![]() Lost Byrd Space Train (Scene 3) is a very short instrumental coda that finishes what is a captivating listen that should be take in context, from start to finish, to reveal all its lasting allure. By way of contrast The Angels Came Down strips things back to something more spiritually enhancing, with Marty’s rich vocal delivery and some strong vocal harmony blending over the acoustic guitar’s reflection. It features more of the band’s great guitar interactions. ![]() Time To Dance is just that, as it extols some of the better moments in having time to dance, love and live. Next they turn up the tempo, with some Luther Perkins licks and more dexterous guitar runs, for the story of Tomahawk, which tells us that there is “absolutely nothing new underneath the sun.” The plight of the Native American people forms part of its story and journey. Lost Byrd Space Train (Scene 2) is another short instrumental interlude that offers an effective cleanser before Night Riding takes a trip down the highway of life. The Sun Is Quietly Sleeping takes a more considered approach, featuring an effective string arrangement under the gentle reflection of the night. There is more of that sparkle in Vegas, which is a hymn to that fabled town’s reputation for riches but equally also for ruin. The title track follows and it is a summation of an attitude and vision that is everything you would expect from Stuart. Much more atmospheric is Space, with Stuart’s sitar providing a link to that instrument’s very specific tone and place in rock music, either with the established Indian original form or with its, more common, electric approximation. It again completely accentuates just how good a band this is, with its musical interaction and energy. There is perhaps in the song A Friend Of Mine something of a nod to the similarly titled but differently intentioned Byrds song, He Was A Friend Of Mine. ![]() The chiming Rickenbacker that is central to Sitting Alone is a sound further emphasised by its 60s rock harmonies. Then the twang springs into action with the resumé of a life on the road that is Country Star. It also has hints of Mali as well as the Mojave. The album opens with the instrumental Lost Byrd Space Train (Scene 1) which to these ears has a relationship with the music played by The Byrds themselves in their Clarence White incarnation. Many of these can be found in the tracks here. These have taken in rockabilly, gospel, bluegrass, country, surf sounds, rock and soundtrack music along the away. Here, with this new album, he and the band and guests create a vision that includes the expansion and exploration of the traditional forms.įew who have followed his career will be surprised at this and the different twist and turns he has taken musically since he played with The Sullivans at the age of 12 and through over 20 plus albums since 1982. Many can be seen at his recently opened museum, Congress Of Country Music in Philadelphia, Mississippi. That Stuart is a stalwart of traditional country and its values is apparent in his music, photography and curation of the artefacts of a form that for a time was being eroded. But they also go back further in time to the late 60s and an exploration of that cosmic psychedelic influence that began to appear in many forms and genres of music, in some subtle and some not quite so subtle ways. There are elements to this new album from Stuart and his band that go back to their last release WAY OUT WEST, as well as to time spent working with surviving Byrds members Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman. ![]() Marty Stuart & The Fabulous Superlatives Altitude Snakefarm
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