Billy Strings has been one of the postmodern pioneers of Bluegrass Music. Similar to the older styles of music, it has a deep and rich music history that many should appreciate learning about. Billy Strings is a legend in the music history of this stage, possessing exceptional guitar skills and singing abilities within the genre of Bluegrass Music. This album was recorded in both Los Angeles and Nashville in the USA, and was produced by both Billy Strings and Jon Brion, being released on Reprise Records. The album also has 20 songs and runs for nearly 1 hour and 15 minutes. The album features: Billy Strings (guitars and vocals); Billy Failing (banjo and vocals); Royal Masat (bass guitar and vocals); Jarrod Walker (mandolin and vocals), and Alex Hargraves (fiddle), alongside a slew of guest musicians. Let’s take a listen to this album released on 27 September 2024, and we shall hear how it sounds.

1. Leaning On A Travelin’ Song begins with some sweet yet punchy acoustic guitar, followed by some awesome vocals that are perfectly balanced between male and female singing. Fiddles enter, and this tune gets going very, very well. It has some awesome mandolin and banjo to boot as well. Seriously good to hear, and completely different to that of the songs on the radio today. A brilliant set of lyrics is present as well, singing about travelling across the USA, experiencing the joys of life. The acoustic guitar shredding on this tune is absolutely insane to listen to. Seriously awesome music to listen to. With a catchy set of music set to awesome lyrics, this is a form of Country Bluegrass Music that sounds absolutely divine. Throughout, Billy Strings plays some Django Reinhardt-style acoustic guitar, just with a Country feel to it all. Absolutely a joy to hear. This is as good a start to an album as you can get nowadays. A brilliant tune indeed. It wraps up with fiddle soloing whilst the band plays nicely, before concluding.

2. In The Clear begins with some sweet banjo and the band playing along. Billy Strings sings about more travels, something that, as a travelling musician, he would be well aware of. This is about being worn down and broken over the travels that one needs to do in life. A gorgeous fiddle solo emerges, and this tune is a sensational winner. The mandolin soloing is very proficient and crazily good to hear. Billy Strings sings about life on the road, and he does a fantastic job of creating solidly consistent and amazing-sounding music. The lyrics evoke the emotional and picturesque experience of life on the road. Towards the end, Billy Strings plays a mean guitar solo, as he appeals to God and the heavens above. A wonderful song.

3. Escanaba begins with some descriptive acoustic guitar playing and the rest of the band doing a sweet and moody background instrumental to match it. This sounds absolutely wonderful to hear. Although this is pure Bluegrass Music, it has a broad and deep appeal to the average music listener. It has a very pretty and organic musical nature to it all. Billy Strings ought to be listened to more often, after all, who wants to just hear the garbage on the top 50 today? In any case, some neat acoustic guitar shredding on this piece is absolutely solid gold. It sounds fast, frenetic and pure to listen to. A winner of a tune that has a deep and variable section of Bluegrass Country Music soloing to it all. It seems that Chris Stapleton has some serious competition on his hands in this field of music. There is a breakdown with double bass playing in the second half, soloing away, just before this moody instrumental builds up to a sweet and energetic conclusion. Billy Strings is a talent that people need to keep an eye on. An awesome tune, period. A great way to spend just under five minutes of your life listening to this music. Superb.

4. Gild The Lily begins with some soft, sweet acoustic guitar playing and has some faded-in instrumentation that sounds terrific. This is a truly enjoyable and classic listening experience. Some dual-tracked vocals that sound sweet and melodic begin, and this is about a love interest at hand. A really sweet, original and fantastic song that is a great take on Country Music and Bluegrass, with a consistent and postmodern twist to it all. This is solid, golden and beautiful music that a good set of ears will enjoy. A really awesome, smooth and well-recorded song that has lyrics about tossing a penny into a wishing well and singing your heart out as well. Awesome music to listen to. The harmonies on this song are absolutely gorgeous. This has a synchronised solo section of the instrumentation in the second half, which sounds neat. A really fantastic tune. Period. This is a great album for those of you who want your typical Country Music made by a musician alive today, with a twist to it all. Singing fantastically, Billy Strings is a force of nature. Another great song. It concludes with excellent guitar soloing, followed by recordings of chirping birds. Beautiful.

