Headstash

REVIEW: The New Old Cavalry's Frenetic Debut Album, "Carry Me Out This Way"

Bluegrass is one of the most enduring genres in all of music, and The New Old Cavalry is keeping this tradition alive with their debut album, “Carry Me Out This Way.”

Hailing from Bloomington, Indiana, the quintet just finished touring in Colorado with their fast-paced, high-spirited interpretation of bluegrass. The first two songs on the album are jumpy, up-tempo tunes that immediately draw the listener in to their unique sound.

[BUY The New Old Cavalry's "Carry Me Out This Way" via CD Universe.]

The momentum continues for the first four songs, never stopping the eighth-note filled melodies and jams. The title track has a bit of a country feel, which is not at all uncommon for bluegrass bands but does distinguish The New Old Cavalry from some more progressive “newgrass” groups, who can almost sound like acoustic indie rock groups.

By the fourth track, “No Good Man,” we get a break from the frenzied tempos of the opening songs and hear a bit more of the lyrical side of the band.

[FIND news, downloads and tour dates on The New Old Cavalry's official website.]

One of the benefits of playing so many quick tunes is that the band gets to show off their technical skills, which are impressive to say the least  With the classic instrumentation of acoustic guitar, dobro (a bluegrass guitar), banjo, mandolin and upright bass, the ensemble tears through quick runs and feeds off each other’s energy during the individual improvisations.

While the album often feels wild, the vivacious power of the quintet would certainly make for a barn-busting live show. You can just hear the heels stomping, hands clapping and voices singing along to this young, rowdy bunch of musicians.

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