By Gage Henry
The grunge/indie aura of Athens, GA, doesn't appear to be a hospitable environment for a bluegrass band to grow, but The Corduroy Road has managed to flourish taller than most of the city's DIY competition.
On April 9th the four-man ensemble hosted a party for their new EP release, Just One Drop (Mule Train Records, 2009), at the Melting Point to give their newest songs a test run on a medley of wine-sipping spectators and faithful fanatics who didn't spare a square foot of space when canvassing the floor with their dancing shoes.
The Corduroy Road brought an energy that isn't foreign to Bluegrass, but somehow still seeps its way into other genres-- even performing with the nimble audacity of punk rock, as advertised on their website. The question is: would this exuberance also be present on Just One Drop?
The trick with this five song EP is that it leaves little margin for error. One bad song means that already 1/5 of the album isn't worth listening to, a problem that the band skirted quite well with the help of John Keane Studios, a host to R.E.M., Indigo Girls and Widespread Panic.
The trick with this five song EP is that it leaves little margin for error. One bad song means that already 1/5 of the album isn't worth listening to, a problem that the band skirted quite well with the help of John Keane Studios, a host to R.E.M., Indigo Girls and Widespread Panic.
Just One Drop is a highly concentrated blend of goodness, absent of fillers and mirroring their live shows' sporadic solos and slick harmonies-- they don't waste a single track. The band's founders, Drew Carman (banjo) and Dylan Solise (guitar) trade off vocals discreetly as both voices are seasoned with the same country twang, though Carman is a little flashier on stage.
The album starts with the cantering melody of the song, “Just One Drop,” livened by the quick cuts of a fiddle and prickly banjo highlights. “The Wind and Water” eases the record's pace for a scenic ballad about a mariner pleading with the waves to take him back to the “one he loves best.”
The album starts with the cantering melody of the song, “Just One Drop,” livened by the quick cuts of a fiddle and prickly banjo highlights. “The Wind and Water” eases the record's pace for a scenic ballad about a mariner pleading with the waves to take him back to the “one he loves best.”
“Brad's Song” is where the album truly resonates, putting the band's finer elements on display-- the romantic, humorous, clever and brutally honest lyrics trailed by a wavy harmonica accompaniment. The lyricist's confidence is further evident in “It'll Be Me,” a waltzing, flowery and poignant depiction of love's inescapable cycles-- not to mention my personal favorite.
“Temperature Raised” stands as the record's big finish and takes home the “Most Likely to be Played at a Hoedown” award. The scampering drum beats by John Cable and Tim Helms' dexterous bass licks makes for the album's perfect showdown.
The Corduroy Road may not be following suit with the independent musicians and home-brewed records-- of which Athens is the national headquarters to-- but the band's surefire talent takes all the risk away in signing with a label.
The flip-side to releasing a bad EP is making an excellent one. Sure, The Corduroy Road gives a lot to digest in Just One Drop, but they've also instilled a cotton-mouth thirst for more.
Listen to songs from Just One Drop here.
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