The Steeldrivers - The Steeldrivers (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

A Breath of Fresh Air in the Bluegrass Scene!

Sound/Word Enthusiast | Rhode Island, USA | 02/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...contemporary bluegrass is such a fertile field right now, with so many new styles, sounds, and ideas complimenting the timeless and traditional core that underpins the music. But even in such a rich community, these guys stand out. So much so that I hesitate to pigeonhole them as bluegrass at all...this is some sort of stringband country soul -- hillbilly r'n'b or something. I can't put my finger on it, and that's what I love about it.

Most reviewers are quick to point out Chris Stapleton's voice, which is riviting and unusual in an acoustic context: a sandpaper-roughened bluesy belt that never sacrifices the soul of the song in favor of histrionics.

But the whole band is greater than the sum of its already-formidable parts: Tammy Rodgers (remember her great duo album with Don Heffington "In the Red"? Buy it now!) nails the high harmonies and comes up with fiddle breaks that are melodic and organic but still surprising; Mike Henderson (you should buy all his Dead Reckoning albums with the Bluebloods, too) keeps the backbeat sharp with his mandolin and tosses in some great Monroe-ish funky solos; banjo vet Richard Bailey is so tasteful, his licks (smoothly blending melodic and Scruggs styles) always complimenting what is going on and never overwhelming it; and Mike Fleming drives it all with his big bass sound and smooth baritone vocals.

As fine as the musicianship is, this is a song band, and these tracks (mostly by Stapleton and Henderson) are all gems: clear and vivid portraits of heartbreak, struggle, and regret. Some have been cut by country acts (Chris has had two #1 hits in the past year, Henderson and Rodgers have both had big chart success as songwriters), but they are reborn here as stringband stomps and are all the better for it. I hate to pick favorites, but if you really don't have much time, check out "Midnight Train to Memphis," "Heaven Sent," and "East Kentucky Home," the latter a very clever variation (particularly the chord changes) on the vintage bluegrass homesickness theme.

Words ain't enough folks -- plunk down the dough and go for it!"

Creative advance for bluegrass revival

Globie | St. Louis | 01/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While I have welcomed the revived enthusiasm for bluegrass in the last few years, I have heard little that moved beyond earnest homage, and few new songs in the genre were memorable. The Steeldrivers mark a creative advance on both counts.

The playing is exceptional -- dead-on and driving while eschewing ostentacious virtuosity. Chris Stapleton's growling, bluesy voice is certainly a departure from bluegrass norms, but an apt complement to the traditional instrumentation. But the songs are what distinguish The Steeldrivers' debut. The lyrics and hooks are fresh and moving, without cliché or pointless noodling.

My only disappointment is Mike Henderson's sublimated role here. He co-wrote eight of the 11 songs, and I have to believe that his powerhouse blues background is largely responsible for this band's distinctive hard-edged sound. But for a musician of his renown, his mandolin licks rarely stand out here. I look for him to step out a little more on The Steeldrivers' next release.

"

No-frills, hard drivin' workingman's music

PK | United States | 02/28/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not a real big fan of bluegrass but I am a big fan of SteelDriver. Where this group pulls away from the pack is with the focus on songwriting, singing and soul.

Stapleton has written #1 hits for Kenny Chesney and Josh Turner and the band is an assembly of seasoned session musicians from Music City.

Toss all of this together with a raspy, kick-a$$ singer and you get some no-frills, hard drivin' workingman's music at it's best.

"

The SteelDrivers Put the Blues Into Bluegrass Music

R. Cherry | 02/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The SteelDrivers self-titled album will be released on Rounder Records in mid January. When that happens, the music community is going to get a surprise. Here's a band that puts the blues into bluegrass. This is a new experience and a new sound to acoustic music. Take a bit of rock-a-billy, blues, honky-tonk and traditional bluegrass. Put them into a big black cast iron pot on high heat and you get a hot mix of a new blues grassy sound.

