Despite the grand title, this collection of bluegrass instrumentals opens on a pretty lame note, with David West's lackluster performance of "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad." In fact, he's pretty well shown up by the guitarist -- who, like the rest of the non-banjo players on this album, is not credited, and who shows much more imagination and creativity on his solo than West does. Tinny production and a surreptitious kick drum don't help matters any. Things do pick up with the next tune, though, which is no surprise given ...
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Despite the grand title, this collection of bluegrass instrumentals opens on a pretty lame note, with David West's lackluster performance of "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad." In fact, he's pretty well shown up by the guitarist -- who, like the rest of the non-banjo players on this album, is not credited, and who shows much more imagination and creativity on his solo than West does. Tinny production and a surreptitious kick drum don't help matters any. Things do pick up with the next tune, though, which is no surprise given that the featured banjoist is the legendary Eddie Adcock and the tune is "Black Mountain Rag." There are some other bright spots, including Don Reno's jaw-dropping rendition of "Twelfth Street Rag" and Grandpa Jones's clawhammer playing on "Bethesda." But the last two tracks on the program are downright weird -- a hokey arrangement of "The Green Acres Theme" is followed by an even hokier arrangement of John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads." Disappointing. ~ Rick Anderson, Rovi
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