Another great album from Sam Bush
Walter Windish | 11/01/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Although I don't always agree with all his lyrics, I always enjoy his material. I've got all the Newgrass stuff on vinyl and am a fan of the mandolin.
Speaking of vinyl, the tune "Apple Blossom" was recorded in 1976 and features a duet between Sam on Fiddle and the late Newgrass Revival banjo man Courtney Johnson. It's a short, but sweet instrumental, followed directly, on track 13 with "Souvenir Bottles," which first appeared on their 1979 album "Barren County." This 8+ minute version has a great guitar, banjo, mandolin solo. Sweet.
The title track is a nice mellow piece. "Diamond Joe" starts off like "8 More Miles to Louisville," but is a nice up tempo vocal. "You left me alone" has got some nice banjo/mando work in the context of an upbeat broken-heart song. "The Old North Woods" is a 4 minute sweat instrumental with nice banjo and mandolin lines and a bowed cello adding a bit of extra mellow.
"The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle" is a mournful ballad telling the story of the murder of banjo man David "Stringbean" Akeman and his wife in 1973, as they were shot upon his return home from a gig at the Opry.
Having a soft spot for the mandolin, "Blue Mountain" is a great fast-paced tune with lots of great mando work. Scott Vestal and Stephen Mougin are no slouches on banjo and guitar either!
The rest of the tunes are worthwhile as well. Not a clunker on the disc.
Oh yeah, after the 2:24 last song "Whisper my Name," keep listening for another 30 seconds and you'll be treated to four minutes of Hot Tomales! Enjoy."
Primo Sammy
Cain Knobel | Colorado | 10/21/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The short review of "Circles Around Me" is this release is newgrass through and through and sounds as much like classic Sam Bush. Never mind the jazz/rock numbers of the past couple CDs, they were good, this music is where Sam's heart lives even it likes to stray from time to time. This release is to be added to "Howlin' At the Moon" and "Glamour and Grits" to the must haves in the Sam Bush library. Every track, from the instrumentals that are bit more progressive, to the Monroe covers are worthy of many listens. It's good the King has found his way back home."