Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers
The
Long-Awaited Album
Rounder
Records
Yes, it's that Steve Martin, the
comedian, linking up with the accomplished Steep Canyon Rangers for a
third album. Playwright, pianist, banjo
player and collector, art collector and juggler, he's no one-trick pony. Taught by a future member of The Nitty Gritty
Dirt Band, he's played the banjo since a child, ostensibly to fill time during
his comedy routines. This doesn't
explain why he adopted the difficult 'clawhammer' style of playing favoured by
the many Africans who brought their instruments with them from Africa to
America. It allows for more intricate
melodies and five no. 1 albums in the Bluegrass Charts (2009-15), one solo, two
with the Steep Canyon Rangers and two with Edie Brickell (married to Paul
Simon) testify to the quality of musicianship on offer. For this album, the band together display
joyous clean speed in banjo and fiddle, especially for the tracks, Santa Fe,
Office Supplies, Angelina the Barista and Promontory Point. I didn't like the capers of Caroline, Strange
Christmas or Night in the Lab, that may
have been better left for the tour.
Fortunately the slower tracks balance the album well. All Night Long, Bad Night, the simple but
exquisite, Always Will, and the storytelling of Girl from the River Run were
all strong tracks, that together with the faster tracks, took me by surprise
when I discovered I had given nine tracks out of the fourteen, full marks for
the challenging and distinctive material.
NE
