There are lots of bluegrass bands out there that play bluegrass arrangements of rock & roll songs, and there are lots of bluegrass bands that do their best work in a live setting. But very few manage to play in a generally traditional style while also imbuing their live performances with the kind of energy associated with the best rock & roll.
Mountain Heart's ability to do just that is the first thing that will strike you about this live album, recorded in 2007 at the Ark in Ann Arbor, MI. The first three songs roar along with the force of a hurricane, uniting speed and soulfulness in a way that is frankly kind of hard to believe. When they slow things down the effect is hardly less impressive; new singer Josh Shilling really shines brightly on his rendition of the heart-rending original song "Who's the Fool Now." You might argue that fiddler
Jim VanCleve's "Devil's Courthouse" is taken just a bit too fast to be much more than a showcase of virtuosity, but their bouncing a cappella rendition of "Gospel Train" is nothing short of brilliant, and when they venture into the blues on "Works Both Ways," the results are very impressive as well. The album's strangest interlude is Shilling's solo turn (on piano and vocals) on a version of
the Allman Brothers' "Whipping Post." It works, but sounds a bit out of place. Overall, this is a very impressive and highly enjoyable album. ~ Rick Anderson