Runaway String Band: Review of the CD, “Leaving Home”
Listening to the CD is a lot like hearing them live in concert. The four are very accomplished musicians; the playing is tight, the harmonies evocative of days gone by and the selection of tunes chosen by painstaking study and consideration.
Barry Trott’s joyous, energetic tenor voice rips along on “Catfish John” and “I’ll Fall on My Knees”. The nimble picking of Dave Paddock on banjo and lightnin’ fingered Doug Austin on the mandolin add exhilarating backup as well as on the “Sculley’s Reel” medley and “The Sweet Sunny South”. The string work on “Sandy River Belle” and “Small Work for Nailers” is lovely.
Barry’s vocals on, “Out of Nowhere” is reminiscent of his work on their previously recorded standard; “Lady Be Good”. Dreamy, man. The enthusiasm of “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie” and “Leaving Home” are buoyed by backup vocals by Dave and the others that remind me of Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks; an interweaving of the zany and silly, and auctioneer quick.
The sad “Sweet Sunny South” features Doug singing lead with gorgeous backup from Lynn on the Viola da Gamba.
The neat thing about this group is they sound like the “gospeliest” of gospel singers, and the “swingingest” of swing performers, and the “bluegrassiest” of bluegrass musicians. They go from one mood to the next seamlessly, with great fun, obviously enjoying playing and being together, as well as launching each song like little entities; little stand alone creations birthed by the music god.
I first heard RSB’s version of “I’ve Just Seen the Rock of Ages” during a live performance at the public library in Virginia Beach a couple of years ago. I almost had an out of body experience listening. It was like a living prayer, entering the song by way of ears and then being carried on angel wings to the door of heaven. Brush the tears away if you lost your mama too.
Lynn Trott has one of those clear, womanly voices that cross the centuries. Her rendition of “Pretty Saro” is stunning. As an aside; I had the good fortune to attend a Winter Solstice celebration at Doug’s farm this past December. A few of us were sitting outside at the bonfire. One of the men started to sing some really old, traditional Christmas carols. Lynn, with her beautiful long, white hair, was sitting next to the man and she knew all the songs he knew and sang with her whole heart. The man’s son offered little obscure tunes on his penny whistle and they sang song after song, in wonderful spontaneous harmony. The rest of us who didn’t know the songs blew in a note or two, a hum here, a la la there, trying to keep up or sing along, but they were off and running with an obviously deep knowledge of little known, little sung, but absolutely gorgeous old songs. Then her husband, Barry joined us. Unfortunately Dave wasn’t there but Doug came out too with his mandolin and the spontaneity of their ability to fly away with any and every song was truly wonderful.
Ironically they close the album with the gospel tune, “I’ll Fly Away” - and they really do.
Kim lives in Maine, which is lovely, and where she continues her enthusiastic relationship with Art, Music, Nature, Books, Animals, Humor and Trees.