Bradford Lee Folk Rediscovers The Beauty of Bluegrass
In 1,000 years from now will country music as presently constructed still be around and practiced in popular form? I’m not quite sure. But bluegrass I’m quite sure in one form or another will always be around as long as there are humans sucking air. There’s just something inherent about bluegrass: the beauty of wood and wire, and sentiments conveyed in their most simple, acoustic form. Bluegrass is the eternally-relevant form of country. It represents country’s most primitive, and its most advanced state.
The problem with bluegrass in 2014 is where to take it. Bluegrass is the the tale of two worlds in many respects. One world consists of absolutists, preserving the music in its most pure expression, playing it like it has always been played. On the other side are the progressives, taking the genre to the highest reaches of human capacity in displaying talent. Both are beautiful in their own ways, and boast their prodigies and maestros. Yet they’re also both very limiting in many respects. The absolutists are saddled by never being able to evolve. The progressives many times come off as bored. After they have mastered their craft and are able to move their fingers as fast as they can and switch from chord to chord with the fleetness of a bounding deer, where to go? So they make bluegrass songs out of indie rock, or take it to places that sound fey to the common ear.
Somewhere in the pursuit of bluegrass perfection, the simplicity of the subgenre got forgotten: the wood and the wire, and the beauty of universal sentiments conveyed through inviting melody. This re-attention to the beauty side of bluegrass is what is found on Bradford Lee Folk’s new album Somewhere Far Away with The Bluegrass Playboys.
A simply-stated, wholesome, traditional yet original bluegrass album, Somewhere Far Away delves into the emotion-stirring exploration of melody like few other projects inside or out of the bluegrass world. Bradford’s voice is warm, soothing, and understated in a good way, never getting too exercised like the ideal voice of wisdom and reason, which is only fitting for the sage-like sentiments these songs convey. The high lonesome tone that seems as effortless as breath to Bradford evokes the majesty of wide vistas, stoking the imagination.
The music from the Bluegrass Playboys—consisting of Robert Trapp on banjo, Christian Sedelmyer on fiddle, David Goldenberg on mandolin, and Ashleigh Caudill / John Fabke on upright bass—sets a premier balance between technical impressiveness and attention to melody that allows you to enjoy the songs based on multiple parameters. Similar observances are relevant to the songwriting: intelligent and expressive, yet always mindful of making the listener not just think, but feel.
Something else endearing about this album is there’s only eight tracks, and not a skip over in the bunch. Often these days artists stretch track lists to unnecessarily lengths, not allowing busy listeners the time to really get to know each track. It’s like the difference between going to a crowded party and only walking away with snippets of conversations with quick acquaintances, and exploring the themes of life with a few close buddies around a campfire.
Bradford Lee Folk is the former frontman for the Rounder Record’s-signed bluegrass band Open Road, and for years was a mainstay of Colorado’s independent bluegrass scene. He’s now moved back east to Nashville, looking to ride the rising tide in Music City, while still spending many days on a tractor or in a field as a farmer and rancher to keep his heart tied to the history of the music and the land strong.
Somewhere Far Away may not win any grand accolades from the bluegrass circuit because it doesn’t represent an extreme of the discipline. But unlike some of the speed demons, compositional wizards, and purists setting the pace in bluegrass proper, Bradford Lee Folk, the Bluegrass Playboys, and Somewhere Far Away are simply a joy to listen to.
Two guns up.
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August 2, 2014 @ 4:09 pm
Right on trig. This is bluegrass done the right way. Thanks for the write-up.
August 2, 2014 @ 4:39 pm
“There”™s just something inherent about bluegrass: the beauty of wood and wire, and sentiments conveyed in their most simple, acoustic form. Bluegrass is the eternally-relevant form of country. It represents country”™s most primitive, and its most advanced state”.
“So they make bluegrass songs out of indie rock, or take it to places that sound fey to the common ear.”
Coupla dead-on observations above Trigger. Bluegrass is closer to Country music than anything ‘country’ radio has going on . It respects the narrative , the ‘clever’ in the craft, the emotion in the vocal stacks and the importance of a production which allows all of the above to be appreciated . Not to mention the fire in the instruments…..wood and wire . No embellishments , no autotune , no fancy foot pedals ….just plain ol unadulterated glorious talent .
Your man featured in the article sounds terrific and has more than a passing similarity to the great Del McCoury in his vocal sound ..perhaps not quite as much conviction …but yup ..’ the ‘high lonesome’ is front and center and the tradition oozes from the track above .
August 2, 2014 @ 5:00 pm
Hair standing off my head – and its damn long too, so no easy feat. This is truly an interesting lonely-lonesome-bluegrass sound, very much so eerily reminiscent of early twisted McCoury for sure (yes, Albert). Awesome. Friakin awesome.
August 3, 2014 @ 4:11 am
These reviews of music new to me are the best feature of this site.
I thank you again.
August 3, 2014 @ 12:32 pm
Usually, the issue that I have with bluegrass is the fast tempo, which can often drown out the narrative and create a bit of a dissonant sound.
Out of the bluegrass songs that I have heard so far, my favorite are from albums that mix traditional country with bluegrass, such as Patty Loveless’s “Mountain Soul” or Alan Jackson’s “The Bluegrass Album”.
August 3, 2014 @ 7:42 pm
Eric . Some acts you might appreciate based on your “likes’ noted above;
Della Mae
Balsam Range
Daley and Vincent
Rhonda Vincent and The Rage
Doyle Lawson
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
Claire Lynch
Dolly Parton ( The Grass Is Blue )
Sierra Hull
I’m a HUGE Alan Jackson fan for a lot of years and I’m thrilled that his “Bluegrass ” album has been so successful . But most of those songs aren’t far from the kind of country AJ has always done . He pretty much ‘blue-grassed ‘ them up with traditional bluegrass instrumentation and some ‘grass kinda lyric themes and references . Again …I love AJ and love his voice so I’m a fan of his Bluegrass album . However I think most of the acts listed above may hold something even more interesting for someone who may not be steeped in traditional ( fast -pickin etc.. ) bluegrass but loves the sound of that genre and the unique vocal stylings and harmonies.
August 3, 2014 @ 10:13 pm
Thanks for the suggestions, Albert! Speaking of Rhonda Vincent, I found her song “Homecoming” truly touching, along with the stellar Church Sisters cover.
It sure feels nice to be sharing music instead of debating bitterly about cultural issues.
August 4, 2014 @ 6:19 am
Eric, a huge problem in bluegrass is technical playing over MEANINGFUL playing. With the limited chord progressions and high tempos, monotony can set in quickly. BUT that is also why, when done right, it is transcendent.
One bluegrass “crossover” act I always put people onto is a band called Mountain Heart. They have a very diverse sound that is still bluegrass at the core. They also put on an awesome live show.
August 3, 2014 @ 1:01 pm
Dude look hella like a young Christopher Reeves. That’s all I’ve got.
August 3, 2014 @ 2:23 pm
Thanks for the review Trig. I was a little skeptical as the song started but by mid-way through I was converted. By god I love that bluegrass music.
August 22, 2014 @ 7:29 am
Kyle, thanks for the intro to Bradford Lee Folk. This album has been in my playlist queue and I finally got around to listening to it this week. Glad you’re cranking out these wonderful reviews. It’s really what your mission is about. Earlier this week I read your comments and lament about the lopsided comment participation in your bro country posts. Plenty of people are enjoying your wordsmithing and like me, I’m sure many of your readers play this music at home influencing the young ears of future country music lovers.