High Lonesome
HighLonesomeNewgrass.com
Song List: We Hit the Road, Jubilee, Old Familiar Song, As The Crow Flies, Worn Out Shoes, You’ll Never Know, Savage Sundown, Trust My Hands, Burning Bridges, Nashville Blues, All That’s Left.
High Lonesome is one of the newest bands to emerge from Colorado, and they were named one of the top ten Colorado bands along with the Infamous Stringdusters and Hot Rize. Their music has the instrumental flexibility of the Stringdusters, shades of classic bluegrass presentation and harmony, and a strong emotional connection in its original songs. Georgian guitarist Chuck Sitero moved to Colorado in search of new musical connections, and met resonator guitar player Dylan Kober. Joining them in the now five-member band are Neva Wilder on fiddle and vocals, Joshua Bergmann on mandolin and vocals, and Liz Patton on bass.
Chuck’s “We Hit the Road” opens the album and it could well be the story of his journey to Colorado. The song opens with dobro and fiddle framing Chuck’s lead vocal and the journey continues with Louisa Branscomb’s “Old Familiar Song” that includes a lonesome highway and the passing from moonlight to daylight. The song has a similar appeal to her earlier hit “Steel Rails.” The other song from the Delmore Brothers, “Nashville Blues,” showcases the band’s grasp of traditional harmonies and rhythms. Joshua’s “Worn Out Shoes” expands upon the old adage about “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes” and concludes that even though the singer offers empathy and assistance, he cannot stand in someone else’s shoes. Joshua’s “Burning Bridges” is a separation song with “times heals wounds so slowly,” and the lament continues with a swirling dobro and fiddle backdrop. Neva wrote “Trust My Hands” and it implies that her warrior hands will take care of herself rather than relying on another person. Chuck’s “Savage Sundown” has the strong cadence and emotional fiddle passage that echo the hard times faced by native Americans after the Sand Creek Massacre. Such a strong statement about a past injustice is rare in songs. The intricate instrumental “Jubilee” gives Dylan and Neva a chance to put their skills in high gear and is a great display of their talents. High Lonesome has set a high mark in this debut album.