Lee Hammond reviews the new release from Billy Strings, a collaboration with his father
Rounder
Released: 25.11.22
Having rapidly risen to prominence, Billy Strings’ latest album, a collaboration with his father, is deemed his foundational work. Me/And/Dad is a collection of covers of bluegrass classics, and these old tracks are brought back to life with shared vocal duties.
Life Blossom, despite feeling much more subdued than some of the other tracks, embodies the feel of the record. Both Frosty Morn and Peartree, on the other hand, set Me/And/Dad alight, these intricate and incredible instrumentals played at breakneck speed. The latter part of the record compounds its excellence with the inclusion of Strings’ mother on the closing track, Heard My Mother Weeping. It’s a record which illuminates all the elements of bluegrass and brings to life Strings’ roots.