Seldom Scene Act Two CD

 Seldom Scene, Often Appreciated
This album pointed the way to a brighter bluegrass future. Once the sixties folk revival was over, seventies arena rock and disco threatened to bury acoustic music. Five eclectic musicians from Washington, D.C. showed that a band could contemporize its approach without selling its soul. And without the artless pandering of drums, electric guitars or plug-in bass. By Act II, the Scene sound was seamless, a richly textured blend of vocal alchemy and sparkling string prowess that defied efforts at categorization. Duffey's irrepressible mandolin style recalled Paris dog music of the thirties; Auldridge seemed poised to turn each piece into an improvizational dobro reflection. When their voices joined Starling's on a chorus the effect was not unlike the rapture of medieval liturgical music. The days of expecting audiences to indulge more than a few rough edges just because it was mountian music were over. Bluegrass was ready to leave the hills and hollers of Appalachia. And leave it did. The Seldom Scene's influence in the emergence of bluegrass onto the world stage has been well chronicled. One New York Times music critic proclaimed the Seldom Scene "quite simply the best bluegrass band in the world." The Times' sudden interest in bluegrass demonstrated just how close to the banks of the musical mainstream the Scene and others had managed to haul it. What may sometimes be less clearly recalled is how impactful and how good this single album really was. All the elements that would grow and deepen over the years into Scene trademarks are evident here: Starling's introspective and authoritative baritone; Auldridge's confident and daring dobro; Duffey's startling mandolin breaks and seemingly limitless, chameleon-like tenor; well-crafted original compositions alongside effective reworkings of material from far outside the genre; exuberant and sublime vocal finales; the consistently satisfying vocal presentation that captivated fans, inspired bands and raised expectations for how good a bluegrass band was supposed to sound. Released in 1973 (disregard the 1993 Rebel Records date that appears on the cover, liner and face of this CD), Act II was quite simply a difference-maker in American acoustic music.
Submitted by breather (Las Vegas, NV, USA) 
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