Is there such a thing as a perfect bluegrass album? I guess that all depends on where you stand on the eternal “what is bluegrass, anyway” debate, and which vocal or instrumental styles are appropriate, and all that nonsense.
But I still hold that my own standard of perfection works without regard to those arguments. It’s a fairly simple standard: great songs, stellar performances, and transparent audio quality.
By that standard, It’s About Tyme, released today by Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out is about as close to perfect as I can imagine. It represents the finest work to date by this iconic band, fronted by one of the most distinctive vocalists our music has ever borne. And I don’t think anyone will argue that these guys aren’t smack dab in the mainstream of contemporary bluegrass.
From his breakout work with Doyle Lawson – and even before with Southern Connection – Moore has done bluegrass proud, as he does here on 13 new tracks (plus a Wayne Benson instrumental). It’s also a great introduction to the new band, being their first album since the departure of longstanding members Steve Dilling and Edgar Loudermilk. Both of them are now working with other touring groups, with Keith McKinnon and Blake Johnson stepping in to IIIrd Tyme Out.
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