5. Seven Weeks In County is one of the singles of this album, and it begins with whistling, frenetic acoustic guitar playing and leads into the main section of music at hand. A thrilling and stunning listen, with a moody feel to it all. A great song about being down on one’s luck, and being caught red-handed, per se. This is again a solidly consistent and interesting listening experience with fantastic musicianship throughout. The tune at hand is awesome, even if it is about being in prison. All in all, a good music statement, regardless of whether you have broken the law in your life or not. The solo section in the second half is really amazing as well. This is a cool and interesting tune that has a Bluegrass take on being in the worst of places. A really great song to listen to, and a classic of its kind. The music is unforgettable upon listening, and really sounds genuinely great. A winner. It has a great finish.

6. Stratosphere Blues / I Believe In You is a medley and another single from this album. It begins with Bluegrass acoustic guitar and strange electric guitars, launching into a rather moody-sounding tune. This is a very trippy-sounding tune, although the electric guitars could have been removed at the start of this. The chorus, however, is a fantastic and interesting listen. Billy Strings is a talent galore, although some of the sound effects on this are reminiscent of The Chemical Brothers after some time. This quickly shifts into the second part of this tune, with great-sounding acoustic guitar playing and smooth singing throughout. This is a sensationally great mixture of sounds, style and spirit throughout this medley piece. The music is of a top-class nature. Billy Strings proves that you don’t need to have the biggest mainstream appeal to make great music. He delivers a deeply intelligent, emotional and artistic feat on this album. An awesome listen throughout, this is Bluegrass for the 21st century. A great mixture of singing and other instrumentation, this is definitely worth repeat listens. A fantastic song to listen to, and something that deserves Grammys. It ends sweetly and beautifully. A great medley from start to finish.

7. Cabin Song begins with some awesome banjo playing, acoustic guitars and sounds simply pretty. Billy Strings sings and plays a gorgeous tune to boot. The mandolin throughout this tune is absolutely spot on for this tune, and this is exactly what one needs to hear for this kind of music. A straightforward and awesome song, this is the sort of music for those in the Deep South of the USA who value a majestic and promising Bluegrass listening experience. Some simple lyrics about the countryside are present as well. A strong and fluid-sounding piece of music with guitar and instrumental chops galore. The banjo in particular on this song sounds really good. Music about a rural life forgotten by many, this is a strong and powerful music to listen to. A great song, once again.

8. Don’t Be Calling Me (at 4AM) begins with prominent fiddle and other instrumentation, leading into a sweet and lovely-sounding tune which is about an unwanted lady calling and nagging one at 4AM. This is a great song statement that is articulate, fresh and interesting. This music never lets up in its quality or interest. It is a brilliant listen from start to finish. Billy Strings creates unique and intelligent Bluegrass Music that counts. A truly wonderful and sweet listen. This is the sort of music that is best enjoyed around the campfire on a rural trip in the Country, complete with some neat slide guitar work. Absolutely awesome to listen to. All in all, a sweet and touching listen that is about mixed emotions from such a scenario. A gorgeous romantic tune that has genuine appeal. A terrific effort.

9. Malfunction Junction begins with some faded-in and warped electronic sounds, followed by the sound of running water. Banjo enters, and this piece gets going alive nicely. This is a moody, melodic tune with some fantastic mandolin to boot. An absolutely brilliant piece of music to listen to, even for an instrumental of its own sort on an album like this. This sounds a little like The Battle Of Evermore from Led Zeppelin IV. A fantastic listen, through and through. A really awesome listening experience that sounds magical, top-notch and awesome. It drastically changes near the midsection, and sounds great with the mandolin, fiddle and banjo to hear. A very passionate-sounding instrumental. Sure, this is not going to appeal to those who do not like Country and Western styled music, but it sure sounds fantastic. The fiddle solo on this one is solidly good, too. Nonetheless, an absolute winner of a tune. It has beauty, character and majesty to it all. Billy Strings and friends solo away nicely in turns, playing like there is no tomorrow. The playing on this is absolutely fantastic. Definitely a great way to spend just under five minutes of your time listening to. Superb.

