). Definitely didn't need to be 2 hours, but given it's the only bluegrass album I'm probably gonna give the time of day I'll let is pass. 2* for me, 4* for it being an album you should probably hear. Nice average.
Nice. Old style
Saw these guys in concert once. This album is pretty famous with lots a of guests. Gotta be in the right mood for the hoedown music.
Not my typical style, but pretty good. Very long.
some real folky songs. I'm a bit weary of the cover art but nontheless as art it's pretty catchy. Dark as a dungeon has a great message about grief and lust for money. This is like the previous album but a different more patriotic font. The more I listen the more boring it gets.
Bloody hell that's long. Amazing playing. Not a genre that I'm very familiar with but you have to tip your (Stetson) hat. Wonderful harmonies
Surprisingly enjoyable and honest
These fellers sure can pluck strings
I liked each individual song and believe I will be happily surprised by any of them coming on my Spotify random, but this album was two straight hours of bluegrass, which puts my lifetime total of bluegrass listening somewhere around two hours, and didn’t inspire me to seek out more bluegrass.
Pretty cool but I can't sit through 2 hours of it
I feel like I don't know bluegrass enough to appreciate this... Naima seems to like it though
Cool idea. I would have liked it better if it was 1/3 of the length. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
As I've mentioned elsewhere on this journey, bluegrass and folk country makes me think of my grandpa. It's not a top genre for me, but I guess I've got a soft spot for it. However, I wouldn't sign up for a 2-hour-long experience of it. This came out as 3 LPs, originally? What an ambitious group. I liked the music, there was just too much of it! I liked Nashville Blues and Dark As a Dungeon. Good songs and they were early enough in the album that I can remember them.
One of the best parts of Will The Circle Be Unbroken is the banter between some of the songs. It's terrific. I think this album would be way better without most of the vocals and more solos by the instruments. I found myself engaged much more in the instrumentals than the songs with a singer. The songs are stifling the band.
I don't know a lot about bluegrass music, so can't say if it's a great album, as it sounded pretty standard to me. But they clearly thought it was good enough to be on this list. 3/5
Cool, I mean
surprisingly didn’t mind this. i enjoyed the instrumental tracks the most. reminds me of home. definitely wish it were shorter though.
Souvent dansant et entraînant, presque toujours nostalgique. Comme une page d’histoire
Meh, there were others in this era that were definitely more worth listening to.
Holy blue grass, this is over 2 hours long. That's a lot of fiddlin' for anyone; we'll see how deep I get before sampling and skipping through.Five tracks is the answer to that. So, this is interesting work because the group intentionally created this to reach out to traditional country artists and listeners. It is quite different from the more familiar \"Fishing in the Dark\" track of my late-80's two-stepping days. Its fine, don't love it but respect the effort and adherence to old-school country as they intended.
Am I wrong? Is this album 42 songs long? It took me 3 days. Best 12 songs would have made a 4, but I'm not built for this.
2 hours is just far too long to listen to same genre and style of music. I broke it down and listened to each disc separately, but still found both a slog. A lot of the tracks are quite good on their own, but the cumulative experience leaves much to be desired. I respect the idea of collaborating with artists from a different era to bridge the gap between generations, but this was just too much be enjoyable.
I liked it, it had a nice feel-good vibe, however, it was a bit long and had a few too many talky bits.
This album feels like a warm, easy conversation between generations. It moves with a gentle sway, like old friends playing together on a front porch. The blend of voices and instruments is soft, inviting, and full of tradition. It's a lot like something you’d expect from The Carter Family or maybe even a more relaxed Johnny Cash. There's a quiet comfort to it, like an afternoon spent with your favorite people.
I mean, I'm a sucker for old short country songs. I'm not such a sucker for three rebel flags on the cover? Man, I don't have time to go down a rabbit hole on this - I don't support the South in the Civil War, hot take. But I do like a bunch of these songs. do with that what you will.
Down home country classics from the Nitty Gritty Ditty Committee.
Such a pleasant listen for a Sunday morning.
Good fun but waaay too long
Like all the bluegrass stars of the time making cameos and playing some fun old-time bluegrass.
Surprisingly kinda nice.
its a snap shot in time more of a collection of songs and covers than a real "album"
I liked it
I dug it. Outside my norm. Will I go back to it? Prolly not. Higher than a 3 for musicianship and originality but not quite a 4 for me.
I do enjoy this style of country but nothing stood out in particular. 3.5/5
Better than expected. 3.5
Grazie al cielo l'ho ascoltato mesi fa. Non ricordo niente ma al tempo gli diedi 3 quindi ecco qua. A mai più
This was so much like being in a pub with a band that I actually felt drunk towards the end. This is just about on the OK side of folk without becoming too corny, but I don't think I ever need to hear a banjo again.
devo essere onesta e ammettere di averne ascoltato solo metà perchè alla lunga è un po' ripetitivo, però sempre molto caruccio <3
Grazie al cielo l’ho ascoltato mesi fa. Non ricordo niente ma al tempo gli diedi 3 quindi ecco qua. A mai più
Over 2 hours for an album is wild behavior. I am 84 minutes into this and I've grown a full beard, a spittoon appeared on the ground next to me, and I am suddenly in a rocking chair on a warm porch somewhere in Appalachia.
2+ hours is an awful lot of bluegrass to ask someone to consume, but I must say i'm actually really enjoying this album though it did start to drag and get very same-y by disc 2. I probably should have broken this out over a few sessions.
All the bluegrass you will ever need to listen to. Get one bluegrass album, get this one. That’s it.
Makes me want to sit on a porch and drink beer in my rocking chair.
Sounds US Civil War-ish. It's not bad by any means, but it's absolutely not my thing though I respect their talents. 6/10.
I like aspects of bluegrass, like the vocal harmonies and some of the virtuoso strings. But the rhythms can be monotonous, especially on a long album like this. I liked some of the studio session banter in this recording, but eventually that got old too.
I enjoyed this listen quite a bit, at least with an intermission break included midway. I had forgotten how fun bluegrass music can be, and this album proved that by a mile and a half. Not all of the tracks stick, but I enjoyed the vibe of this album enough to stick the whole way through.
Actually kinda enjoyed listening to this. Could see me and some mates, with a six pack of good beer each, and staring into a fire for a night listening to this.
I had always known bluegrass music existed, but it was not until the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack that I really gave it a listen. That was also when I fell in love with Allison Kraus. I am not at all a fan of traditional country - with a few exceptions like Patsy Cline or Dolly Parton. I have never knowingly listened to a song by NGDB. I really enjoyed this album. The way they can burst into a song after a short chat and absolutely nail it is beyond impressive. And the harmonies are exceptional. Great band and great music.
