The Bottom Line
Fiddler’s Green was released in tandem with Tim O’Brien’s down-home Americana recording, Cornbread Nation (Sugar Hill, 2005). Where Cornbread Nation is chock full of songs from the American heartland, as well as feel-good folk songs and down-home Old Time Music, the songs on Fiddler’s Green are decidedly more Bluegrass.
Pros
- "Fiddler's Green"
- "Buffalo Skinners"
- "First Snow"
- "A Few More Years"
Cons
- There's not a bad moment on the record
Description
- Decidedly more Bluegrass-influenced than Cornbread Nation
- Fantastic arrangements of Old Time tunes and traditional Folk and Bluegrass songs
- There's not a low point on the whole record
Guide Review - Tim O'Brien - Fiddler's Green
O’Brien’s Bluegrass influences are clearly strong. The American and Celtic Bluegrass tunes on this record talk about topics from travel and wandering to death, love, and work. According to the album notes, “Fiddler’s Dream” refers to a mythical place where “old sailors go when they die.” The title track aptly encompasses this theme of death, love, and travel.
Other high points come from “Lands End/Chasin’ Talon,” the fiddle tune that follows the title track, and later O’Brien’s cover of Woody Guthrie’s “Buffalo Skinners.”
This recording showcases Tim O’Brien’s broad influences, which clearly range from Old Time and Americana to classic Folk tunes and Celtic Bluegrass. His command of several different instruments is rather impressive, and makes one wonder why he’s not a household name yet. His thoughtful arrangements of traditional tunes are beautiful and intricate, even when they tend toward simplicity.
Of the two CDs, I’d have to say Fiddler’s Green is my favorite. There’s not a low point on the whole record. Listen or Download
