Newfound Road specializes in modern but traditional-sounding bluegrass; most of the songs on the band's second album are relatively recent compositions, but all except one of them is played in a straight-up old-school style, with astringent vocal harmonies and hard-charging instrumental muscle. (The exception is a more country-flavored version of
Tom T. Hall's regretful love ballad "That's How I Got to Memphis," which replaces the banjo with a second guitar.) The program isn't exactly groundbreaking, but it offers quite a few undeniably powerful performances -- highlights include the swinging and jazzy "Nothin' Ever Turns Out Right," a fine instrumental titled "Edinburgh" credited to lead singer Tim Shelton, and an excellent a cappella arrangement of the classic hymn "Rock of Ages." The album ends powerfully with a barnburning gospel number titled "Jesus Sure Changed Me." The missteps are minor, and none are particularly serious; "Somewhere Between" and "I Need You Lord" are both a bit maudlin even by gospel standards, and "Lonesome Feelin'" feels a bit like filler. Recommended overall. ~ Rick Anderson