The Steeldrivers are a virtual super-group of the Nashville background featuring Richard Bailey (Banjo), Mike Fleming (Bass/Vocals), Mike Henderson (Mandolin/Vocals), Tammy Rogers (Fiddle/Vocals) and Chris Stapleton (Guitar/lead Vocals). The first thing about these guys that jumped out to me was Chis Stapleton’s ‘sandpaper to silk’ voice. It immediately seemed familiar. Having worked with so many popular musicians in the current ‘pop with a fiddle’ country music, scene I wonder if maybe I picked up on his voice in the background of a song at some point. Another particularly interesting thing about the band is that while they do look like a bluegrass band on paper, their sound really doesn’t fall into the Bluegrass category….smooth-grass maybe, if you were forcing it in. I’d prefer to just call it Americana with bluegrass instrumentation.
I will agree with the common consensus that any song on this album is a juggernaut alone, but as a whole it can be difficult to listen to the album. It’s an interesting phenomenon that can easily be conquered by the “shuffle all songs” option on the iPod. For their second album I think the band should get out of Nashville for about 6 months, then re-address the songs and record them in some analog-only studio down in Louisiana somewhere.
Regardless of cohesiveness, the high points on this album are well worth placing this album on the ninebullets.net Essential Listening list. Shit, I knew it was going there the moment I heard “If It Hadn’t Been For Love” the first time.
The Steeldrivers – If It Hadn’t Been For Love
The Steeldrivers – Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey
The Steeldrivers – Hear The Willow Cry
The Steeldrivers’ Official Site, The Steeldrivers on myspace, Buy The Steeldrivers
Autopsy IV
Part time blogger. Full time hater.
Haha! I am planning on attending the Flat Rock Music Festival at the end of September in Flat Rock, NC and these guys are playing. I was mapping out my musical adventure and sampling each band when I discovered this band. WOW! And your right, “If It Hadn’t Been For Love” is just outstanding!
Glad to see more and more of “us” are finding these guys…I heard them way back in February, and have since gone out of my way to see ‘em several times again…Was SO impressed, in fact, that I actually broke the “cover blog” theme to post a song or two myself back then.
If anyone out there finds a copy of their live self-release from a couple of years ago, grab it at any cost…not so diff. from the album, really, but more raw, and a few different songs. For a while, you could get it at shows, but my guess is it’s long gone by now.
PS: Check yer email — I’ve got an as-yet-unrecorded song of theirs I taped live at Grey Fox Bluegrass fest last month on the way to you; it is quite possibly my favorite of their tunes, though there is no produced version. Can’t post it myself (darn coverblog focus), but if you want to be the first to leak it, just give me the props, eh?
OH Shit!
I can see a labor day posting of this track!
It’s really pretty…so much so I even paused the college football game i’m watching to finish my first listen.
So wait, they actually have a live record floating around? I MUST find that!
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing The Steeldrivers for the last 3 or so years. You have to see them live. They are a regular @ The Station Inn. I also have their live stuff & then some. If you can’t find or buy their live recording @ a show (possibly due to contractual obligations) let me know, I can either get it or put you in touch so you can get it.