Much like the John Lee Hooker album on this list (The Healer) this one's more of a compilation of old-timey standards featuring country legends well past the height of their powers. And it's really long. That said, there's some great playing on this so it gets the 3-star "OK" rating from me. Much prefer listening to the originals tho (e.g. Decca Country Classics box set!).
I do like some country music after all! Especially when it’s as straightforward, honest, and lovely as this. I preferred the more vocal first disc, as opposed to the more instrumental second disc, which surprised me, but I just felt the performances of all the guest singers were so strong. I don’t think the album is particularly helped by being so long, and having so many introductions and chat breaks between the songs, but I appreciate the attempt at the creation of a full document to highlight the life of the times when this was recorded.
Howdy there fella! Come on and sit down by the fire, we just opened up a new bottle of moonshine and fiddle on my fiddle. Sing along and ride off into the sunset in the morning. Catchy country
Yeeehaw
Great Both Sides, Now instrumental.
surprisingly good, i liked it
Alright country - not my jazz but maybe in repeat listens could be good.
I'm amazed at how well recorded and produced this music is. I obviously know that, at that time, there was a lot of great recorded equipment and studios, but this is not the type of music I felt would get that attention and time and effort. That being said, even though I do like a lot of Appalachian music and western/folk music, most of this music is not something that really inspired or spoke to me. I can see myself putting this on while working around the house - I definitely see the value and appeal. It's just not something that speaks to me, as I would rather listen to one of many other southern folk musicians I like.
Too long, instrumentals good though
Wow that man really loved his horse. This was alot more fun than I expected it to be, but it far too bloody long
I love bluegrass, but this was too much bluegrass. I liked the interspersal of talking bits. That really amps up the realism (especially since bluegrass is such a community-driven genre). But yeah too long.
It’s not easy to rate this one as it’s not really an album but rather a compilation. As such, it’s a great testament on American music history. It’s full of great songs with amazing musicianship and there are times when it made me dance a big and fantasise about a simple life somewhere in the mountains. But as an album, it’s just damn too long. It took me a whole day to just get through to the end and I was so tired at the end I could hear the banjo in my head when I closed my ways to sleep. It would have been magnificent if it was condensed to like 45 mins and I would even consider a 5 since it’s so different than everything else and the production (including the short pieces of conversation) is perfect for the genre. But it gets tiring after you get through the second album and the third one is just you trying to survive. 3/5
Far too long
I don't hate country, but it's tooooooo long
Listened to this by good fortune on the way to mountain view arkansas where they just kind of hang out and play this stuff on the town square most evenings. Kind of a greatest hits of bluegrass and classic nashville country with a lot of the original artists. Interesting shop talk interspersed - i dunno if that was on the preremastered album. Anyway its fun to hear but I don't think anyone would consider these the definitive versions of the songs. Both sides now is a nice touch, and stands out just cause it was composed by big joni and not a country standard.
Remember that old school parenting technique. Find your kid smoking. So you force them to smoke 50 cigarettes back to back to make them hate smoking. Only it doesn’t work. It makes them love it - you can’t understand why. In this case, the cigarettes are bluegrass, rootin’ and a tootin’ country music. The brand is this album. Relentless foot tapping music that makes you feel like you should hate it but after 2 hours you seem to have been brainwashed to quite enjoy it. 3.2
This would be good if it wasn’t two hours long and the songs didn’t sound the same. There’s some ok songs anyway though.
This album was really good, but should have been split into 3 albums it was way too long. DNF
Did not listen
3 there was some great songs sprinkled in and some amazing bluegrass playing but the album was way to long. By the end everything blended together and I got serious fatigue
2024-04-14...
I’ve had a real strange day to say the least. Sitting down and getting ready to put on a 2+ hour long country album was something I wasn’t sure I could handle or not. But remarkably, this brought a lot of comfort to me. It made me feel human. That’s a pretty crazy effect for music to have. Doesn’t mean it’s perfect though. Not really even close. In terms of country music, this is probably as true-blooded and close to country’s roots as it can get. It feels so authentic, and it’s the kind of country or bluegrass music I can fully get behind. This is also helped by the banter between band mates before and after many of the songs. There are some songs here and there that are fully devoted to just the group talking. And I love it. It’s just nice hearing them warming up and talking to each other. It sounds like the kind of life I would want. But this album is still very long. It borders in some places on feeling too long. This is the second longest album I’ve heard on the list, behind 69 Love Songs. But this album feels way more bearable than that. Besides that being nearly an hour longer, 69 Love Songs feels inherently more one-note than this album, even if instrumentally there is far less variety. Truthfully though these two records are about on par with one another. I just don’t think albums need to be this long. It causes me to burn out and get disinterested far quicker. I will always prefer a shorter album that is only as short as it is because that’s all the time they need. Rating: 5/10
This is my last album on the project, so I thought it was fitting that it seemed a gauntlet of a listen at first glance. Two hours later, however, I felt a fitting sense of denouement after so many tracks of lap steel, banjo picking, and twang – I fully get how people would hate listening to this whole thing if it's not your thing, but as a guitar player it was a delight to hear so many different voices, sub-styles, and country influences meld together into a fluid amalgamation. There's a bit of homogeneity, yes, but all the instrumentals here are perfectly executed and organic, flowing forth from a pure sense of camaraderie on behalf of the artists. Having visited the Opry on a trip to Nashville last year, I felt a deeper appreciation for the tapestry of Americana this era of country music represents - outside of jazz music, hot dogs, and hamburgers, this is one of our only pure American exports. These narratives of heartbreak and violence set to bright, twangy guitars are some of the most genuine artistic products produced in this country, and to get a two-hour sampler was at once both exhausting but refreshing. Happy to get a fitting LP to close the project, now I just have to fill the hole in my life the 1001 generator will leave behind!
Top notch country/bluegrass, although it is way too long and the talking should have been omitted.
bello, ma ho ascoltato solo il primo lato perché troppo lungo. 3-4
Not the music i can listed to straight laced. That's great as a joke, reminiscing wist west era, cool for picturing movies like Back To The Future 3. Doubt i can listen to this in any other way.
A great listen from beginning to end. It's a bit long and lacking in variation, but individually everything is strong
That was a helluva lot of bluegrass. I can see it was very influential and includes a lot of certified legends, but it's slightly lost on me. Enjoyable enough, way too long and I don't know what else to say.
