Wild Blue Yonder - Reviews

Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine        December 2004

Review by Casey Henry

Wild Blue Yonder, a contemporary bluegrass band from the Knoxville, Tenn., area, turns in some nice performances on their new CD "Above And Beyond." The strongest songs are the originals (three) by guitar player and lead singer Melissa Wade and those she co-wrote (four) with mandolin player Phillip Coward. They have put together strong arrangements, and each song has a distinctive feel. The lyrics, especially to "Sweet Summer Day" are personal and full of strong imagery. One of my favorite lines is I see my great-grandmother's arms weathered from the sun, a sleeveless dress she wore with flowers bright.

The opening track "Dreams Come True" begins with a brisk mandolin-banjo riff that leads into Melissa Wade's smooth lead vocals. Her voice is a bit folky, doesn't have a hard bluegrass edge, and is pleasant to listen to. Harmony vocals, provided by Phillip Coward and bassist Scott Carris, are tight and blend seamlessly. The singing is a focal point here. Not just your standard solo-verse-with-harmonies-on-the-chorus, parts come in and out and change around to good effect. The remaining members of the band, banjo player Danny Garrett and fiddlers Cindy Wallace and Laura Knight, provide instrumental support. "Last Run Of The Wind Horse" is a brisk, modern-sounding original instrumental. It features good banjo picking, but the twin fiddling is a little uneven.

The weak spots here are the traditional instrumentals "Bile 'Em Cabbage Down" and "Orange Blossom Special." The performances may make good stage numbers, but a four minute and twenty-one second version of "OBS" does not listen well on CD.

Overall, this is an admirable collection of songs that will, no doubt, delight their old fans and win them some new ones. (Wild Blue Yonder, 4600 Greendale Rd., Knoxville, TN 37918, http://www.wildblueyonderband.com/.)  CAH

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