This debut from The Rubes’ side project hasn’t left my CD player since I got it. The melody for the traditional song “Blackberry Blossom/Cooley’s Reel” has been stuck in my head for days. This afternoon I caught myself doing a little jig to my imagined version. Labeled as folk punk, these boys display solid, complex finger work on the mandolin, banjo, and guitar. The bluegrass tablatures and group vocals is what this genre is all about. Some of my favorites are “…And Then I Pissed My Parachute Pants” and “So Long,” but the whole album deserves a listen. Recommended.
–Kristen K (Rube)