Search - Third Tyme Out :: Live at the Mac

Live CD captures IIIrd Tyme Out's fiery bluegrass style

08/31/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Live bluegrass recordings are rare, given the difficulty of sonically capturing acoustic instruments often played at blazing speeds in only one take. But IIIrd Tyme Out rises to the challenge on "Live at the MAC," which was recorded at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonburg, Ky. Known for pushing the boundaries of bluegrass, the band chooses to recast many of the genre's classics, including "Blue Moon of Kentucky," "White House Blues" (both written by Bill Monroe), and "Tennessee Waltz." The star of the show is Russell Moore, whose spectacular vocals swoop and soar throughout. Fiddler Mike Hartgrove also impresses, particularly on the traditional "Little Rabbit" and Flatt and Scruggs' "Someone Took My Place With You." This album is not only a must-have for bluegrass fans, but should be checked out by anyone into country, gospel or other rootsy American music."

Impeccable musicianship

08/10/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Live at the Mac" demonstrates the outstanding versatility of a premier bluegrass band. The vocals and the instrumentals are impeccable. Classical tunes or old ones, they perform all of them well. Russel Moore lives up to his billing, and Steve Dilling and Mike Hartgrove provide the best second-generation recordings of Flatt and Scruggs tunes that you will hear. I generally don't care for the audience participation in live recordings, but this one is an exception. IIIrd Tyme Out works the crowd better than most bands, and it shows on this CD. Excellent entertainment!"

Great Music - Lousy Crowd

06/12/1998

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The music on this live album is some of the best traditional and contemporary bluegrass that has been recorded by this truly outstanding group of musicians and singers. Too bad the crowd noise gets in the way of the people listening to the CD. I can only hope that they re-record the same titles in the studio soon, so we can really enjoy their versions of The Tennessee Waltz and all of the other great classic melodys that they interpreted at the MAC."