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Dan Tyminski has created quite a name in the world of bluegrass, especially through his work with Alison Krauss and Union Station, and his vocals on the "O Brother" soundtrack. "Wheels" adds to his growing body of solo work, and is certainly a strong addition. Songs of travel, songs of longing, songs of broken hearts and spurned love, quiet ballads and peppy shuffles, sad pinings and humorous 'Dear John' letters, this album has it all. This is what Country Music is supposed to be.
I am a lover of great music no matter the type. Regardless if you like bluegrass or not, this album is a must buy for any collection. His talent and musicality beamed out.
Yet I always kinda liked Alison & Union Station. I was not disappointed. Admitting, never really being crazed over Bluegrass.
Did a search and to my delight found his albums. After I watched them on the "Country in the White House Special". I had to know who the guitar player was.
His music is PURE DELIGHT. You don't like this and you don't have a musical bone in your body.
I had an expectation collision with this album. Having seen the video of "Wheels" on Pure Country and noting the excellent mandolin playing of Adam Steffey, I was hoping for at least 3-4 instrumentals with a bit of up-tempo sizzle.This is an excellent album for those who love ballads and meaningful, "message" songs. Dan has that great, "roots" voice and the players are all outstanding.But the material just doesn't take advantage of all that instrumental horsepower. I was hoping to feel more of it.
The title track and the country oldie "Who's Shoulder Will You Cry On" are really the only standouts in a lame bunch. Yet, it feels like a ground-rule double -- a little bloop that hopped over the fence through some little miracle of time and geometry. .in baseball terms, this should have been a home run: an amazing all-star band and a charismatic, compelling leader. I don't know.I just expected a lot, and this disk totally underwhelmed me. Rather than push themselves, the band just coasts, and Dan's song selection is really, really weak. He could have called up some of the best writers around.instead, he's got a pretty weak batch of cliched bluegrass/acoustic country cuts that are profoundly anonymous. The picking is slick and unexciting, the vocals well-executed by predictable. Maybe now that the band has toured a bunch, they will be a little sharper.
as a bluegrass musician, and fan of Alison Krauss, I learned of Dan T many years ago. He is a fantastic musician, and showman, and gentleman. You will not go wrong listening to any of his works. Top Rated.
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