The Slocan Ramblers (from the album Up the Hill and Through the Fog

The Slocan Ramblers (from the album Up the Hill and Through the Fog

The Slocan Ramblers (from the album Up the Hill and Through the Fog available on SloMusic) (by Bryant Liggett)
Slocan Ramblers are one of those Bluegrass bands that have a strong reach while straddling the fence. One side is Traditional Bluegrass, harmony rich and hard driving. The other is that experimental side, where Jazz and jams influence that harmony and drive, the result being a band comfortable at that Old Style festival while also able to slay from a late-night stage for Indie Roots twirlers. The bonus on their latest release Up the Hill and Through the Fog is they also show a Folk side to appease listeners who haven’t come around to the jam-grass thing.
“I Don’t Know” opens the record with a funky bass line that drops behind a soulful guitar riff, a kick-off that’s neither old nor new grass, but more of an acoustic rock tune, and they show that they can stray away from the world of Bill Monroe with the folkie “Won’t You Come Back Home.” The SloCan Ramblers never stray too far from that world of Bill’s Bluegrass Boys. “You Said Goodbye” is as traditional as it gets, a ripping weeper driven by fast guitar flatpicking and even faster banjo pickin’ while “Bill Fernie” has a mid-tempo bounce and solid harmonies that drives a love-tale. Nor do they stray too far from a Sam Bush influenced world of Newgrass. “A Mind with a Heart of Its Own” has a funky drive, while “Snow Owl” and “Harefoots Retreat” are experimental and meandering instrumentals. It’s the best of all worlds of Bluegrass and acoustic music. (by Bryant Liggett)
 
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For more information and purchase options, please visit The Slocan Ramblers website