Negative Positive
Title: Retro, Alright
Review: Grisman and Hartford are old favorites of us "Smothers Brothers"-era folk but this album is so 'retro' it is almost a musical joke. John Hartford always had severe limitations as a vocalist and someone on this album is even worse! This harks back to the days when mountain folk were either "pickers" or "singers" but rarely both. "Memphis" and "Maybelline" have vocals so primitive in style and so limited in vocal range as to be amusing rarities. I had hoped this talented group would start with great Chuck Berry material and give it scorching bluegrass picking. The treatment here is bare bones and the high point of "Maybelline" is a jaws harp twang. If this album isn't just self-indulgent, it is mainly for musicians and insiders in the genre.
Is the review positive or negative? 