From the start of the album, you know this isn't going to be another typical album of acoustic music. This is something new, unique and refreshing. A sound with a different beat, a different mix but using the same old instruments. This is also a sound that has enough relevance and familiarity that you will instantly be able to relate to it even though, it is something you've not heard before.

If you are looking for a traditional bluegrass album, this is not it. If you're looking for newgrass, this is not it. If you're looking for progressive grass, this isn't it. But, if you're looking to find the blues in bluegrass, you've found what you're looking for with The SteelDrivers. Bluegrass is based on the blues but the blues seem long gone from the genre. The SteelDrivers bring it back together with this exciting release. There is something personal and alive with this band that has been missing from the music scene for some time.

While the lively pickin' of bluegrass is here in songs like "If You Can't Be Good, Be Gone" and "Hear the Willow Cry", it is songs like the opening "Blue Side of the Mountain" and "To Be With You Again" that carry the soul of this album -- blues+bluegrass=SteelDrivers. The artistry of placing blues and bluegrass together using traditional instruments is a unique combination. A combination that is both refreshing as it is entertaining.

And, these artists are the SteelDrivers:

Richard Bailey - Banjo

Grammy nominated banjo player, Richard Bailey has recorded with such diverse artists as Al Green and George Jones. Featured in the book "Masters of the 5-String Banjo", Richard has performed with Bill Monroe, Roland White, Vassar Clements, Loretta Lynn, Chet Akins and countless others. He has also recorded with Kenny Rogers, Michael Martin Murphy, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette and Ronnie Milsap and has played at Carnegie Hall and on Austin City Limits.

Mike Fleming - Bass/Vocals

Mike Fleming lays down the firm foundation and sings the baritone harmony to round out the SteelDriver's sound. A versatile veteran, Mike has recorded with Holly Dunn, Joy Lynn White and with groundbreaking singer/songwriter David Olney. In addition to traveling the world during stints with Dunn and Kevin Welch, Mike has appeared on Austin City Limits, Nashville Now, Crook and Chase, and too many Grand Ole Opry shows and festivals to count!

Mike Henderson - Mandolin/Vocals

Mike Henderson is a veteran songwriter and award winning musician on the Nashville scene. He has recorded with such artist as Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Mark Knopfler, Albert King, Hank Williams, jr., Johnny Lang, Peter Rowan, Guy Clark, John Hiatt, Sting, Delbert McClinton, Bob Seger, Bo Diddley, Faith Hill, Lucinda Williams, Nitty Gritty Dirt band and many others. Mike's songs have been recorded by a number of acts including the Dixie Chicks, Kenny Rogers, Daryl Worley, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Travis Tritt, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Solomon Burke, Marty Stuart, Gary Allan and Randy Travis.

Tammy Rogers - Fiddle/Vocals

Tammy Rogers has a life spent in music. Growing up in a family bluegrass band that also included banjo great Scott Vestal, Tammy brings a lifetime of instrumental and vocal experience to the SteelDrivers. No stranger to the studio, she has recorded with many top artists, among them: Neil Diamond, Wynonna, Rodney Crowell, Radney Foster, Bill Anderson, Iris Dement, Randy Scruggs, Patty Loveless, Buddy & Julie Miller, Jim Lauderdale and others. Tammy has toured the world with Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Patty Loveless, Maria McKee and the Dead Reckoners. Her songs have been recorded by Terri Clarke and Frances Black.

Chris Stapleton - Guitar/Vocals

Chris Stapleton is a rising star on the Nashville scene. The Paintsville, Kentucky native whose powerful "sandpaper to silk" voice helps give the SteelDrivers their distinctive sound has recorded with Daryl Worley, Gary Allan, Lee Ann Womack, Trent Wilmon, James Otto and others. As a songwriter, his compositions have been covered by many popular artists including Tim McGraw, Brooks and Dunn, Julie Roberts, Daryl Worley, Trent Wilmon, Gary Allan, Patty Loveless, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Lee Ann Womack, Montgomery Gentry, and the Lonesome River Band. In addition, Chris recently scored a number one single, "Your Man" by Josh Turner."

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