Welp, I had some stuff written, but my browser took a shit. This is a long ride through country bluegrass (~110 min) and for the most part I found it to be enjoyable. Reading a bit on the production history, confirms what I suspected; this was cut very raw (1-2 takes per track) and they had a long running tape to capture studio banter. The banter serve as intros to many tracks, making for a personal feeling album. The songs vary widely, and to be honest, I had this on in the background for 90% so I didn't take specific notes. Only standouts I recall were Tennessee Stud, Nashville Blues, and the first 3 songs or so of the second disc. Will I go back for more, probably not, but I do have a soft spot in my heart for quality bluegrass. Lot to love here, but it runs too long for my taste. If we had a half scale this would be a 3.5. Gonna round down because I don't expect to come back.
Great music, but didn't necessarily need 2 hours of it. However, of all albums to be 2 hours, this one I welcome most as it is very easy listening and makes the work day go by a bit faster. Probably a 3.5, but I'm gonna round down for length and homogeneity
That was some mighty fine banjo pluckin and guitar strummin. Don't know if I needed 2 hours of it, but nonetheless it was quite enjoyable.
Enjoyed the variety of artists and the sound
Seems iconic. But not an album I would listen to over and over.
Sorry wtf WER macht es album wo über 2h gaht???? Oke de ahfang isch… intense aso bisch halt direkt ih dem dinn oder keis ahtaste nütt zack boom bang da bin ich Ok ich lieb banjo and I’m definitely getting my fair share of banjo mit dem album hahahaha Wait bin mer ned sicher öbs banjo oder Mandoline isch??? Keep ok the sunny side findi iwie cute??🥺
will the circle be unbroken (dütet dass uf ihre stammbaum hii?) chönnt au es metalcore album sii ouhyeah sind das jz 2h country?? mal luege öbis ushalte, find country funny aber weiss nöd öb für so lang grand ole opry song findi cute han halt würkli kei ahnig vo country hahahah MOTHER MAYBELLE CARTER TÖNT JA MEGA COOL ahhja cover: kinda hard, kinda racist; was gwicht ich meh?? you are my flower hani jz chli schlecht gfunde finds sehr cool ghörtmer die verschiedene sänger:inne vorem uufneh no öppis sege, git eim sochli es persönlichers gfühl? (und s gfühl dassmer im tüfste süde vode usa isch) tennessee stud hani cute gfunde ok jz chli schneller wreck on the highway hani bis jz s tollste lied gfunde honky tonkin tönt öppe so wies de titel verspricht ok also allgemein würdi es 3 geh -1 wills arschlang gaht und s mich jz ahfangt nerve +1 wills sehr e cooli idee isch und ichs rede dezwüsche mega funny find
I liked selected songs...bluegrass and the blues are awesome, but this is a long-ass album. Obviously talented musicians!
Some good songs, but too long 3/5
Over 2 hours of mighty fine fiddely diddely doo-music. Now excuse me, I need to get back to the dark dreary mine, where it's dark as a dungeon; the sun never shines; the rain never falls; where the danger is double and the pleasures are few.
You’re kidding me, right? 2 hours of country music in one day? Nobody could survibe that? Except I did, and even though I crew awfully fed up during the album’s playing time, I can’t say I hated it. So much better than what passes for country music these days. Did I like it? No, but I appreciate it for its historical value and some quality music, and not least, musicians
So many songs
Thick in the Bluegrass, simple powerful heartfelt.
I liked disc 2, with all the instrumentals, much more
Great background music.
The concept is brilliant. Take the icons from hill country (bluegrass) of the 40s and 50s and put them in a 70s era recording studio with its capacity for making pristine and lush reproductions. The inclusion of the inter-track cross talk is brilliant. And I love it every time I start it. But bluegrass is like the 12 bar blues for me. The monotony starts to physically exhaust me about four / five songs in. I end up having the same experience listening to this album as I do in Renaissance art museums. I go from super excited to exhausted after about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through. (Are ALL of the paintings of Jesus and the saints?)
If I ever want to listen to some good folk country stuff I’ll come back to this one
Can you have too much Country Bears music? Well, yes, it turns out you can.
country bear jamboreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Enjoyable! Nice genre.
It’s good for what it is, and there is some super stuff on here, but clocking in at over 2 hours, it’s a lot to take in, especially if this type of country music isn’t your thing. If just the best tracks were kept and this was cut down to one cd, I’d have scored it higher.
Interesting document, but I don't need the talking in between songs. Enjoyable bluegrass. I especially like the instrumental tunes (please learn how to finish those without resorting to "Shave and a Haircut, though!). The old-school Country/Hillbilly artists are not at their best so it works more as a tribute than an original work of art. Could be condensed to a single LP without losing anything. Maybe do that for casual listeners then make the extended version for the hardcore fans/historically motivated.
I like me a bit o’ the ol’ country and bluegrass, but this was a bit too much.
I really liked this but 2 hours is excessive
I liked a lot of it but there was also a lot of chat and it went on for about a month
I enjoyed it but it is very long and mostly the same stuff
I liked it, had an old country/bluegrass jam session feel. It’s long tho
There is some great banjo playing and general instrumentation, but the “skits” on seemingly every track are a bit much in my opinion. The album while fun to listen to, doesn’t have that next level to it.
It's a country mega album but the sum is less than its parts. For example, Keep on the sunny side is a bit of a noisy mess, like a bar singalong, where The Carters and The Whites keep it clean. However, it is 1000x better than that pop they call country on the radio.
Liked it - folk guitar/fiddle country music.
Sure. Perfect for a muggy afternoon on the back forty with a rocking chair, cold beer and a piece of straw hanging from your mouth.
Had a good time listening to this album
I kind of dig the music but it does get boring and repetitive. It's not really a cohesive album to me.
Classic bluegrass ?
Not for me. Catchy tunes tho
2 hours of Country is crazy but I did enjoy a lot of it so Im giving it a 3 stars
it's maw-paw-yeehaw music but it's not bad grand ole opry song nashville blues the precious jewel dark as a dungeon (no surprise that it's a song about coal mining) black mountain rag sunny side of the mountain lonesome fiddle blues
I enjoyed the more Bluegrassy tracks more than the slower country/gospel ones. At any rate, at over two hours long, it felt like a drag by the end.
This is a great bluegrass band, but since when did 1001 start giving 42 song compilation box sets and calling them albums?
Ol’ timey music: good for the soul, good for the ears. Music of the earth, music of the dirt. A good find for sure. Bluegrass done in a way that maintains the heart of the music without trying to pander to modern sensibilities. Hear obvious traces of older Irish music. Enjoy the banter between the musicians, but feel like those will be obvious tracks to skip on repeat listens. Good music for listening with kids.
