Rhonda Vincent has been a solid
voice of bluegrass music since the 1970's. She first performed with a
family band (The Sally Mountain Show), before going solo. Her career
took a country turn for a few years, but she's mostly a bluegrass artist
these days, and bluegrass is the beneficiary.
Vincent has found her voice (literally and
figuratively) fronting The Rage. Anyone who has seen her live show knows
that she can tear it up, whilst remaining true to mountain music
sensibility. "All The Rage" is a live set in May 2015 at the Bethel
Performing Arts Center in northwestern Tennessee, nicely capturing her
stage show, and showcasing the musicianship of not only Vincent, but her
estimable Rage-mates. From the opening trickle-down banjo line (which
then launches into a full-on rendition of "Muleskinner Blues") to the
tight harmonies of "Run Mississippi," the band demonstrates stout
command of the material. Vincent's phrasing is remarkable for its
sureness and empathy, most notably on "Missouri Moon" and "I've
Forgotten You."
"All The Rage" admirably displays the ebb and
flow of a bust-out stage show, and it's best listened to start to
finish. In that way, the listener settles into the outstanding mountain
harmonies of "Midnight Angel," say, before being launched into a
scorching banjo instrumental ("Wow Baby") displaying some daring licks
from Aaron McDaris. To the same effect, not surprisingly, is "All About
The Banjo." Josh McWilliams, guitar/mandolin and vocals, left The Rage
for a while, but has returned, and his singing complements Vincent's
with intensity and tone as does the voice of Dobro player Mickey Harris
Williams' turn on "Freeborn Man," a bluegrass
staple, is well executed and true to the form. It takes both confidence
and nerve to invite comparisons to Tony Rice, but Williams is up to the
challenge. There's a strong theme of bluegrass gospel toward the end of
the set ("You Don't Love God If You Don't Love Your Neighbor" and "Old
Rugged Cross"), but the devotional tunes never turn treacly.
In all, "All The Rage" nicely delivers the
listeners to the sweet spots of a Rhonda Vincent Show. That's
encouraging and entertaining. "All The Rage" is all that and more.
0 comments:
Post a Comment