Seed

Released just before the full-length studio recording Needle and Thread, Seed is a five-song, mostly live collection of melodic and instrumental mastery from Richmond, VA's Agents of Good Roots. As jam bands go, Agents of Good Roots offer relatively tight, well-constructed tunes that flow gracefully in a live setting, making Seed a desirable addition to any roots rocker's collection. A studio version of the inimitable "John Brown" gets things started on a melodic high note, and the combined instrumental efforts of Andrew Winn (on guitar, keyboards, and vocals), J.C. Kuhl (on saxophone), Stewart Myers (on bass), and drummer Brian Jones enables Seed to maintain a considerable level of artistry throughout each of its five tracks. Other highlights include a sizzling cover of Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing" and the plaintive "Pin up Girl." Agents of Good Roots never squandered a note, a phrase, a melody, or a solo, especially live, and Seed is just one in a list of documents that prove the band to be of only the highest musical integrity.