Pretty fun.
There's country music and then there's this. I don't know enough to really understand but this album is just good fun. Fave tracks: Keep On The Sunny Side, and Tennessee Stud
Holy god this is way too long for more than three stars. Some good tunes tho
Good, but country not my favourite genre.
Really not my kind of music. I do like country music, but this is more bluegrass classics and that's not my thing. There are some songs I did enjoy more than the others... Keep on Sunny Side, Wreck on the Highway, Nine Pound Hammer, Honky Tonkin', Lost Highway, Will the Circle be Unbroken, Both Sides Now (Don't really know why this was included on the album)., Foggy Mountain Breakdown. By the end I wanted to rip my ears off. Still it's a 3/5
I was surprised I liked this one as much as I did. That's not to say I loved it or anything, I just found that the bluegrass and banjo thing worked well and some of the studio interludes were interesting. But can we admit it's too damn long? Seriously, this didn't need to be two hours. Like most double (triple?) albums, this would've been a lot better if cut down to 45 mins. 3.5 record, round down because of the length.
Fun but 42 songs??
42 song album, good god! Bluegrass pickin' vibes from first track. "Keep on the Sunny Side" is solid.
Wow! Ok! Not awful at all. Not actually annoying. I liked this. I will head down into a bit of a rabbit hole with this.
A good example for folk/bluegrass - the loose quality of the pre-take conversations really gives you an idea of how these traditional songs can be played with a relatively unpracticed group.
If this was just the first side, it would be an easy A from me, but, given the latter side’s decision to have over half the tracks compromised of repetitive instrumentals, I am forced to retract points that this album was entirely capable of earning. The songs themselves aren’t original to the band as they’re all covers, but they’re only the true classics in the genre. The playing and instrumentation is so tight and infectious it almost makes the instrumentals worth it. Production is surprisingly good quality and my only problem is the wacky B side on this thing. Such a strange and unfortunate decision. Cut the instrumentals and runtime and you’d have one classic of an album. 3/5
I sentence you to 2 hours of country music
I liked the songs that were on this. I really did, and the historical significance of the album is truly important but... the album is just TOO LONG. 3 LPs? 2 CDs? 2 _HOURS_? It just started to blur together after the first 30 minute or so. Maybe I should have played it in little chunks, but that would have defeated the purpose of listening to the whole thing, right? And then they made 2 more volumes?! Yikes.
If you're going to do a 2 hour two disc set, it better be off the wall. This was good, but not that good. There are a lot of talented musicians that joined this recorded jam session. It's a cool idea and I get why the album should be on the list - you're not going to find much else like it. But man, 2 hours? I couldn't focus on it that long and it didn't move me so much that I want to give it another go.
I have listened to thirty out of the 41 tracks and feel that's enough to make some comments. This is always listenable, and a fantastic corrective to the glossy Nashville MOR country that had solidified by the early seventies. But whether 41 tracks of it in one go is really the way to enjoy this music is debatable. Would it have been a four with 12 well-chosen tracks, possibly not but definitely 3.5 rather than the 3 it is after 31 rippin bluegrass numbers.
Well wow what a long album. Why didn't they just do 3. Great tunes from On Brother Where art thou and I appreciated the harmonies and guitar playing and little stories
Jeez that's a hell of a lot of bluegrass and trad country. I almost picked up a jug in the kitchen and started blowing into it. Appreciate the craftsmanship though.
Kind of a cool idea for an album, to play with the greats. It plays like an archive piece, from the star performances to the little chit chat tracks in between songs. Heck of a run time to get through at 2 hrs, but there hasn't been much bluegrass on this list and it was a welcome change.
I like that they included the banter in between recordings -makes it feel cozy and intimate- but it's way too long without having some kind of coherent thread (beyond jamming with your heroes). They have all these classic country and bluegrass numbers, and then all of a sudden they just throw a solo acoustic cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" in there? Could a left some shit on the cutting room floor. I will say my favorite tracks by far were those with Maybelle Carter.
Quaint cozy folk/bluegrass vibes. It's raw and that suits the genre for sure.
3-4
It’s fun, but also long and kind of samey for that length. It’s cool how it kind of acts as a celebration of this kind of traditional music, though, and the songs themselves are often nice tasty bluegrass. I also dislike some of the songs, though, like the one about the jewel or whatever. Interesting, but you don’t necessarily need to hear the whole thing.
I understand the historic inclusion of this album as a bridge between early 20th century country roots and late 20th century hippie “country fried” music, but I wasn’t feeling the album until the sheer number of rags and fiddle fiestas hit me. That’s what I’m here for - I’ll jam to that!
I enjoyed the interaction between band members pre—song. It gave the recording an authenticity unlike many other albums. A double album of country classics was a little too much and I lost interest midway through.
It sounded nice, but did not need to be 2 hours long.
I really love the sounds and tunes, but its another album that I couldn't listen from top to bottom. Two hours of country? Come on.
If I was a fan of Bluegrass Country music, this would surely be a classic, must-hear album with it's amazing musicianship by some of the legends in the genre and a wonderful collection of songs. I can't say I didn't enjoy it and especially liked the banter and dialogue between the musicians and easy-going casual recording atmosphere. It is long, so it's a lot to take in, but if you're new to Bluegrass, I could recommend hearing this at least once. As I said, I'm not a fan of Bluegrass, but I can appreciate the quality of the music and though it hasn't converted me, I do give it respect and once in a while it's okay to explore other music I don't normally give a care about.
Probably didn't need to be *quite* so long, but the gathering of all these artists feels special even to somebody who's heard of maybe one or two of them before. Docked one point for the flags.
I'm getting notes of gospel, twang, twirl, and twist. The twist is that I didn't listen to all 2 hours and 10 minutes. Nor did I listen to all 42 songs. The banjo player(s) seem to know what's going on with this album.
Really didn't expect this... thought it was going to be more like country-pop... especially since the only thing i know by the band is American Dream. That is SOOOO not this band. This is O Brother Where Art Thou?. It is way too long at 2 hours, but it stays true with lots of banjo, some instrumentals, and what seems like music that could have been handed down for generations. Interesting.
Really glad I listened to this, a charming romp through Americana and bluegrass. However, it felt long for my tastes, and found myself wondering if the tracks were on repeat. Some solid songs, and ones I'll enjoy learning to play.
Catchy enough "classic" country music without being stellar.
