NickelCreekFan1
09-03-2002, 04:59 PM
I've gained new respect for my local newspaper! A review on This Side!! Enjoy!!
Nickel Creek
This Side (Sugar Hill)
Where last year's mega-selling O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack was a nod to bluegrass music's past, this new album by twentysomething acoustic trio Nickel Creek is a healthy sign of its future. The threesome, comprising Chris Thile and siblings Sean and Sara Watkins, has upped its game on this sophomore release, crafting a set that pushes bluegrass's boundaries.
The group serves up a snappy cover of Spit on a Stranger by the brainy indie-rock outfit Pavement. And the first single, This Side -- sung by Sean -- is a sunny blast of pop-rock that's no less accessible because of the acoustic backing.
This tune also highlights another of the album's strengths -- all three members are singing this time out. (On Nickel Creek's debut, Thile handled most of the vocals.) Sean shines on the title track, and Sara sounds spunky and sharp on the plucky Beauty and the Mess. But Thile still delivers the most affecting performance, on the pleading Hanging by a Thread.
The record's primary flaw is a too-sterile sound. The production, by bluegrass queen Alison Krauss, is so crystalline that it sounds as if each fiddle and guitar string has been polished with Pledge. Next time, it'd be nice to hear the group get a little rougher. But for now, the kids are all right.
Nickel Creek
This Side (Sugar Hill)
Where last year's mega-selling O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack was a nod to bluegrass music's past, this new album by twentysomething acoustic trio Nickel Creek is a healthy sign of its future. The threesome, comprising Chris Thile and siblings Sean and Sara Watkins, has upped its game on this sophomore release, crafting a set that pushes bluegrass's boundaries.
The group serves up a snappy cover of Spit on a Stranger by the brainy indie-rock outfit Pavement. And the first single, This Side -- sung by Sean -- is a sunny blast of pop-rock that's no less accessible because of the acoustic backing.
This tune also highlights another of the album's strengths -- all three members are singing this time out. (On Nickel Creek's debut, Thile handled most of the vocals.) Sean shines on the title track, and Sara sounds spunky and sharp on the plucky Beauty and the Mess. But Thile still delivers the most affecting performance, on the pleading Hanging by a Thread.
The record's primary flaw is a too-sterile sound. The production, by bluegrass queen Alison Krauss, is so crystalline that it sounds as if each fiddle and guitar string has been polished with Pledge. Next time, it'd be nice to hear the group get a little rougher. But for now, the kids are all right.