The Grascals “20” LP 

The baker’s dozen worth of tracks included on The Grascals’ 20 pulls off quite a feat. The collection honors their past and bluegrass history while continually looking toward the future. This first-class outfit has amassed a sterling reputation since debuting 20 years ago with a litany of Grand Old Opry performances, awards, command performances for two American Presidents, and high-profile appearances at other august venues such as Radio City Music Hall and the Kennedy Center, among others. 20 puts a vividly colorful bow on what has come before and celebrates the possibilities ahead.

They judge a look back into the past their first order of business. However, anyone familiar with The Grascals understands that, yes, their covers of classic country and bluegrass will retain some fidelity with the originals, but they are going to break the mold. They will put their own touch on the material. Covering Boudleaux and Felice Bryant’s “Tennessee Hound Dog” isn’t the most obvious use of The Grascals’ talents – a fact that serves them well. Their predecessor doesn’t loom large in modern consciousness. The Osborne Brothers’ original isn’t even their biggest hit from the Bryants.

It’s a playful romp. Even when the subject matter turns serious with “Some People Make It”, there’s an inherent affability inviting you to share in the band’s musical experience. It isn’t to say forays into the blues form such as “Some People Make It” lack the necessary grit. They have the right amount of bite, and there’s an accompanying warmth encouraging you to ally yourself with the message. The Grascals’ ensemble talents keep this performance tight, yet confident, and unerringly focused.

“I Need a Night Off” will blow you away with its emotional depth. Jamie Harper’s fiddle melody sets an immediate tone, and the wide-open emotions running through the solo and harmony vocals are never overwrought. Another crucial factor dictating this song’s success is The Grascals’ ability to write a heart-wrenching emotional statement out of everyday language. It achieves emotional weight through how much it holds back. “Pull the Trigger” rocks things up without deviating away from their bluegrass identity. Alternating stabbing staccato guitar passages with brief up-tempo and unrelenting band workouts imbues this cut with unexpected dynamics. It shows a band willing to stretch stylistically and never lose their way.

Seamless and polished multi-part vocal harmonies highlight “The First Step”. It shares significant similarities with the earlier “I Need a Night Off” while carving its own path. They both hail from the ballad tradition and depict a downcast spirit, but “The First Step” seems especially tuned into dramatic nuance. The Grascals develop this song with patience and a firm grasp on what they want. The penultimate “Just Let Me Know” is a pop song in a bluegrass guise. Saying that isn’t intended as a slight. The bluegrass trappings invest the song’s emotional terrain with welcome gravitas that it might not possess in other styles. The Grascals’ 20 is bursting with energetic examples of the craftsmanship, commitment, and discipline that has steered them through two decades and counting.

Nicole Killian