While
John Cowan gained his rep in
New Grass Revival during the '70s and '80s, his vocal style has always owed more to
Robert Plant than
Bill Monroe. That makes him much more expressive than the average bluegrass singer, and along with
Tim O'Brien, one of the genre's most exciting vocalists. As a soloist, however, his career has never quite taken off. Perhaps that's because albums like 2000's
John Cowan and 2002's
Always Take Me Back proved too bombastic for even the progressive bluegrass crowd and still too traditionally tinged for the rock crowd. With 2006's
New Tattoo,
the John Cowan Band have taken a step back, first jumping to a more conservative label (Pinecastle) and secondly sticking closer to acoustic instruments. The results place
Cowan closer to
New Grass Revival material than he's been since the band broke up, and will be a welcome change for old fans. On the downside, the material -- most of it written by other writers -- lacks the spunk and edge that made
John Cowan and
Always Take Me Back intense (though perhaps over-produced). Even on a jewel like
Darrell and
Wayne Scott's "With a Memory Like Mine,"
Cowan's version lacks emotional depth when compared to
Darrell Scott's take on 2000's
Real Time with
Tim O'Brien.
New Tattoo nonetheless has much to recommend it, with excellent vocals and instrumental work, and will receive a warm welcome by longtime
Cowan fans.