CD Review: Greensky Bluegrass

By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)Handguns GREENSKY BLUEGRASSThere’s a lot of contemporary grass that passes by my ears without reprise. My old grassy standbys are Monroe, Old & in the Way, John Hartford, Doc Watson and Grisman. The late 90s/early 00s onslaught of jamgrass ala Yonder Mountain String band and before they went techno, The String Cheese Incident, was interesting at first, but now sounds diluted.But Handguns has re-sparked my interest. Known for lengthy improvisational jams and extended suite-like songs, this Michigan-based unit seems meticulous in its writing, especially lyrical phrasing. The New Grass Revival-meets-Railroad Earth vibe is one of its own, veering off the tried and true with songs like “All Four”—a near 12-minute musical odyssey that expands boundaries yet never loses steam.A cohesive unit with equal weight in instrumental prowess, the double-stopping drive of Anders Beck’s dobro is an asset that shines on “Beauty and Pain” and “Blood Sucking F(r)iends.” The addition of pedal steel (“Handguns”), horns (“I’d Probably Kill You”), kazoo and slide (“Hot Dogs (On Parade)”), and effects (“Before Bring Out Your Dead”) reminds one that this ain’t daddy’s grass.   tags: jackson hole show music musician live band singer songwriter nightlife concerts wyoming center arts photographer planet teton venues screen door porch boondocks guitar cd reviews