The Bottom Line
Pros
- You Don't Have Very Far to Go
- Being Me
- Don't Tell Mama
- Cut Your Wheels
- Roll Muddy River
Cons
- None.
Description
- More incredible instrumental performances from The Grascals.
- An impressive sophomore effort from one of the most talked-about groups in bluegrass.
- Not a dull moment on the disc.
Guide Review - The Grascals - Long List of Heartaches
As was displayed on their self-titled debut, The Grascals are beyond capable of seriously kicking through their fast-paced fiddle-and-banjo tunes. There are plenty of them on Long List of Heartaches, including the bounce-inducer, "Will You Be Loving Another Man." If this one doesn't get the hillbillies dancing, nothing will.This is followed later on the disc by the instrumental killer, "Cut Your Wheels," which starts out with Danny Roberts ripping effortlessly through a mandolin solo before handing it off to David Talbot's banjo. From there, it bounces back and forth bluegrass style – with a tinge of something vaguely Middle Eastern thrown in – between Roberts, Talbot, and fiddler Jimmy Mattingly.
Soas not to overwhelm us with faster-than-a-freight-engine fiddle tunes, the Grascals break into a series of slow and teary numbers, including "Being Me," "Hoedown in Motown," and, most notably, "You Don't Have Very Far to Go." The latter touches on some of the most heart-wrenchingly candid heartbreak lyrics to come from the group.
There's little time, though, to get down while listening to this record. The Grascals pull it all back in with a one-two punch toward the end with "My Night to Howl" and "Keep Me From Blowing Away," before ending with "Hoedown in Motown" – a blue collar testament to the spirit-lifting powers of bluegrass music and culture – an appropriate note to go out on, considering the power of this record.
