It’s clear as soon as you put on the first tune of Town Mountain’s new album Steady Operator; these boys know what they’re doing. The clean, crisp licks and runs featured throughout the album showcase the talent of the gifted members of the band. Town Mountain walks a thin line between traditional and progressive bluegrass, playing original tunes with a traditional sound but more progressive work musically. Asheville located bluegrass band Town Mountain has been playing together since 2005, when they won the Colorado Telluride bluegrass band competition.
Steady Operator has it all; deep, meaningful lyrics and powerful instrumentation to back them up. Fast paced songs Sparkle City and Come Break My Heart will get you on your feet and dancing while ballad Five Shots of Whiskey will pluck at your heart strings. Diggin On the Mountainside features eco-conscious lyrics “they’re coming in from out of town, they cut the timber and stripping the ground, rich folks diggin’ on a mountainside, come to build their castles high” shedding some light on the controversial issues of timber harvest and mountaintop removal. Not to be overlooked Humble Shepard is a gospel tune re-telling the story of Moses and the Burning Bush. If you haven’t yet, preview the album and pick up a copy here.
We got the chance to see Town Mountain live at Merlefest 2011 on the Americana stage. The guys loved to interact with the crowd from the stage and the crowd certainly loved them. The youthful energy and raw bluegrass sound had all ages absorbed in the moment. After the show we set up above the festival and shot the photo at the top of the page. We encourage you all to check them out if you have the chance!
For more info on Town Mountain, visit TownMountain.net
