Search - Monroe Crossing :: Green Mossy Ground

Plenty here to thrill bluegrass fans

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 08/22/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Playing Time - 45:38 -- Monroe Crossing's logo shows a yellow and black crossing sign with Big Mon and his mandolin. Rules of the road necessitate our slowing down and paying attention to this busy band from Minnesota that includes Lisa Fuglie (fiddle), Art Blackburn (guitar), Graham Sones (banjo), Matt Thompson (mandolin, fiddle) and Mark Anderson (bass). Their third album in as many years offers a lively set of traditional standards, four originals, two instrumentals, two gospel numbers, and some other surprises. There's plenty here to thrill their fans as they continue to break out of the regional band category and into a national spotlight



Their allegro rendition of Sid Campbell's "This Morning At Nine" (classic Country Gentlemen fare) sets the stage for some high stepping and fast traffic ahead. They also cover hits from The Osborne Brothers (Listening to the Rain), Flatt & Scruggs (No Mother or Dad), and Bill Monroe (Why Did You Wander?). With their abilities, I'd like to see them wander a few more of the back roads of bluegrass for less oft-played material.



Engaging arrangements for their instrumental offerings spice up Aubrey Haynie's tribute to Bill Monroe, "Leavin' Rosine," and a tune from Norman Blake called "Blake's March" offers some tasty flatpicking. Sones' banjo is in the spotlight on Pete Wernick's "Tequila Mockingbird."



Blackburn and Fuglie are Monroe Crossing's lead vocalists. Harmony support is ably provided by Thompson and Anderson, and the band really shines on the gospel song written by Becky Buller ("The Rain" ), a Tim O'Brien love song ("The Sweetest Song I Sing") and old Lutheran hymn ("I Love to Tell the Story").



Just when you start to think you have this band pegged, they lay out something like an original honky tonk country song, "Just Because of You," that kicks off with twin fiddles and a strong walking bass line on Anderson's portable upright. A pleasing trademark of this band is their propensity to arrange their songs with occasional phrases of instrumental harmony. The band's other original material is also impressive. "The Green Mossy Ground," by Fuglie, is a triple-timed high lonesome tale of love that leads to death. Blackburn's "The Way You Look at Him" speaks to a common theme in bluegrass, love gone wrong after encountering a "cruel and unkind twist of fate that hard life often brings." Blackburn also penned "Eight Good Years," a contemporary song with the questions a couple face when they reach a crossroad in their relationship. The next time you are on the highways of Big Minnie, be sure to slow down and stop when you see a Monroe Crossing sign. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

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