Fly Through the Country/When the Storm Is Over is a two-for-one deal, representing
New Grass Revival releases from 1976 and 1977 respectively. Mandolin player
Sam Bush, bassist
John Cowan, guitarist
Curtis Burch, and banjoist
Courtney Johnson form the core of the band on these 20 selections. This material separates itself from traditional bluegrass by its easy air and romantic sensibility. One has a difficult time imagining
Ralph Stanley or any traditional act choosing to sing
Townes Van Zandt's "White Freightliner Blues." The disc kicks off with a nice version of
John Hartford's "Skippin' in the Mississippi Dew," before letting
Cowan take the lead vocal on the lovely, "Good Woman's Love." His vocals, unlike traditional bluegrass, are soulful, as though he grew up listening to rock & roll.
Sam Bush also offers nice lead vocals on songs like "Glory" and "When She Made Laughter Easy." The song choice in general has more in common with '70s figures like
Jackson Browne than any standard bluegrass repertoire. This gives the album a contemporary feel. The overall musicianship is also superb.
Burch is the paragon of good taste whether playing guitar or dobro, while
Bush, known for his mandolin chops, is equally apt at fiddle, and on one song,
Jackson Browne's "These Days," he even breaks out an electric guitar! A wider variety of instruments has been thrown into the musical stew on
When the Storm Is Over, including electric piano and drums. These electric moments, while clearly not traditional, never overpower the music. Both of these albums offer a great starting place to discover the earlier version of
the New Grass Revival (as opposed to the later version, which included
Béla Fleck and the glories of early progressive bluegrass). ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.