Good old country with lots of stars
2h10 de country, Robert aura vraiment tout tenté pour nous pousser à abandonner le générateur, mais on tient bon.
I am not a country fan but I like Blue Grass. This is that old school country which is way better than all the modern crap. This is a legit good album. I loved all the in studio talking as well. It lent a live feeling to the record. It was too long. But I assume that is mostly because they wanted everyone to have a chance to shine.
Sonido country sin nada especialmente destacable. En ocasiones, virtuosismo con la guitarra y el banjo. Se puede escuchar, aunque pueda parecer un poco monótono
Massive album (as in: two hours) of classic country. Some of the instrumental tracks are quite relaxing, but mostly this kind of music just isn't for me. 2.5/5
I just really don't enjoy this style. Nothing against it, I just don't like it.
Forty two songs. FORTY. TWO. SONGS.
Not for me. 3
Most of the songs are just re-recording of old bluegrass and country standards, which aren’t bad. The main issue is how fucking long this thing is. OVER TWO HOURS!! I cannot listen to two hours of old country straight. I just can’t. So that earns it a 3 at best, but I could easily give it a two.
My God, this album was never ending. Far, far too long - I wouldn’t even want to listen to a two hour album for a genre I actually enjoy, let alone two straight hours of country. The songs themselves were mostly fine, though largely indistinguishable from one another.
Interesting... I usually don't like country music, but I want my own list to include a few examples of it at least. And so far, this record is one of the best candidates in the genre I've heard. Its "two-generations-meet" concept is pretty neat, its atmosphere is enticing--thanks to the spoken word interludes between the songs, showing the players prepping before a lot of those cuts--and well... some of the tracks are great! I know they're covers or standards, but oddly enough that doesn't bother me at all given that this is a collaborative record, with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band merely being the vessel that got all those old C&W stars gathered in one place. I love many of the arrangements as well: like the final section of "Keep On The Sunny Side"; or the instrumental "Nashville Blues", with its fiddle and banjo fingerpicking going to weird minor-major transitions; or the backing vocals of "Dark As A Dungeon"; or that incredible guitar solo sliding and, well, literally *wailing* about "The End Of The World" in the instrumental bearing the same name... And I'm only talking about the highlights of the first CD here. Obviously, this release is a LOT to take in in one single sitting, but other stuff on the latter part of the record sound promising as well. The fiddle so aptly imitating a train on that "Orange Blossom Special" instrumental makes it a version that I already find as endearing as the one played by Johnny Cash. I was not paying attention to the names of the songs anymore at this point, and it put me... right on track, ha ha. Speaking of the attention span you need for such a long record... I've noticed that the "pure" bluegrass cuts providing the bulk of the music offer the liveliest and most effective moments here. To me, bluegrass is when "country" becomes a little more interesting, rhythmically and harmonically speaking. Reminds me of when I attended a bluegrass gig when I lived in Indiana for a while, and the blast it was to watch that band play. Wish I could remember those guys' names now... A few words about the overall "country" umbrella style now... Johnny Cash's deep voice and dark persona will always make him a favorite of mine, and I've got to say that I've changed my mind about Marty Robbins' *Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs*, as I will maybe include it in my own list now. The thing is, I still don't sense anything even remotely interesting is happening in most country albums music-wise. Artists like Buck Owens, for instance, also wrote famous songs in the honky-tonk genre, but apart from those well-known cuts, everything from him (and other artists of that caliber) sounds the same to me. Yet I'm trying hard to keep an open mind. I guess Dimery's list helps me a lot doing so, at least. Because that Nitty Gritty Dirt Band record popped up today, I have now explored other ones by Willie Nelson, and I must say I was pretty impressed by *Shotgun Willie* and *Phases And Stages*--far more, actually, than Nelson's return from "outlaw country" to the more mainstream, "vanilla" moods of *Stardust*, along with its strings of pop and jazz covers--a record that's also included in the 1001 albums list, by the way... Maybe a sign that I should dig into less "obvious" releases so as to truly enjoy C&W... But all of this is a story for another time. To return to *Will The Circle Be Unbroken*, I'll give it a somewhat nice score, just because it opened a few gates for me. And for purposes others than the ones of this list, it's at least an 8/10. Being a double-album (triple, actually?) that invites a dozen of other artists to record with the band, said album is a hodgepodge, of course. Yet it's the sort of hodgepodge that makes sense in the end, especially when you want to get acquainted with a whole new genre. Number of albums left to review: 577 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 203 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 98 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 126
Currently on Zillow and getting engaged to the girl I met at work who plays the banjo. We’re looking for 20 acre ranches in Oklahoma. In need of a Realtor asap.
Country. Más de dos horas de disco, se hace un poco pesado. Aún así: ni fu ni fa.
This would be much better at a country dive bar with a whiskey but stuck in a car it’s only tolerable
Quite enjoyable, not usually my type of music but I found myself having more fun than expected
Not my jam, but interesting
Oh boy. This is a mess. There's some really, really good country music here. Unfortunately there's also some bluegrass stuff that just kinda makes me shrug and it's so freaking, ridiculously long. This really could've been cut down. There's several eh songs and the aforementioned bluegrass could've made this a much leaner, more enjoyable listen. It's a 3, but it could almost be a 2 for the lows and punishing length. It also could've been a 4 for the high points. It's just all over the place. It's best to just find the good songs and skip the rest.
Made it through. Nothing bad about it particularly but it's sooooooo long. Pick any random tracks from this to make a 45 minute playlist and you'll have a far better experience
First half was a really good time, but I don’t understand the sequencing of ~10 consecutive banjo (or mandolin?) and fiddle tracks at the beginning of the second disc. The songs are almost indistinguishable from each other and just get old so quickly. Besides that complaint I really enjoyed it for the most part! Lots of interesting storytelling and then the bits of chatting and studio scenes are pretty cute as well. The title track at the end almost feels like a call to action trying to convince people to appreciate this old country sound and for artists to continue to create it, and the record up to that point serves as evidence to show how good country music can be. 6/10
- really enjoyed Nashville Blues and You are My Flower - the instrumentals are great - not fond of all the talking
This really plays more as an anthology of traditional music, rather than a cohesive artistic statement. It does a good job of what it intends to do, which is document bluegrass music and feature some of it's most prominent performers.
Loved the Blue Grass sounds and breakdowns were very impressive
Yeeeeehaw
This album celebrates Americana, Blue Grass, and Early Country Music. The picking and grinning is great and shows off why this group would be performing at the Opry. That being said, it is an acquired taste that may alienate a large part of the audience, despite being an excellent example of this genre.
