Chris Hillman – The Other Side

While his former Byrds bandmates continuously garner accolades for their roles in fostering the development of country-rock, Chris Hillman has been the most consistent over the years in making musically engaging roots-flavored records. His latest solo effort is no exception.

As on previous collaborations with Herb Pedersen and the Rice brothers (Tony and Larry), Hillman opts for a back-to-basics, stripped-down approach that recalls his early years with the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. In addition to allowing him to stretch out on the mandolin, the acoustic arrangements also highlight Hillman’s expressive tenor. His vocal nuances on “True Love” (a tune he previously recorded with the Desert Rose Band) and the spiritually uplifting title track are cases in point.

His remake of the Byrds’ acid-peppered opus “Eight Miles High” is a gutsy move. In place of Roger McGuinn’s signature Coltrane-meets-Shankar electric twelve-string workout, Hillman gives the tune an evocatively Appalachian-Celtic twist by incorporating fiddle, mandolin and acoustic lead guitar interplay against some brilliantly understated open-stringed strumming. In addition, Pedersen’s high harmonies atop Hillman’s soaring, soulful lead are absolutely breathtaking.