Singer-songwriter
Judith Edelman's music occupies a sort of no-man's land between roots-rock and bluegrass; her regular band consists of herself on guitar, bassist
Ben Winship, mandolinist
Matt Flinner and fiddler
Brian Wicklund, and their sound bears more or less the same relationship to rock & roll that
David Grisman's does to jazz.
Edelman's voice is taut and muscular, her lyrics sharp. And she writes good tunes, if not always great ones. "Only Sun" and the elegant "Some Will Run" are two of her better melodies, and on "Luggage and Dancing Shoes" she harmonizes sweetly and wistfully with Winship. If this album has a telling weakness, it lies in the fact that several of these songs (notably "Only Sun" and "Library Card") seem to be begging for gutsier arrangements -- they sound like rock & roll songs dressed up in acoustic lace, and the effect is a little bit frustrating. Overall, though, this is a very strong effort from a top-notch artist. ~ Rick Anderson