Lonesome River Band – The Road With No End
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Posted On January 1, 2007
Banjo player and bandleader Sammy Shelor has had to cope with yet another lineup change in the Lonesome River Band, and as the group nears its 25th anniversary, there’s both good news and a little not so good to report.
Start with the good: The addition of singer Barry Berrier, who brings not only a rich, expressive voice but a return to the electric bass that powered the group’s sound during its most popular years. Purists may quail at the sight of Berrier’s Fender Precision, but the choice is a good one; Shelor’s banjo never sounds so driving as when it rides on top of the electric’s growl. And when he takes the vocal lead, Berrier delivers a Haggardesque phrasing and timbre that’s a refreshing new addition to the LRB sound. New member Shannon Slaughter contributes a more muscular rhythm guitar style, which had been attenuated since the departure of founding member Tim Austin in 1996. Five-year veteran Jeff Parker remains on mandolin and (mostly) tenor vocals, his work as stout as ever.
The drawbacks are harder to pin down, but their result isn’t. Relative to past releases, The Road With No End is the most generic LRB releases to date. While the group sounds plenty tight, Berrier and Slaughter’s strengths haven’t been fully exploited, and though there are some fine songs, there are some pretty undistinguished ones, too. As it stands, The Road With No End is solid, but more promising than polished.
