Those who are tempted to typecast Becky Buller simply as a spiritual singer and/or a superb fiddler will likely find that her new album with Dark Shadow Recording proves that while those accolades are true, there’s so much more to her abilities.
The beautiful ballad The Outlaw, and the celebratory stance taken on Camel Train, pay homage to Jesus, but even in a secular sense, those songs are nothing less than two absolutely engaging entries. So too, the relentless fiddle flourish on Ride On By in particular nods to her instrumental acumen.
Yet, at the same time, the entire album pays tribute not only to her virtuosity, but to her versatility as well.
Several songs make that fact abundantly clear. Her take on Simon and Garfunkel’s enduring classic Hazy Shade of Winter is one of several stand-outs, thanks to the added urgency Buller and company invest in this decidedly singular song. So too, her unique interpretations of two lesser known James Taylor compositions (Millworker and Jellybean Kelly), and an original tune by Orleans (Reach), reflect her skill and savvy when it comes to taking other peoples’ material and effectively making it her own.
It’s a credit to her standing amongst her peers that the guest musicians constitute a virtual supergroup of sorts, one that includes such stellar artists as Molly Tuttle, Béla Fleck, Sierra Hull, Ricky Skaggs, Abigail Washburn, Dan Tyminski, Andrea Zonn, Alison Brown, Cheryl White, Stuart Duncan, Chris Eldridge, Missy Raines, Jim Lauderdale, Jay Starling, and, of course, her own Becky Buller Band.
That in itself is no small feat. On the other hand, a collection of covers inevitably brings comparisons to the originals. In this case however, there is enough daylight between Buller’s versions and the seminal standards to enable each offering to effectively stand on its own.
Ultimately, Songs That Sing Me is only part of the proposition. Buller clearly and consistently repays the favor.
