Bluegrass is a funny thing. Sometimes I find it’s a little hokey or a little sad. Other times I think I only enjoy it because the musicians have found a way to incorporate tropes from other genres (such as Greenland is Melting’s punk approach.) Texas’s Wood and Wire have hit the sweet spot: it’s as blue as bluegrass is going to get, but they energy behind the music is pure rock’n’roll.
While all 11 songs on the album are original, you feel like you’ve heard them somewhere before. It’s not plagiarism — the band’s just that good at writing rollicking, timeless songs. “Dancin’ On My Grave” might just be my new favorite kiss-off song. Ultimately, the album deals with growing up, loss, and maturity — you know, boring stuff — but the way Wood and Wire tells it, growing pains are actually pretty fun.