The Music of Yonder Mountain String Band
Artist: Yonder Mountain String Band
Mary Catherine Reynolds
Posted On December 6, 2013
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There is a funny kind of enigma to the music of Yonder Mountain String Band. Are they a jam band with a singer-songwriter mentaility or are they a singer-songwriter band with jam tendencies. However characterized with any angle approached adding their obvious progressive bluegrass credentials, the puzzle remains a pleasent one. It’s especially true when the music is this good. But, like their music, the band’s career has never taken a traditional route. Formed by four friends in Colorado in 1998 their genesis began a few years prior when Jeff Austin and David Johnston met at Harvard and reunited in Urbana, Illinois. Johnston, a banjo player, enlisted mandolin novice into his cleverly named band, BluegrassHoles, asking him to play the mando ‘fast and loud.’ When the BluegrassHoles disbanded, Austin and Johnston took themselves to the bluegrass friendly hills of Colorado. There they met bass player/songwriter, Ben Kaufman and guitarist, Adam Aijala officially forming the Yonder Mountain String Band. The rest is progressive bluegrass history. Since ’98 they have released a string of critically and commercially successful albums with three of them hitting #1 on the national U.S. Grass charts since 2006. Their last full album, The Show, is a modern landmark combining the best elemements of the bands considerable instrumentalist gifts with skilled concreptual songwriting and first-rate production, it became one of those rare, hard-to-top works that every band aspires to.
Indeed, since The Show, they have not released a full album of new material. In a recent phone interview with bassist/vocalist Ben Kaufman, the issue of the band’s absence in the studio was discussed. “We found we needed to make a record, but we wanted something that would flow.” He said. “Other than when we’re touring, it’s hard to get us together. I live in California now. We all have children. We’re not going to get together when we’re off the road. It didn’t make sense to take all that time, effort and money to make an album.”
Then, they realized, by both economy and artistry, it made more sense to rent a studio in whatever town their tour happened to land them and work on one or two songs at a time. The question became how could they revamp their studio work without removing themselves from their busy tour schedule and ever-growing families. That was when the idea of a new approached to shape. “The reality of the EP presented itself. EP #13 presented is a test.” He said. “We could do it on the road by renting a local studio where ever we’re playing. We would produce ourselves but have people in the studio tells us what sounded good and so, when we get it right, we just leave it alone and move on.”
The idea worked beyond their wildest dreams. Not only did it work, but it re-energized their studio work into a new directions and lifted the burden of completing an album. Even though the idea, as Kaufman describes it, was born out of necessity, he has since found that it has been a source of inspiration. “We’re completely thrilled with the results.” He said. “Everybody made the sound they wanted. We’re four songwriters so with it sounding this good, we could release a series of EPs with four songs, one featuring all the songs of say, Adam or David.” He continued, “We stumbled on this new model. A way to release studio recordings regularly. It lit that creative fire in all of us. We could find new concepts and continuity.”
Most important to the band is that it all had a continual flow. It’s been apparent that without that continuity, they preferred not to release an album of new material. Most important, as a band, it allowed them the time on the road to continue with the connection to their audience in a live setting. “The Grateful Dead have been a paradigm for us mostly as a spiritual and creative force, from that community of fans they connected.” He explained.
The proof is in the hearing. The first listen to EP#13, the four song set keeps their ongoing tradition of fresh and original new grass music with thoughtful lyrics and strong production standards. “Straight Line” opens the EP with a pleasant mid-tempo feel, strong instrumental solos and lyrics that speak to the tension between the movement of the road and the need to keep hold of something that feels like home. “Don’t Worry, Happy Birthday” allows David Johnston’s rich banjo licks to underscore a soulful vocal with words dedicated to home from the road. “Rag Doll,” written by Jeff Austin and Danny Barnes, gives Austin’s mando an easy work-out and finds it’s lyrical inspiration in the the land of childhood day dreams. The closing belongs to Aja, “All The Time,” has the fastest tempo which includes the strongest vocal harmonies, some harrowing mando work by Austin and gives Aja the oportunity to shine at his flat picking best.
According to Kaufman, EP#13 is the first in an series that promises to continue with the same inspired approach that has resulted in this new release. The central question for a band that has valued passion, imagination and what Kaufman calls, ‘flow,’ is did they succeed? With each member contributing a song, this four song set includes continuity and the promise of more to come. The album concludes like a ride on a fast train that suddenly comes to end. While, we may loose our listening footing with the abruptness of end of the ride, we are left wanting more. And isn’t that what good music is all about?
