The
third album from Ron Spears & Within Tradition on the Copper Creek label
shows that the band has achieved a new place in the national forefront of
bluegrass music. Their previous recordings have always featured excellent
songwriting, splendid picking, and spirited vocal work, and this one is no
different. While Spears' band has experienced personnel changes since it
initially formed in 1999, one constant is his multi-year collaboration with
guitarist/vocalist Charlie Edsall. Originally from Indiana, Charlie's been
seriously playing bluegrass since 1974 with bands like High Strung,
Buzzard's Roost, Slide Mountain Boys and Feather River.
The other three members of this latest configuration of Within Tradition are
fairly recent graduates of South Plains College's Bluegrass Music Program -
Mike Tatar (fiddle, vocals), Joe Ash (bass, vocals), and Phil Bostic (banjo,
vocals). They are three very impressive young, energetic, enthusiastic and
proficient musicians with very promising professional careers ahead of them
in bluegrass. Only in his early 20s, Tatar plays a variety of styles but
prefers driving bluegrass the best. Ash was brought up on bluegrass, lays
down a very solid rhythmic foundation for the band, and also currently plays
guitar with Pacific Crest. From Oklahoma, Bostic also plays with his
father's bluegrass band in the midwest and has performed with several
national acts including Wild and Blue.
The current Within Tradition high-geared sound has the banjo, fiddle and
vocals in the spotlight. The songs' fills and breaks are primarily banjo and
fiddle-centric, but the mandolin and guitar offer a few featured
instrumental passages here and there. Special guest Rob Ickes embellishes
"Darling, Please Don't Let Our Sweet Love Die" with his fluid dobro playing.
Within the mixing process, a minor suggestion would have been to reinforce
and draw out Edsall's guitar fills (on "The Fugitive" for example) to avoid
any potential feeling of instrumental clash with Bostic's crisp five-string.
Edsall is no slouch on his instrument, and he provides some nice licks on
"Ocean of Teardrops" and "Carolina Rain" and "A Little Ways Down the Road."
The album's closer is a 2-minute solo guitar piece, "Kylee's Prayer,"
written by Edsall for his granddaughter. Other instrumentals include
Spears' swingy "Billsville" and Tatar's hoedown called "Lost in Nashville."
Smooth vocals have always been a Within Tradition trademark, and having the
new group of singers has necessitated the rearrangement of some of Spears'
favorite songs like the title cut, "Carolina Rain" which was originally
released in a different key on his self-released 1995 project. Now, we're
seeing the band feature more high lead, baritone and low tenor vocal
arrangements. The triple-time "Dreams of Rosemary" is another that was
reworked to a high lead vocal arrangement. Spears is a very good songwriter,
and he knows how to capture classic bluegrass ideas and themes in his new
material. There are songs about prison, love lost, parting ways, honky
tonkin', life's rocky road and individual salvation. Edsall also
demonstrates his strong songwriting skills with "Don't Blame Me," and I hope
that future projects from this band feature more of his compositions. Songs
from Merle Haggard and Pete Goble/Leroy Drumm are also included.
Ron Spears has assembled a simply killing group
for his third Copper Creek release. Combining seasoned experience with the
youthful exuberance of his new bandmates creates high energy, smart
character and a bluegrass sensation that will take them far. (Joe Ross)
RON SPEARS & WITHIN TRADITION - Carolina Rain
Copper Creek CCCD-0219
Copper Creek Records, PO Box 3161, Roanoke, VA 24015
http://www.coppercreekrec.com
Total Playing Time - 37:09
