Random acts

Of note

Celibate breeding ground For a local label that’s been largely on hiatus since October, Celibate Records seems to be getting quite a bit done lately.

The label’s most recent addition, Bro-9, will release their debut album, Auditory Condiments, later this month. And label-founding act Holiday Rd. plans a summer release for their sophomore effort, currently untitled.

Holiday Rd. will also be included on three upcoming compilation releases: the Misfits tribute album Too Much Horror Business, along with label mates Evilive; The PunkandJunk compilation Parentally Advise This, which will likewise include Bro-9; and the Utopian Records compilation Nonviolence or Nonexistence.

For more information on the label and its bands, visit www.holidayrd.com/celibaterecords.

Front-row reviews

Who: The Steep Canyon Rangers w/ Carolina Cotton

Where: The Grey Eagle

When: Friday, Feb. 21

The bass strikes first, emanating in a slow, heavy, acoustic wave you feel in your fingers and toes, up the back of your neck and in the pit of your stomach. It’s not a hard sound, not at all like the ear-throbbing tidal wave of low-pitched electric notes at a rock concert. No, this is different. You aren’t overwhelmed by it but simply, ever-so-softly, vibrated into it. And it’s that not-quite-subtle tap on the shoulder that draws your attention closer.

Then the mandolin starts in, its high-pitched pleas making the ensuing tonal contrast inescapable.

The Steep Canyon Rangers are not another gimmick-ridden newgrass band. Their music is wholly traditional, yet it manages to escape the feel of novelty and to stand on its own, as clear as a snow-fed mountain stream.

That said, the effect of the group’s tight technique — each player taking a quick turn at the mic, then deftly exchanging places in a seemingly well-rehearsed dance of quick solos — makes them a true team rather than a group of pals playing a haphazard back-porch jam session.

The five-piece Rangers favor rich arrangements, with each instrument complementing the others; the whole band serves the length of the song rather than barnstorming a section of it.

Their vocal arrangements show their finest teamwork. Though the key singer, guitarist Woody Platt, possesses an ideal bluegrass voice, it’s the harmonies he shares with the rest of the group that make their songs so effective.

Take the gospel-bluegrass tune “Country Baptizing,” which at the Grey Eagle show featured fiddle player Lizzie Hamilton singing lead and everyone but upright bassist Charles Humphrey III providing harmony. The arrangement was softly delivered, the playing almost understated, the varied parts meshing into an undeniably powerful, captivatingly beautiful performance.

Throughout the evening, the Rangers had the full attention of the vast majority of the crowd, barring a few stragglers in the bar. Their audience was largely young, with most members in their late-20s to mid-30s — an accomplishment in a scene that usually reserves its most enthusiastic approval for less-traditional bands (jamgrass breakouts Acoustic Syndicate come to mind).

By night’s end, and after a full two sets, the Steep Canyon Rangers had loosened up enough to let a few extended solos slip through. All five players can shine when they want to — in fact, the members swept their individual categories at last year’s Mountain State Fair, and the group itself won the fair’s bluegrass-band competition, allowing the Rangers to open for none other than Earl Scruggs. Yet it’s their seemingly egoless chemistry that makes them so likable.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.