Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder – Brand New Strings

Brand New Strings radiates a confidence many artists gain when they hit 50, that vibe of having nothing left to prove but doing it so well. The disc continues a great run of recordings since Ricky Skaggs returned to bluegrass with 1997’s Bluegrass Rules.

Up front on mandolin and vocals, Skaggs leads Kentucky Thunder through a well-paced set of tempos and styles, vocal tunes and instrumentals. Lyrical themes don’t get much beyond rhyming reflections on family, home, conservative values and faith, but such things can be comforting, like a good fire in the woodstove as winter comes on.

If there is no wood for that stove, Kentucky Thunder will warm things up right quick with their instrumental prowess. Andy Leftwich (fiddle), Paul Brewster (tenor vocals, rhythm guitar), Mark Fain (bass), Jim Mills (banjo), Cody Kilby (lead guitar) and Darrin Vincent (baritone vocals, rhythm guitar) have honed the Kentucky Thunder sound to perfection with tight ensemble playing and hot solos. While the material is anchored solidly in bluegrass tradition, a few songs also draw melody and feel from pre-bluegrass string bands.

The album eases open with two medium-tempo songs (“Sally Jo”, “Sis Draper”) and a sweet instrumental (“I Corinthians 1:18”). By the time track six hits the speakers (the title cut), Skaggs and band open up the throttle for a full-speed pickin’ party. Not seeking to evolve the well-established form, they instead make traditional bluegrass as exciting as it ever has been.