10. Catch and Release begins with some sweet acoustic guitar and is a short sample of what Billy Strings offers. It launches into a tasty-sounding tune that is very much in the vein of Bob Dylan, but is about travelling and smoking weed with some friends in a Bluegrass way. A really cool tune to listen to, and a good listen throughout, being caught red-handed and promptly let go by the police. Another solidly good tune to hear about the cautionary experience of being high whilst driving. Excellent.

11. Be Your Man begins with some Johnny Cash-style acoustic guitar, mandolin playing and piano as well. This is another tune about travelling on the road, and again, it sounds absolutely beautiful and musically brilliant as well. A really strong piece of music. Billy Strings makes some brilliant contemporary Bluegrass Music that sounds sweet and impressive. Singing about the change in seasons and the desire to revisit the past, this music definitely has an intellectual quality to it all, and it sounds absolutely magical. A truly wonderful listen that is melodic, exciting and rewarding, this has a unique piano solo section, followed by impressive fiddle work. Another solid tune by Billy Strings, and further proof that he has a unique and fantastic musical talent to boot. This is a bold and interesting artistic statement that is deeply emotional and reflective throughout. Gorgeous and magical to listen to, with Billy Strings pines for the simple life. Top-notch music.

12. Gone A Long Time begins with some sweet acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo playing over a quick bass rhythm. It sounds like a real-life story by Billy Strings that sounds absolutely joyous and fantastic to listen to. A really gorgeous and fantastic piece of genuine music to listen to, this is a pretty and interesting story, likely autobiographical, about hitting the road. Billy Strings sings from a realistic point of view, with some awesome mandolin soloing playing on in the second half of the song. Some great lyrics about comparing Jesus’s actions to one’s life are present here, followed by neat acoustic guitar soloing by Billy Strings. Another solid gold listening experience that is very rewarding. An absolutely awesome tune, which is unique and professionally sounding.

13. It Ain’t Before begins with some cool Country-style electronic sounds, and some gloriously pretty acoustic guitar and mandolin playing. Again, this is a strong and wonderful music effort to listen to. It leads into a Bluegrass-based harmonica-style jam, which sounds wonderful and fantastic. A very upbeat and joyous listen. Billy Strings sings very nicely on this song, and this is a gorgeous tune with harmonica galore. The music on this album is definitely underrated and underappreciated. The harmonica solo throughout is fantastic, as is the rest of the tune. A very upbeat and joyous listening experience that makes a strong and solid music impression, this is definitely an artist to pay attention to. This track has some neat, multitracked acoustic guitar solos that are like the Bluegrass Django Reinhardt in approach. A really lively and wonderful song throughout. Very, very sweet listening. The outro is super. Good job, guys.

14. My Alice is a pretty song from the start, in particular with the acoustic guitar playing on it. It sounds dreamy and slightly trippy, given some of what is going on in the background of this song. This is a song about the ongoings of rural life in the USA, and is a magical listen throughout. This music is fantastically consistent, and it delivers a well-structured, intelligent and emotional listening experience throughout. References to Christian figures are present as well. An absolutely awesome tune to listen to, and it showcases revenge against one’s boss who fancies their wife. A rather aggressive lyric piece matched with the sort of music Country folks dig, this is a brilliant story to be heard. Another solid listen from start to finish. Great music to hear.

