Nu Blu - Ten
Rural Rhythm
I’ve long enjoyed the bluegrass-country fusion of Nu Blu. Founded ten years ago by husband and wife team, Carolyn and Daniel Routh, the band also includes long time band members Levi Austin and Austin Koerner to comprise one of today’s finest bluegrass-styled outfits. This is their fifth album, and though a celebration of their tenth anniversary, it’s not the expected trawl through their past, but a collection of mainly new songs given that unique and passionate Nu Blu touch.
They open with the straight bluegrass-styled That Road. An up-tempo song about the joys and sadness of a travelling musician being drawn to a life on the road, Carolyn takes the lead with Daniel and Levi adding on-the-mark harmonies and Jim VanCleve guesting on fiddle. Carolyn shows us how adept she is on a sad-tinged country weeper with a stunning vocal on Without A Kiss, a genuine tear-jerker that will have you reaching for that Kleenex. Daniel steps up-front for Caught In The Middle, a fiddle-driven number outlining the woes of a working man that is very much a universal problem. Like all great bluegrass singers, he’s soulful by just being natural.
Besides the diverse and excellent lead vocals, there are plenty of tasty licks, tight harmonies, thoughtful lyrics and excellent production. But it’s the well-written songs and the passionate and emotional vocal treatment that lifts this album above the norm. Themes concerning life on the road, family devotion, tragic loss, the joys of love, patriotism, and no regrets abound. The yarn of Eddie’s Garage, featuring Levi on lead, is another superb working man anthem, while It’s A Good Day To be With You sees Carolyn take the vocal honours. TEN is an engaging contemporary bluegrass-country album, with well-written originals set to excellent arrangements on which the four band members augmented by guests Ron Stewart and Jim VanCleve excel.
Nu-Blu.com
I’ve long enjoyed the bluegrass-country fusion of Nu Blu. Founded ten years ago by husband and wife team, Carolyn and Daniel Routh, the band also includes long time band members Levi Austin and Austin Koerner to comprise one of today’s finest bluegrass-styled outfits. This is their fifth album, and though a celebration of their tenth anniversary, it’s not the expected trawl through their past, but a collection of mainly new songs given that unique and passionate Nu Blu touch.They open with the straight bluegrass-styled That Road. An up-tempo song about the joys and sadness of a travelling musician being drawn to a life on the road, Carolyn takes the lead with Daniel and Levi adding on-the-mark harmonies and Jim VanCleve guesting on fiddle. Carolyn shows us how adept she is on a sad-tinged country weeper with a stunning vocal on Without A Kiss, a genuine tear-jerker that will have you reaching for that Kleenex. Daniel steps up-front for Caught In The Middle, a fiddle-driven number outlining the woes of a working man that is very much a universal problem. Like all great bluegrass singers, he’s soulful by just being natural.
Besides the diverse and excellent lead vocals, there are plenty of tasty licks, tight harmonies, thoughtful lyrics and excellent production. But it’s the well-written songs and the passionate and emotional vocal treatment that lifts this album above the norm. Themes concerning life on the road, family devotion, tragic loss, the joys of love, patriotism, and no regrets abound. The yarn of Eddie’s Garage, featuring Levi on lead, is another superb working man anthem, while It’s A Good Day To be With You sees Carolyn take the vocal honours. TEN is an engaging contemporary bluegrass-country album, with well-written originals set to excellent arrangements on which the four band members augmented by guests Ron Stewart and Jim VanCleve excel.
Nu-Blu.com