Among the most influential bands on today's acoustic music scene, Blue Highway continues to uncover new routes and destinations in its ongoing exploration of the frontiers of bluegrass. Through the Window of a Train, their eighth album, features a stunning batch of brand new original songs brought to life via masterful arrangements, precise picking, and the soulful lead and harmony vocals of the band's three distinctive lead singers. Each a respected artist in his own right, the five members of Blue Highway combine their individual virtuosity with unparalleled musicianship and group empathy to create bluegrass that is sophisticated yet earthy, intimate yet universal. Each note they play resonates with heart, soul, commitment, and friendship - resulting in a sound bringing together the very best of bluegrass's past, present, and future. Blue Highway: Jason Burleson, Rob Ickes, Shawn Lane, Tim Stafford, Wayne Taylor
Though bluegrass tradition remains the bedrock of Blue Highway, inspired songwriting and adventurous musicianship keep the quintet's music fresh and contemporary. It may be unfair to spotlight individual musicians in a group as cohesive as this, but the interplay of Rob Ickes on Dobro and Tim Stafford on guitar shines throughout. The vocal harmonies highlight songs ranging from the nostalgic title track to the secular hymn of "V-Bottom Boat." The socially-conscious material laments how a country ignores a soldier on the skids in "Homeless Man" and provides a funeral march (complete with drums, a bluegrass rarity) on "Two Soldiers." The sprightly instrumental "The North Cove," driven by Shawn Lane's fiddle and Jason Burleson's banjo, shows that the quintet can hold its own with the music's virtuosic best. Still, the quintet's name and the CD's title suggest a restless creativity that refuses to stay in one place for long.--Don McLeese