15. Seney Stretch begins with some expertly played acoustic guitar, which sounds fantastic. Mandolin, banjo and fiddle enter, which sounds absolutely pretty. This is yet another instrumental that retains its gorgeous and brilliant musical nature. This is very ballsy and brave of Billy Strings to do musically. Not every album of this sort would have consistent and well-structured instrumentals that work nicely. A really awesome piece of music craft that quite simply works well. This music is a great listening experience that sounds pretty and divine to hear. It has a genuine magical quality to it all. The mandolin playing on this tune is just to die for. This is followed by acoustic guitar playing and fine fiddle work that really sounds great. Another great contemporary musician that needs to be supported more, Billy Strings and his friends deliver a sweet musical statement. A unique and beautiful listen that has majesty and real character to it all. This music is absolutely timeless. A true winner of a listen throughout, and it is another instrumental piece, less than five minutes long, that doesn’t disappoint. Brilliant.

16. MORBUD4ME sounds like a stoner song title. It begins with some buzzing and the sound of chimes being hit. A lighter is then hit, and the sound of a bong being lit follows. Weird and wacky. Billy Strings sings about smoking weed, and this is exactly what you 4/20 folks will enjoy hearing. A sweet and interesting tune that folks who like their booze and weed will enjoy, given that they love Bluegrass Music as such. Believe it or not, this is a single from this album. An absolutely enjoyable tune, even if you are not a total pothead. This sounds a lot like the Dub Side Of The Moon album Money song section. Even so, this is a bit of a selfish statement lyrically, but it is a fairly good listen anyway. Sweet and pleasant, although the bong smoking sounds are rather irritating after some time.

17. Leadfoot is another single. It begins with a motorbike engine being revved up, banjo playing and launches into another wacky song from this album. This launches quickly and nicely into a song about, indeed, leadfooting it on a vehicle. This is real Hillbilly sort of music, and it has some absolutely brilliant music that is reflective of an amazing road trip at over 100km per hour. If you want to amuse people, get your car and roar down the highway with this at full volume on repeat. In any case, another great and enjoyable tune to listen to. A very, very wonderful piece of songcraft and music effort that is catchy and memorable. Top stuff. Very, very good to hear.

18. Happy Hollow is another expressive and wonderful song from this album. It has some genuinely sweet and upbeat music, which continues the album nicely, and it sounds like a fantastic and joyous piece of Bluegrass Music. Billy Strings is a truly wonderful and appreciated musician with bucketloads of talent throughout. A really dynamic and fantastic tune to listen to. The band plays with an expert and iconic sound that delivers time and time again. An absolute joy to listen to, this music delivers a sweet and powerful statement about travels in the countryside. A very pretty listen with some fantastic acoustic guitar work, once again. Awesome.

19. The Beginning Of The End begins with some freaky electronic sounds, and sounds very dark. Soon enough, Billy Strings goes bang on into it. This is about the process of passing on in this world, and it is an appropriate song for that matter. A really inspired and interesting song that has class, character and the inevitability of our lives. A seriously good listen throughout that is something that Country folks should play at their funeral. This is something to put a tear in one’s eye, although it is really a celebration of life itself. There is some neat instrumental soloing, mainly with the fiddle, in the second half of all this music. Mandolin soloing follows, which sounds extremely sweet. A great musical experience that is very valuable. This is a bittersweet song that one should bear in mind if they are approaching death itself. A nice tune. The harmonies at the end are top.

20. Richard Petty is a famous racecar driver. It has a more 1960s-sounding approach to it all, and it has some brilliant singing of sorts that is not backed up by instrumentation, and sounds absolutely brilliant to listen to. An awesome tune that showcases a rare music approach today. Billy Strings concludes the album on a high note. Absolutely good to hear. A really sweet and smooth listen, with a key change throughout. This is a fantastic listen. Worth it.

This album is an absolute classic from start to end. Billy Strings and his crew have made a stunningly underrated, underappreciated and consistent Bluegrass album that, quite simply, works. It sounds so good that it has a great level of music magic about it. This winner is worth hearing. Yes, you should listen to this album, but if you don’t like Bluegrass Country Music, you may want to find something else instead.

Very near perfection.

9/10

Best tracks: Don’t Be Calling Me (at 4AM), Catch and Release.