James Reams & The Barnstormers – Troubled Times

James Reams may be a New Yorker now, but he begins Troubled Times singing of his native state: “There ain’t no better to place to be/Than the head of a holler in Kentucky.” The Barnstormers move deftly between old-time, bluegrass, and country with a sound that leans toward the first half of the 20th century, a la Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers and Roy Acuff.

The songs on Troubled Times shore up the topical canon of bluegrass: trains and the blues, the road and the gospel, getting screwed by love or the bank. Reams’ original tunes lament the loss of a family farm and indict modern coal mining for ruining the land. For murder ballads, there’s Bill Caswell’s “Cruel Willie”, about a loverboy who gets knifed by Katie Lou, and Robbie Fulks’ “Cold Statesville Ground”, an icy account of murder and execution.

The band’s precisely delivered three-part vocals shine on “Cool Down On The Banks Of Jordan”. Banjoist Mickey Maguire contributes two original instrumentals that show off his technical prowess and inventive writing. Mark Farrell executes the Arthur Smith fiddle tune “Lost Train Blues” with percussive authority.

What makes the album so appealing is the energy, fullness, and occasional roughness of the Barnstormers’ sound. Reams’ rich lead voice delivers a commanding ballad, but it’s most at home with the rowdier swing of faster numbers such as “Eye Of The Storm” and Roy Hogsed’s “Ain’t A Bump In The Road”. The Barnstormers deliver an edge that’s missing from a lot of watered-down or overly serious bluegrass being made today.

Troubled Times comes with a two-feature DVD that includes a ride on the Barnstormers’ Redbird Express and a documentary called Pioneers Of Bluegrass.