Kentucky Towns

While not overtly Christian, there seem to be a number of religious references that pop up throughout Kentucky Towns. That's probably just part of the traditional values that mark the disc, both lyrically and instrumentally. "Road into Town," for example, is about hanging onto the family farm, while "He Ain't Coming Down the Mountain" is a celebration of the rural farming life. The record's certainly none the worse for its subject matter or style, which isn't quite in the normal bluegrass mold, but often a little quieter and more reflective (that's all too obvious in the instrumental "Bury Me Beneath The Willow"). With covers of Bill Monroe and even Stephen Foster, this isn't something that's wholeheartedly reaching out to embrace the new. But oddly, in its sense of introspection, it manages to achieve it anyway, becoming a part of the great continuum of bluegrass music.