CMT Blog: Bluegrass

I've seen Dierks Bentley in concert every which way. Arenas, honky tonks, health clubs. But I've never seen him (or heard him) sound as good as he did on Wednesday afternoon (June 9). He was in the studio with DJ Al Skop, about 40 other lucky fans and me. The show was broadcasting live on The Highway, the Sirius XM radio station that plays new country, which is weird because other than the fact that it's from Bentley, there's nothing very new or mainstream or pop about this country music. It is more old-school roots music that he just bluegrassed up. And it's even better live than it is on his new Up on the Ridge album.

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Dierks Bentley didn't have to do Up on the Ridge. It's the album he really wanted to make, but he could've just pushed it to the back burner because it wasn't as mainstream as his first four studio albums. It's more "bluegrass-influenced." But he seems like he's not afraid to put himself out there and do things that other artists might consider a little risky. And thank God for us, he took that risk. Up on the Ridge comes out today (June 8), and there's not enough room in this blog for me to rave the way I want to rave.

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Tift Merritt is a singer-songwriter who gets right to the point. However, on her prior records, she's worked with producers who add some musical layers to the mix, and they've allowed her to dabble in country, soul and pop stylings. But on her newest album, See You on the Moon, the arrangements are relatively bare. Produced, recorded and mixed by Tucker Martine, it's a different approach that works pretty well on upbeat songs like "Mix Tape," about trying to get all the right sounds together to say what you want to say. In the spirit of those mix tapes (ah, the good old days), I've compiled 16 new tracks from the country, bluegrass and Americana realms that caught my attention. Mix ‘em up however you like.

"Mix Tape," Tift Merritt
"The Open Door," Darrell Scott
"Smile at Me Again (demo)," Kris Kristofferson
"El Dorado," Jim Lauderdale
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Dierks Bentley's new album, Up on the Ridge, comes out a week from today, on June 8. I got an advance copy a couple weeks ago and I have to say that before I even slid that CD into the player, I knew I was going to love it. That's because with every CD I get, I immerse myself in the liner notes 100 percent. I read every lyric to every song, then all the stuff at the end. That's usually just a few paragraphs of gratitude, and Bentley definitely gets around to all those thanks, but first he shares his epiphany about finding what he calls "the musical foundation" he'd been hoping to find when he moved to Nashville 15 years ago.

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Everybody knows that turtles are supposed to be slow, but Trampled by Turtles are a new band that likes their bluegrass fast and dirty, to say the least. The break-neck speed that graces much of their Palomino album -- which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's bluegrass chart -- speaks to a diverse musical background that includes punk and indie-rock bands. More importantly, it does as much to get my blood flowing in the morning as about five cups of coffee. "Wait So Long" shivers with pent up energy from the first few notes, only to be let loose in a controlled fury of banjo, fiddle and lonesome vocal harmonies. The young alt-grass outfit's video is simple but intense, and you won't have to "wait so long" to be run over by their unique sound.

Dierks Bentley fans and bluegrass lovers both had something to cheer for Saturday night (May 22) when the singer wrapped his Up on the Ridge tour with a sold-out show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. Along with some of his hits played bluegrass style, Bentley showed off many of the songs from his newest album, Up on the Ridge, out June 8. Featuring the Travelin' McCourys and guest appearances by the Punch Brothers, Del McCoury and Jon Randall, the mix of country and bluegrass inspiration was right at home on the Ryman stage.

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In one of the more creative video concepts I've seen recently, the Abrams Brothers dive down to the bottom of the ocean singing and picking and falling in love with mermaids along the way. Think of "Mermaid Town" as Disney on a budget -- a yard-sale budget. But what it lacks in visual effects it makes up for in playfulness, as this young trio seems to have a lot of fun making this video. (You ever get to ride a dolphin made out of construction paper?) With the help of brotherly harmonies and expert musicianship, this whimsical song and video are fun for the whole family.

Dierks Bentley's latest video finds him leading an acoustic jam session from -- appropriately -- the top of a wind-blown ridge. The song, "Up on the Ridge," comes from an upcoming bluegrass-inspired album of the same name, due June 8. Yet the singer-songwriter says he wasn't going for a traditional take on the style. "It's my version of bluegrass music," Bentley says on his website. "It's not just banjos cranked up to eleven. It throws out a big net." In fact, that net caught the interest of some of Nashville's finest musicians. Sam Bush plays a resophonic mandolin with a slide for the track's twangy hook, while Alison Krauss provides a backing vocal steeped in syrupy, come-hither effects -- all produced by Jon Randall Stewart. See what you think of Bentley's version of bluegrass.

Ten days ago, I drove from Nashville to North Carolina to see Zac Brown Band at Merlefest and the next day I carried on to Fayetteville, N.C, for a Carrie Underwood show. Along with my laptop and a few clothes, I transported a big stack of new and upcoming country, bluegrass and Americana albums. And because of the Nashville flood last week, I didn't venture far from home, giving me a chance to listen all the way to the bottom of the pile. Please allow me to share a playlist of the new songs I've enjoyed, ranging from the classic country artists to several musicians I had never heard of.

"Down at the End of the Road," Merle Haggard
"Man With the Blues," Willie Nelson
"Magic #9," Infamous Stringdusters
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Dierks Bentley was on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Tuesday night (April 27), and I finally got around to watching it. (I love you, DVR.) But I am always so stunned when there are only three minutes left in the show and the country artist still has not come on yet. Why are they wasting all that time on other guests when they could be letting Bentley steal the show with the title track of his upcoming roots music album, Up on the Ridge? His slot was way too short, but I'm guessing it was enough to get people to stop whatever they were doing and watch as Bentley's six-man band did their thing and did it so well, especially Bentley himself on vocals and his Martin guitar. And then that insanely good Sam Bush was by Bentley's side on a resophonic mandolin he was playing with a slide. Frankly, Leno probably should've devoted the whole show to this band.