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 - There Ain't a Thing for a Poor ManOld Crow Medicine Show is derivative, there's no doubt about that. We plainly have five boys who discovered they loved bluegrass and decided they wanted to record some of their own. They aren't mountain children. But we can see that by looking at the cover photograph. What matters is that they have singled out the best of modern bluegrass to imitate, and they have imitated it with confidence and skill. They're not trying to play their banjos like guitars or making other mistakes I might make in their shoes. Their selection of classic bluegrass tunes, like "CC Rider" and "Poor Man," show they're familiar with the sound of classic mountain music. And original songs like "Big Time in the Jungle" and "Wagon Wheel" blend well with the classic material while still moving the group forward as artists. An astute listener will spot this for a debut album in a minute, but it's a strong debut full of promise and a show of strong skill. This is No Depression music, and it has chutzpah. If only real country radio would play it, we'd know what it is to have a pop style stand for something again. Rating: - Alt-grassThe music of OCMS is not traditional old-timey or bluegrass music, you might call it Alt-grass to describe the harder edge and rock sensibility they bring to this genre. Regardless of the name you give to their music, OCMS is a *great* album. I agree with the earlier reviewer who said this album is an excellent bridge for people who are new to bluegrass music. My twenty-something son saw the band on Conan and downloaded this album that night. I recently saw OCMS in concert (opening for Gillian Welch) and they were on fire. I bought their earlier self-produced live album at the show and I gotta say, I like this studio record better. Their songwriting has matured and their instrumental virtuosity takes a backseat to the song itself. Hightlights are "Big Time in the Jungle", "Wagon Wheel", and the rollicking "Tell it to Me". There isn't a bad track on this entire CD, buy it and enjoy the talents of these wonderful young musicians. Rating:  - Nice starter albumNot bad. Not bad at all. While I wouldn't mistake this for "real" old-time, I would consider this a nice bridge or starter album for somebody who is currently into more mainstream genres but is developing an interest in old-time/bluegrass/American roots music. It definitely has a Rawlins/Welch flavor (which is not a complaint--I like them, too), but the OCMS might have done better had they not tried so hard. On the up side, the songwriting is definitely above-average, and it's a great traveling CD. Rating:  - How are they live?The review wondered how Old Crow was live- I had the pleasure of seeing them this spring, and I can say they were fabulous. Spontaneous, fun, energetic- David Rawlings went to joing them half way through the set, and the chemistry was great. The album's great, they're the best 'new' bluegrass I've heard in a while. Buy the album, then find them live! Rating: - Maybe the band wants a buck tooThe album is great. Haunting and feels like my old house. Change and evolution are an inevitable part of life, and blaming record execs for a band's album not sounding like/or having the energy of a live show is just plain tired. Nothing ever stays the same, let go and enjoy the growth.
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