Search - J.D. Crowe :: Bluegrass Evolution

A Classic Re-Issue

W. David Ferrell | West Virginia | 04/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Oh, man is it ever great to see all these re issues coming out on CD! It's about time! I remember years ago when I was still a teen, riding around in my dad's car listening to this recording on the 8-Track. This is not traditional Bluegrass. Instead, it's more in the "Country Bluegrass" flavor of the Osborne Brothers type of music, but it's classic just the same. Actually what you have here is the original version of New South (Crowe, Rice etc...)playing their bluegrass music with Nashville session musicians playing Steel Guitar, Piano and Drums... A really great combination that you just don't hear much today and it's a shame that you don't. A hard driving version of "You Can Have Her" kicks off the album followed with a love song called "You Can Share My Blanket", then the Gram Parsons classic "Devil In Disguise". There are so many great cuts on here... each one is a winner. The strangest selection on here has to be a recording of a Simon and Garfunkel song called "Leaves That Are Green (Turn To Brown). A strange selection, but it works perfectly. Like good music? This CD is for you. Buy it. You'll be glad you did."

Reissue of first New South album, from 1973

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 01/17/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fresh out of Jimmy martin's killer bluegrass ensemble, banjoist JD Crowe set out to make music as sweet as that of his mentor. The scrappy original line-up of the New South featured Crowe along with the Rice brothers, Tony and Larry, backed up by studio hotshots Pig Robbins, Ray Eddington and others. The use of drums and pedal steel was an unconventional choice for a bunch of bluegrass whippersnappers to make, but these sessions were clearly made under the twin influences of the country-tinged progressive bluegrass of the Osborne Brothers and the hippie-billy honkytonk of Gram Parsons, whose "Christine's Tune" (aka "Devil In Disguise") is covered on the first half of this album. It's an uneasy mix at times, but certainly interesting to fans of these idols of the early newgrass scene. Rice sings one of his first Gordon Lightfoot covers ("Ten Degrees And Getting Colder"), and Crowe records several songs that would turn up later on various Rounder albums. More country than grassy, but still worth checking out."