Tappade bort mig själv
Well this was a pleasant surprise. It's a new artist for me. I was expecting some early 70's folk shit. All the suspect ingredients are there - the artist name, the album artwork, the choice of cover versions. But it doesn't sound dated. Decent songs don't age. It's far too long, but that's part of the appeal. Maybe the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band caught me on a good day. Maybe I'm maturing with age and becoming a stupid hippie.
I actually liked this one quite a bit... it just overstayed it's welcome by an hour lol
technically contains some incredible performances (plus i enjoyed the parts with the musicians talking) but as an album it's just not a very enjoyable experience. i did like the instrumental tracks as well as some of the lyricism and after putting this album off for a long time because of the duration, i have to say it wasn't that hard to get through. the songs that charted are the standouts here (Grand Ole Opry Song, I Saw The Light) but i would also choose the title track as one of my favorites. also i liked the banter, the only place where it felt unnecessary was Sunny Side Talk side note: i think i have the audio version of the tetris effect but for bluegrass now
I never really listened to bluegrass prior to listening to this album. The closest thing was some bluegrass-esque Grateful Dead tunes. As another user stated, this album is a sort of “uniting” of two generations. It flows like a long jam session. The talent on here is great. Lots of legendary names. I absolutely love the dialogue between the songs. It makes you feel like you’re in the studio. The only thing keeping this from a higher rating is its length. 2 hours is a long time for straight bluegrass. If it was cut in half, it’d get a higher score.
If you Love Bluegrass this is a seminal album. That it was recorded in single takes with minimal technical editing is a testament to the craftsmanship of those musicians. God damn its a long album tho.
Pretty good country and folk album. I could listen to it while playing fallout!
At times, I do love Americana, roots, bluegrass, etc., music. At other times, it can really annoy me. In the right mood, I like this album and very much appreciate its place in the American music canon, both as an album on its own and as an act of preservation. There are SO many tracks on this album, so it's a great compendium of this style of music. No matter what mood I'm in when I listen to this album, I can hear some superbly skilled musicians. There is a genuine skill on display here.
Nice to find something you would never have given a chance otherwise. Love how raw this is, the ability of these musician to lay down tracks of this quality in one or two takes is jaw-dropping. Didn't listen to the whole thing due to length and since this feels like a compilation more than a cohesive album. Will be dipping back in at a later time but this is well worth a listen. 3.5/5
Listened to half first side of CD. Interesting sound. Very full and can tell they paved way for future country western and bluegrass. Liked the little vocal parts before each song
Había canciones divertidas y otras que eran un rollo.
That's a lot of bluegrass for one sitting! It's great. Every classic is here.... Just too much for me! 3/5
If I finished listening to this album, I wouldn't have time to finish the others before dying
Like listening to the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack, but it’s 12 songs too long.
Jingley jangles!
That's a lot of fiddle.
It has taken me some time to find a day where I could commit to a 42 song album. They certainly were generous with. music length and I think a price should be given for that alone! This is, of course, a classic bluegrass album that came closer to any other to making bluegrass standards mainstream than any other effort I am aware of. NGDB was certainly a part of the soundtrack of my childhood and these songs, many of them old, have been played throughout Appalachia for time immemorial. I am a fan, but can't say I will often seek this one out in the future. Good to hear.
quote boring
I usually quite enjoy bluegrass and some country but it was out of context listening in my kitchen. It would have been better in an American bar. It got a bit “plinky plinky” and samey. Pleasant enough, not momentous. Low 3* ?
Long but a good listen and was interesting to read how and why the band was formed. The album recorded in 1 or 2 takes
Folk country > pop country. There were a lot of moments I liked, especially the instrumentals. There are some quite talented musicians here. A loooot of the songs sounded almost the same. They tend to use very, very similar chord progressions and song structures. I was disappointed by how repetitive the album was. I did find it pretty charming but I never want to hear it again, except for a few tracks. Except it's hard to know WHICH tracks I'd want to hear again, since they're so similar. I think I'm just barely gonna give it a 3 because I enjoyed the vibes and fun banjo/fiddle parts. I liked the instrumental tracks I did find it fascinating how old some of the collaborators on this album were. This album is like a historical artifact
Well that was a bit of gosh darn fun. Some banjo, some fiddle, some auto harp. Cute.
Some awesome tunes on this album, but not the kinda thing I'd revisit often (if at all). Bonus point for expert musicians though.
Cool, aber nichts was ich im Alltag hören würde
Viele tolle Sachen aber manchmal krasser hillbilly
One to play on the road trip from California to Texas, you would probably still be listening to it on the return leg as well! It's long but not unenjoyable.
Right, so the bluegrass on this is about the best collection of bluegrass you can get. The proto-country of this is barely tolerable. The overriding thing to say about this though is that long album is long. Like, really long. After an hour you're thinking to yourself 'holy crap, is this not over yet?' and no, it isn't. There's another whole hour left to go. Jesus H Christ, this is longer than China's famous march. It's longer than John Silver. It's longer than the way to Tipperary. If it was a kitchen appliance, it'd be made by De'Longhi. Ice ages could come and go, and this album will still be playing. It should have been released as three albums, and for that I have to take a star off. The bluegrass is 5 stars, the proto-country takes down to 4, the length makes it 3.
Best wel heel fijne blues/country muziek
Interesting bluegrass country album
It’s too long & quite inconsistent throughout - quality can be hugely different per song
Pleasant enough, but too long. Thank goodness this wasn't a deluxe edition.
This could have been 4 or 5 star if it wasn't so fucking long.
Not bad but so, so long....
Really enjoyed large parts of this but it just goes on forever
So amazing and expansive but also so long. I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did, for some reason I thought it would be some Dr Hook or Grateful Dead hippy Jams. I was not prepared for nearly two hours of devine bluegrass. I really need to explore this again when I am not trying to also look after a sick 5 year old and meet deadlines. Part of me wonders if it is too long and could have done with losing a few songs. Not quite 4 stars, more lile 3 and a half
Little too long by half
Du bon bluegrass, il n'y a pas vraiment de mauvaises chansons, mais l'album est vraiment très long pour rien, il y aurait eu moyen de faire 3-4 albums avec tout le matériel. Ça devient tannant à la longue
Ble
Fun, big band country sound. I’d do this live, but found a >2h album a little tiring
6/10
6/10. Nice and bluegrassy, but so goddamn long. I could see it being nice ambience.
