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 I'm
big on The Grass Cats. In fact, their last release, "The Blues are Back in
Town" was among my favorites of 2003. From North Carolina, this bluegrass
quintet plays and sings with catlike grace. And unlike many bluegrass bands
early in their careers, they have maintained stability among their personnel
with Greg Miller (guitar), Tim Woodall (banjo), Chris Hill (fiddle), Russell
Johnson (mandolin), and Robin Burke (bass). Zack McLamb guests on bass. Besides
their excellent instrumental skill, equally impressive is that the band includes
four lead vocalists (all but Chris). Before joining the Cats, Chris Hill spent
six years performing with Al Batten and the Bluegrass Reunion.
The Grass Cats' varied musical approach also pulls material from many sources.
Miller does the most lead singing - five tracks. He previously played with "Moe
and The Grass." Miller's strong baritone voice is a mainstay of The Grass Cats'
sound. Tim Woodall mainly provides harmony vocals, but he sings lead on
"Teardrops in my Eyes" and "More Pretty Girls Than One," a couple bluegrass
warhorses that are oft-played. Woodall is a Dee-Jay for WQDR's Pinecone
Bluegrass Show from Raleigh, N.C. For a couple decades, Tim's five-string has
enhanced the sound of his band "Patchwork."
Robin Burke sings lead on Paul Anka's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," the
heart-tugging "I Know a Heartache," as well as the band's songwriting
collaboration, "Somebody New." For the past six years, she has played with the
Southern Gospel group, Kindred Hearts, and she toured Switzerland in 2000 with
Kickin' Grass.
Formerly with New Vintage, Russell Johnson offers his distinctive high lonesome
lead singing on four songs. An accomplished songwriter, Johnson's had a number
of songs reach the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey, and he was
nominated for SPBGMA's 2003 Songwriter of the Year. The opener on this project,
"Your Only Friend," has a bluesy feel, and the Russell Johnson composition with
Greg's lead singing is reminiscent of a Johnson Mountain Boys' sound with Dudley
Connell. Another original, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," is a waltz-time tale of
a drinking man coming home to a letter on the door with the hook, "if you don't
think it's over, you ain't seen nothing yet." The Grass Cats really shine on
those contemporary numbers with moderate tempo like Larry Hamilton's "I Know
It's Not Me." That might be one of my favorites on the CD.
The Cats have been together since 1997, and their fourth album, "Desperate
Times," is another workmanlike presentation from a highly proficient and
professional band whose strengths include good material, arrangements, vocals
and instrumental work. (Joe Ross)
THE GRASS CATS - Desperate Times
New Time Records NT1007
www.grasscats.com
Playing Time - 35:35
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