The Infamous Stringdusters: Keeping to the 'Road'

The Infamous Stringdusters
Fork in the Road
Sugar Hill

The buzz on these guys has been building, and it's not without some backup. One look at their credentials assures they're the real deal, but no one here is resting on his resume. Their debut album, released last month, crackles with energy �- not an easy accomplishment, particularly on a bluegrass CD. There are six band members, but what could easily turn into a mash stays clean and sparkling, because these guys know how to give and take, when to blend and when to break out.

The fare here is mostly traditional-sounding -- though almost all the songs are written by members of this young-ish band -- so if you're looking for a Great Leap Forward a la Nickel Creek or the Dukhs or the Avett Brothers, you'll be disappointed. There is, however, beneath the traditional licks on traditional instruments, an almost jam-band-like groove running underneath, and the band takes a detour into modern sounds (but with a bluegrass twist, of course) on their excellent cover of John Mayer's "3x5."

"Fork in the Road" isn't exactly edgy, but it's solid. And for what it's worth, it's one of the better-paced, more cohesive albums I've heard in a while. The handful of instrumentals are well placed and just the right length, and when the album closed, I knew it was over without looking at the CD player's display � it just sounded complete. Clearly, producer Tim Stafford knows his way around a bluegrass band -- as well he should, being the singer/guitarist/songwriter for trad-powerhouse Blue Highway.

Groundbreaking, "Fork in the Road" isn't, but toe-tapping it is, and I'm looking forward to seeing these guys live at Merlefest.