Based in Louisville, KY, twin brothers Adam and Aaron Bibelhauser have cultivated a uniquely defined sound. Combining their originality with inspiration drawn from New Grass Revival, The Osborne Brothers, and The Dillards among others, the Bibelhauser Brothers successfully straddle the line between bluegrass and country rock. Their latest project on Common Loon Records, Down the Road, is an excellent snapshot of the brothers’ musical approach.
Six of the album’s eleven selections were written by Aaron Bibelhauser, one of which is the title track, Down the Road. With beautiful harmony vocals from Dale Ann Bradley, this song best demonstrates the Bibelhausers’ originality, both lyrically and instrumentally. Along with Aaron on lead vocals and guitar, he is also featured playing piano. Though one would not typically think of that instrument within a bluegrass context, it adds a perfect texture, never getting in the way, and adding a thick layer rhythmically. As with all of the songs on this album, this track features Steve Cooley on banjo and Jeff Guernsey on mandolin alongside Aaron and his brother Adam on bass and harmony vocals. Dale Ann Bradley is also featured on Sleep a Thousand Years which tells of yearning and wondering about a lost love.
Walking on Water by Nick Dittmeier, lies squarely in the bluegrass vein. With words about navigating life after a relationship’s end, this features excellent instrumental performances from Aaron Bibelhauser, Cooley, and Guernsey. Faded Embers on the other hand takes on a swing feel, especially punctuated by the fiddle work of Michael Cleveland.
Two of the tracks are a clear nod to the newgrass movement of the 1970s. This Heart of Mine was recorded by the New Grass Revival on their 1975 album, Fly Through The Country. Here, John Cowan does a powerful job revisiting that song with remarkable vocal assistance from the Bibelhauser Brothers.
The closing track, One Tin Soldier, became known in bluegrass circles after it was recorded by The Bluegrass Alliance in 1970, but even more so after a young Sam Bush was featured singing it with the group in the iconic 1972 documentary, Bluegrass Country Soul. Along with the Bibelhauser Brothers band, Sam faithfully recreates that performance, with the arrangement never straying far from the Alliance’s rendition. Since Bush is playing mandolin on this track, Jeff Guernsey provides some excellent fiddle playing on this song.
Down The Road is an excellent display of the Bibelhauser Brothers’ sensibilities as musicians and songwriters. No matter where the brothers create or draw inspiration from, this album provides something for everyone to enjoy.
