... and 1/4 ... Original instrumental tunes with stirring so
J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 08/07/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Playing Time - 37:16 -- It's a fact that many musicians learn another instrument before learning resonator guitar. In Ivan Rosenberg's case, I presume that he might have mastered guitar or banjo back in Missouri before transferring some of his musical skills to the Dobro. Now, the Bellingham, Wa. resident plays his original tunes with the same kind of stirring soul and emotion that they'd be sung if they had been composed with lyrics. While some of his tunes evoke vivacious spirit into your dancin' shoes, Ivan seems particularly adept at mood creation. Some of his tunes produce a vocal-like atmosphere, while others seem to forge a soulful interplay of instruments. Take, for instance, his banjo and Dobro harmony on the opening cut. We could've used some more of that sweet harmony here and there, like perhaps in "Skunk Ate the Mothballs" or in "Rope-a-Dope" where we're only given a very minute taste of harmony in the tune's ending.
When reviewing a resonator guitar project, I particularly listen for good intonation control (getting all the notes just right on pitch with your left hand). That's got to take a lot of practice and skill, and Ivan's well-rehearsed success is most apparent when he is challenged with fast-moving slides in the second track, "Quackalactic Breakdown," and truckin' break on "Rope-a-Dope." For a change-up at track five, Ivan and co. sing one number, a different kind of futuristic rendition of "Poor Ellen Smith." At least 180-degrees from Jimmy Martin's version, Ivan's rendition of the North Carolina murder ballad incorporates considerable discretion with lyrics and melody as he sings "Nobody knows how I love Ellen, nobody knows." While his story line lacks all the details of the original lyrics, Ivan's tale hits the basic essentials of Ellen being shot, her body carried away, and the warden freeing the prisoner. The boy's clearly cut his teeth on traditional music at some point in his career before embarking on his innovative route of originality.
Clawhammer banjo and Dobro are very complementary instruments that work well together in the hands of a proficient player like Ivan who has an extensive discography (as both soloist and session musician), along with many TV and film credits. Mood-master Rosenberg also primarily calls on splendid acousticians Mason Tuttle (guitar, bass, mandolin) and David Keenan (National resophonic guitar). Chad Manning adds his fiddle wizardry to one cut, "Big Arm Montana," and Mary Lucey's eerie harmony is only heard on the one haunting vocal number. Jon Stickley's mandolin only appears in the mix of "Big Arm Montana" and "Pig Shack." Thus, arrangements are very clean with just enough instrumentation to make for clarion sound. Tuttle's lead guitar break (and solid bass foundation) on "The Creptid Mule" are noteworthy.
The album, recorded at Indidog Studio in North Carolina, gets full-bodied tonal contributions from the instruments. The set canters along with moderately-tempo'ed pieces, and perhaps a little more variety in tempo (along with a "chad" more fiddle) would have taken us through a few more up's and down's along the 37-minute buoyant journey. "Terrapenne" may be only a minute and a half, but the slower solo piece provides an opportunity for the set to breathe and blossom. This album would be a perfect listen while cruising along the Blue Ridge Parkway on some other scenic backcountry byway on a beautiful spring day. The vernal nature of this album is its very strength. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)
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