Enjoyed this one
Country music, but really it's American Heritage country music. Lots of covers of standards and staples for the genre, including a very beautiful instrumental rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." The album is absurdly long though, and for that reason I can't rate it too highly. As an archive of music it's great, but as a sit-down album experience I found it hard to stay engaged. But the music is nice, and certainly a change of pace from our usual picks. Favorite tracks: Both Sides Now, Dark as a Dungeon, Grand Ole Opry Song, Cannonball Rag. Album art: Lends itself well to the American Heritage music concept. Nothing much to say, but the cursive font is nice, reminds me of signatures on the Declaration of Independence or something. 3/5
Long. Triple album long. Not bad but samey...
Songs are good but the album is long
This was quite fun for a while, but it just.doesn't.stop..
Country. Más de dos horas de disco, se hace un poco pesado. Aún así: ni fu ni fa.
Ну такое кантри
Not bad but just way too long to keep my attention. It's more of a sampler of different country musicians so hard to compare to proper albums
Een heel album is wat veel maar er zitten toch echt wel wat mooie pareltjes tussen.
Alright folk music: nothing crazy
Fun but too long
hits and misses 2.5/5
Never went out of my way to listen to much bluegrass. I've said records are long on this project, but my goodness is this thing loooong. I still made it through it all, so I probably enjoyed some of it. I do really love the fact that there's studio noise in between some of the songs, really gives the impression that these songs were just off-the-cuff jam sessions. Favorite tracks: "Will the Circle Be Unbroken", "Tennessee Stud", "Keep on The Sunny Side"
Definitely not my kind of music, but on the other hand it's not bad at all! I enjoyed this venture into the unknown. Also, the rumours are true: this really is Oh Brother, 20-30 years earlier.
Southern Bluegrass / Country. Long album at 42 tracks with a lot of artists collaborating. Pretty well produced, recognized some of the tunes despite not really listening to much of this genre. Would probably have given this a 4 because the instrumentals were very well done, production values were high, but docking a point for the confederate flags. Also it's looooong, and there's only so much banjo and fiddle you can hear before it's all sounding the same.
What a fabulous name for a band. The folks who came up with the name "The Electric Prunes" must be particularly embarrassed when they see how cool a band name these toothless bluegrass brothers came up with. While I knew the band's name, I had no clue who they were and what kind of music they played. When Track 1 started, I liked it. I'd like to be a fly on the wall watching these brothers jam. These good ole boys know how to play and when I hear tunes like these I can't help thinking about the movie "Oh Brother Where Art Thou". I kept hoping one of the 42 songs would be The Soggy Bottom Boys. I know you guys will remember the era when you could find hidden messages from spinning vinyl backwards, so you probably know the old joke that goes Q: What do you get when you play a country record backwards? A: You get your wife back, your dog back and your truck back. Spotify plays in one direction only so there is no coming back! I don't have a wife, dog or truck so I could take my chances, but anyone who does should stay away from CD2 in particular. I've never been so happy to hear the song "Will the Circle be Unbroken" since I figured the title song must mean the album's almost done. I rated this 2 because it was so long it was like work but gave +1 because the band's name is so cool. If this album were a third the size, the 3 could have been legit. It's a good cross section of music styles within a specific genre but there is just too darn much of it. A number of special guests are brought in to mix it up but it doesn't change the fact that 42 songs is overkill. I know the good book says to share (or at least someone told me it said something along those lines) but sharing 42 bluegrass songs is like feeding the hungry the way the French feed their foie gras ducks.
Fiddles
There are some really enjoyable songs on this album, such as: Grande Ol Oprey Song, I Saw the Light, and My Walkin’ Shoes. There were too many instrumental pieces which all blend together and kind of drone on for me. In the end, this album would be a decent choice when I’m in the mood for bluegrass, but bluegrass just isn’t my genre. If the album were reduced down to its best 8 tracks or so, I might put it in my regular rotation.
-Like classic, bluegrass country -a few songs were nice
Um . . . I said the previous album was unchallenging to listen to. That is not the case here. I’ve always found jazz a kinda gimmicky genre and never really felt the desire to do a deep dive into it, which I’m sure is what would give me an appreciation for it; and this is that only more so. In the global stats for the website I’m getting these album suggestions from, which lets you rate them, this is the 6th lowest rated album. Favourite track: “Good Old Days.”
I did like this album, but not enough to feel like revisiting most of the songs again. I think i only added a couple to my library. 3/5 stars.
Great assembly of country artists.
Yee. Frickin. Haw.
Lightning fast picking. Rollicking good fun, but overlong. Great musicianship.
Some time last year I realized, to my great surprise, that there are some styles of country that I actually enjoy a lot. Since this band seems to mix a couple of different country styles there were quite a few songs I liked a lot, such as the first and third ones. Other songs however I found really boring and at the same time borderline annoying. For a while I thought that would even out to a generously rounded up 4, but the album drags out waaaay too long at over two hours, which cost it a star.
Thought it would get annoying but it didn't! Bit too long.
I love bluegrass so this was very enjoyable. I don't love that it's 2 discs and 2+ hours long. Also, the confederate flags on the cover don't give me good feelings.
Fun and enjoyable in parts but SO LONG. Turned into a real slog
That's what you call roots music I guess. I appreciate the deep feeling, quality and honesty of these bluegrass and country tunes. Just not my thing
A nice rubberneck hotel will put this album on high rotation. I must’ve been in the right zone, and really liked it
Probably closer to a 5/10 than a 6/10, its not bad, just very long
Country. Divertido pero muy largo. 2 horas
There's some good stuff on here, but lots of not so great stuff. 3/5.
Meh.
Thats A LOT of bluegrass!
Great country/gospel/bluegrass blend, although some of the songs tend to start sounding alike.
was good
Ok but a bit too much of it
Not too bad folk/country.
didn't listen to it all - good one to cricle back to
Im not much of a blue-grass fan, but this was actually fairly enjoyable, but it is WAY too long (nearly 2 hours on the original), and does not have neary enough variety to justify that length. I like the snippits of conversation though. Overall, while I probably wont come back to it, it was still enjoyable
De aquí seguramente salga un muy buen disco de bluegrass pero DIOS SANTO QUE COSA MÁS LARGA SE ME HA HECHO ETERNO LO HE TENIDO QUE ESCUCHAR EN CUATRO VECES.
Bleh
Just really longgg!
Should be the Dirt Band
Good folk/country album from the nitty boys
Great country and bluegrass record, but it's just far too much country and bluegrass for me.
