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The
Chieftains
Down the Old Plank Road
label: RCA
released: 09.17.02
our score: 4.0 out of 5.0
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It's one thing
to refer to any Americana, alt.country, bluegrass or folk music
as "roots" music, but it's an entirely different thing
to create an album that showcases just where this roots music
got its roots from. The Chieftains, however, with their gads of
years of experience playing some of the best tradtional Irish
tunes you've ever heard have done just this.
Down the
Old Plank Road follows in much the same vein as their 1992
Another Country album, only this time replacing straightforward
popular country artists with some of the most talented names in
bluegrass. Working with artists John Hiatt, Ricky Skaggs, Bela
Fleck, Lyle Lovett, Martina McBride, Earl Scruggs, and Alison
Krauss (amongst a flurry of others) does a lot to prove your place.
Working with these artists to create music this good
does a lot more.
Rather than
go into an in-depth breakdown of individual tracks, I'll just
say this:if you're in any way, shape, or form a fan of traditional
Irish, Celtic, or Bluegrass music you should run right out and
pick up this disc. It's an audible lesson in just how much Appalachian
music is an evolution of traditional Irish and Celtic, and how,
for this reason, the two can mesh seamlessly into a quite impressive
product. Honestly, there's not a bad thing to be said; this is
Irish/country music at its finest.
O Brother,
Where Art Thou? did a great thing by opening otherwise clouded
eyes to the majesty of bluegrass. Down the Old Plank Road
is just as spectacular an album, and anyone who dismisses it as
anything less is a fool.
16-Sep-2002
9:54 PM
If you
liked Down the Old Plank Road...
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Tracklist:
1.
Down the Old Plank Road (w/ John Hiatt, Bela
Fleck, Jeff White and Tim O'Brien)
2. Country Blues (w/ Buddy & Julie Miller)
3. Sally Goodin (w/ Earl Scruggs)
4. Dark as a Dungeon (w/ Vince Gill)
5. Cindy (w/ Kentucky Thunder & Ricky Skaggs)
6. Molly Ban (Bawn) (w/ Alison Krauss)
7. Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (w/ Lyle Lovett)
8. Medley: Ladies Pantalettes; Belles of Blackville;
First House in Connaught (w/ Bela Fleck)
9. Whole Heap of Little Horses (w/ Patty Griffin)
10. Rain and Snow (w/ The Del McCoury Band)
11. I'll Be All Smiles Tonight (w/ Martina McBride)
12. Tennessee Stud (w/ Jeff White)
13. Katie Dear (w/ Gillian Welch & David
Rawlings)
14. Give the Fiddler a Dram (Finale)
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