Unlike the single-disc sets New Grass Anthology (1990) and The Best of New Grass Revival (1994), the double-CD Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival does not restrict itself to the group's major-label catalog of EMI/Capitol recordings, circa 1986-1989, but instead also licenses tracks dating back to the band's first recordings in 1972. There are selections from the debut album, The Arrival of the New Grass Revival, originally released on Starday Records; from the Flying Fish LPs Fly Through the Country, Barren County, and Commonwealth; and from the Sugar Hill collections Live and On the Boulevard; in addition to material drawn from the EMI/Capitol albums New Grass Revival, Hold to a Dream, and Friday Night in America. There are also eight previously unreleased tracks, five of them live performances (ten of the set's 35 tracks are live). That all adds up to nearly two and a half hours of New Grass Revival spread across 17 years, drawn from the group's entire recorded output. Although they were praised and criticized for their unorthodox approach to bluegrass, much of this music is in a traditional style, that is, when the band isn't covering the Beatles, Marvin Gaye, the Impressions, Jerry Lee Lewis, or Bob Marley & the Wailers (or adding a reggae rhythm to some other tune). But even at their most eclectic, the bandmembers remain an amazing bunch of pickers, whether in the early lineup of Sam Bush, John Cowan, Courtney Johnson, and Curtis Burch, or the later one, in which Pat Flynn and Béla Fleck replaced Johnson and Burch. Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival makes an excellent summation of their career. ~ William Ruhlmann
New Grass Revival: Curtis Burch, Jeff Hanna, Pat Flynn (vocals, guitar); Béla Fleck, Courtney Johnson (vocals, banjo); Sam Bush (vocals, mandolin, fiddle); Bob Carpenter (vocals, accordion); John Cowan, Ebo Walker (vocals, bass instrument); Randy Scruggs (guitar); Bill Kenner (mandolin); Roy Huskey Jr., Butch Robins (bass instrument); Kenny Malone (drums, percussion); Jimmie Fadden, Eddie Bayers, Bob Mater, Michael Clemm (drums); Tom Roady (percussion).
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Grass Roots: The Best Of New Grass Revival Music Review
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Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
The Best Recording of the Best Band Ever As one might guess, I really like New Grass revival. If you ever saw them you'd know why. Sadly, none of their records really do justice to how good a live band they were. Even their two live albums failed to really do it (although "Too Late to Turn Back Now" does do a credible job). "On the Boulevard is also a good attempt to capture the magic of new Grass revival.
This 2 CD compilation is the best yet by far. Largely comprised of the "best of" the other records, the previously unreleased live material on this is the best documentation by far . This includes the end of their last ever gig. When Pat Flynn says "...and the Ne Grass Revival- we'll see you real soon" I used to cry, knowing it was untrue. We'd never see them again.
It's a great CD start to finish. A few tracks I could have lived without, but it captures the whole range from the first records "Great Balls of Fire" to their final live and studio recordings. Listen to "Metric Lips"- they used to do that essentially just like that (except for the wee bit of overdubbed electric viola). Four guys making the most challenging yet accessibly fun music ever heard. Submitted by Dave (Prairie Village,KS,USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
Great Bluegrass!! I enjoyed every song on these two CD's. If you love Sam Bush and John Cowan, members of the group who formed their own bands afterwards, then having the whole gang together again will be great. Their sound is original and up-beat. These are great pickers and singers and deserve the recognition. Awesome Bluegrass !!!! Submitted by benjamin_mccallister (Rio Rancho, NM) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Talent These guys are great! Submitted by jdhj66 (Afghanistan) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 0 of 1 found this helpful.
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