On the one hand, an impressive document of musical heritage going to great lengths to honor and respect the traditions of their forebears. On the other hand its 2 hours of twangy yeehaw about riding horses, shooting families, abducting daughters, courting teenagers, and how much god loves them by some crotchety old gatekeepers and confederates.
Getting younger and older country music performers together to record country and bluegrass music is an interesting idea. But, this album went on way too long and was poorly paced. The six instrumentals in a row in the middle should have been dispersed throughout the entire album. It was too much banjo. That is what killed the vibe for me. Every thing after that was just more of the same.
Can't say I liked the music, but they seam to be having fun, so good for them. 4/10
2 hours of bluegrass country music is way too much. Musically it's interesting, but not for 2 hours.
Idk it's too long, I'm tired...
Far too long
It's a decent album. Most of the instrumentals were fun to listen to. It wasn't boring or bad. It was just too long and wasn't very memorable.
today this poor idiot enters country music hell. so first thing i wanna complain about is this album’s length. almost two hours of country music. like who the fuck is able to endure that apart from hardcore country fans. secondly i just really absurdly wanna complain about the dude who plays the fiddle. like he’s fiddling too much in approximately 80% of the songs that i have the patience for finishing. he wont fucking stop until he died. or break his neck. sounds crazy, y’know. but it’s just a reference to the hit musical fiddler on the roof and i love it too much. wait a minute the fiddler on the album is already dead. glad to know that. but anyway here’s a 2/5!
1. opry - 2 2. zunny - 2 3. bluez - 2 4. flouuer - 1 5. jeuuel - 2 6. dark - 1 7. ztud - 0 8. rag - 2 9. uureck - 0 10. end - 2 11. light - 2 12. mountain - 1 13. hammer - 1 14. lozing - 1 15. honky - 1 16. mind - 2 17. zhoez - 1
It's full of classics that I respect but wouldn't really sing along with and it is over two hours long. I respect it as long as it never comes over for beers again.
I like a few songs but this was painfully long. I feel like a shorter representation of this band would have been a lot better.
This is what I wish country music was. Not really my thing, but the music wasn’t bad. Too much talking and random bs which disrupted the flow and an otherwise decent bluegrass album. Very long, which without the random talking bits, would’ve been more reasonable. 2.5/5
This is sprawling, but some definite nuggets in there. High 2s.
In a nutshell: "let's do it the first time, and to hell with the rest" I was led to believe that this was a studio album. It is, and it's not. Two track master, all songs performed in one or two takes. Press record on one tape and let it roll as each act did their thing. You get the tuning, the banter with the band and exchanges between the artist and the producer. That part annoyed me, as it interrupted the flow of what an album is. But I guess the intention was twofold - produce an organic listening experience, as if you were there in the studio, and to infuse the old ways with the new. Having a list of must hear albums needs to include as many genres as possible. We don't have a title that represents bluegrass and Appalachian folk music. I would recommend this album instead of The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, that's for sure. Overall: 4/10
A little too country for me.
Too long, not much standing out, pretty basic...
I guess the circle is unbroken because this album is over two hours. Some all right music but I got bored. Top tracks: "Grand Ole Opry Song," "Black Mountain Rag"
Felt about an hour and a half too long. Just kept going, and going, and going.
Eh, not for me. Fun music but not my style.
Were it an hour long, it would've been a 3/5. These guys can play, no doubt about it, but I really don't like country and bluegrass that much. Since it's over 2 hours long, it's a 2/5. TOO DAMN LONG!
Baustelle, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Langweilig auf Dauer.
Za dlugie
The album started fine. Country and bluegrass isn’t really my genre, but we are all on this journey to broaden our horizons, right? Unfortunately, this was a double album and it dragged on and on and on. The studio outtakes got pretty boring pretty fast too. Luckily, after almost two hours, the circle became unbroken and I could move on
4/10 Good at times but so very long. So long that I just had to start skipping songs in the second half just to get through this marathon of a listen. There were highlights, and I really like the snippets of conversation peppered throughout, which really take you to the time and add a kind of charm. Best track: Dark As A Dungeon Will I revisit?: No
Munspel är nice och många instrumentala låtar var ändå balla, men albumet är alldeles för långt och alldeles för amerikanskt. Gav upp efter drygt halva.
Fint med lite bluegrass även fast det inte är min favorit-genre. Skivan är också otroligt lång. Mellanmjölk!
I have a hell of a lot of respect for what they did here, bringing together legends of an older sound and new artists. But I don’t need over 2 hours of it
42 country/folk songs in a row is far too much for me. It's too jolly for a 1 so 2 it is
Ok 2/5
not my people. I can appreciate them as musicians but I'll never listen to this again.
Mrd
this album was a fucking challenge. it felt like the nitty gritty dirt band knew that one day i'd make repeated claims that i love music and decided to test the limits of my resolve. and honestly.... i'm not sure i passed their test. 1 hour, 49 minutes and 2 seconds of bluegrass might just be too much for me to handle in a single sitting. or at least as close as i could get to a single sitting, since it was so long i had to take a bathroom break in the middle. i managed to lock in for the first hour or so and was mostly enjoying it, especially the performances of merle travis' "dark as a dungeon" and "nine-pound hammer", but by the time the run of instrumentals in the second half had ended and the album moved back into more vocal tracks the fatigue had kicked in and it became a real struggle to continue. i wanna say i liked the title track and "both sides now", but it's impossible to judge how much of that was just down to their position at the end of the album and the knowledge that once i'd listened to them, i could finally take off my headphones and move on with my life. as much as i appreciate the band's goal of bridging the gap between generations of country musicians, by the end i was very much ready to clock out. unless you're a true country music head it's probably best to listen to this in the background while doing something else rather than attempting to fully engage with it... or maybe just skip straight to the bonus tracks for the blazing performance of "foggy mountain breakdown". imo they really fumbled the bag by not including it in the original release, but i guess even the dirt band must've hit their limit by that point. whatever the case, i think it's gonna be quite some time before i'm ready to listen to bluegrass again. good lord.....
What a painful 2+ hours. If you're a bluegrass/country fan, I'm sure this is cool, but it is too long, and too bland. Absolutely good playing but I will happily forget this record. 2
I said this earlier, I do have a fondness for country like this, but this was just a bit too long... I survived the whole listen though. More than can be said of other albums I've had to deal with. Favorite tracks: Flint Hill Special, Togary Mountain, Earl's Breakdown, Orange Blossom Special, Will the Circle Be Unbroken.
I tried but not my cup of tea especially over 2 hours of it.
Not bad, I just wish there were a few more intrumentals with a spirited banjo and a violin
Too long