The charms of an older America
Jerome Clark | Canby, Minnesota | 08/10/1999
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This engaging, low-key effort is about as informal as a picking session between two masters of the old-time tradition can get. Mostly, Norman Blake and Rich O'Brien take on well-worn tunes, among them familiar songs ("When It's Lamplighting Time in the Valley") and often-played instrumentals ("Under the Double Eagle," "Flop Eared Mule") which hark back to an earlier America -- a country that clearly has first claim on their spiritual as well as their musical loyalties. Their love of the old shines forth endearingly here. The result is a front-porch kind of record, full of the pleasant, modest charms of an age that seems, at least in retrospective glow, a much simpler, more appealing one."
Relaxed and amiable
Eddie Finn | 10/20/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This project showcases a nicely chosen selection of old favorites. Some are well-worn (Flop Eared Mule, Under the Double Eagle), others are rather obscure Gospel gems (Heavenly Sunlight, with a preamble by Norman), and still others are variations on classical themes (Going Home, based on a Dvorak composition). No fret-burning guitar or mandolin, just good music played with feeling."