#barry bales

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Alison Krauss & Union Station - “Granite Mills”

New fella Russell Moore wasted no time establishing himself as an essential member of Alison Krauss & Union Station, taking lead vocals on “Granite Mills.”

The second single from the forthcoming (March 28) Arcadia finds the IIIrd Tyme Out frontman (he replaces Dan Tyminski) serving as the AKUS frontman and witness to the gruesome factory fire that inspired the old-time song.

The next scene was a hard one/as she passed before my eyes/she was leaping out a window/thrown from the roof so high/with a crack, she fell down on the ground/she was bruised and burned and killed/three hundred people lost their lives in the flames of the burning mill, Moore sings as Jerry Douglas’ Dobro and Krauss’ fiddle add a haunting soundscape.

This is an altogether different Union Station, moodier and grittier than in the past, and “Granite Mills” is a stark contrast to the preceding “Looks Like the End of the Road.” But stark differences are often pleasing and so it goes with “Granite Mills.”

Grade card: Alison Krauss & Union Station - “Granite Mills” - B+

3/3/25

[cbjustmusic]

Dan Tyminski and Jerry Douglas performing "The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn". ________________________________ The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn Songwriters: Patrick Brayer, Jerry Douglas, Barry Bales, Dan Tyminski, Ron Block and Alison Krauss

Tell you a little story and it won't take long 'Bout a lazy farmer who wouldn't hoe his corn The reason why I never could tell For that young man was always well

He planted his corn in the month of June By July it was up to his eyes Come September, came a big frost And all the young man's corn was lost

His courtship had just begun Said, "Young man, have you hoed some corn?" "Well I tried and I tried, and I tried in vain "But I don't believe I raised one grain."

He went down town to his neighbour's door Where he had often been before Saying, "Pretty little miss, will you marry me?" "Little miss, what do you say?"

"Why do you come for me to wed? "You can't even make your own cornbread "Single I am, and will remain "A lazy man, I won't maintain."

He turned his back and walked away Saying, "Little miss, you'll rue the day "You'll rue the day that you were born "For giving me the devil 'cause I wouldn't hoe corn."

[krispyweiss]

Album Review: Alison Krauss - Windy City

Taking a page from Rosanne Cash’s The List, Alison Krauss covers classic songs from her parents’ generation on Windy City, the fiddler and Union Station frontwoman’s first solo album since 1999.

But while Cash’s 2009 album was light and breezy, Krauss’ 2017 release is dark and still - a low-key collection of languid ballads awash in lush strings, piano, swirling pedal-steel guitar and arrangements that harken back to the Nashville Sound of the mid-20th century. The Osborne Brothers’ title track and “It’s So Long and Goodbye to You” give the maudlin Windy City a few, much-needed bursts of sunshine, but it’s mostly bleak and dreary on this one.

Even with songs from the likes of Willie Nelson (“I Never Cared for You”) and John Hartford (“Gentle on My Mind”) and guest appearances from Union Station bandmates Dan Tyminski, Ron Block and Barry Bales and friends Hank Williams Jr., Jamey Johnson, Jim Horn and others, Windy City, out Feb. 17 and now streaming on NPR’s First Listen, lacks the spark these artists would seem to bring by their mere presence alone.

Ultimately, it’s Krauss’ irresistible voice that saves the album from being a complete dud. But even that angelic instrument is not enough to make the listless Windy City’s 34-minute runtime easy to pass in a single listen.

Grade card: Alison Krauss - Windy City - C-

Hear it here: http://www.npr.org/2017/02/09/514096051/first-listen-alison-krauss-windy-city

2/13/17

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Alison Krauss - “Losing You”

Bruce Springsteen AND the E Street Band.

Booker T. AND the MG’s.

Commander Cody AND His Lost Planet Airmen.

Alison Krauss AND Union Station.

Although these artists are as different as different can be, they have one thing in common - the namesake leader almost always does his or her best work when accompanied by the band that follows the “AND.”

This holds true on “Losing You,” the first single from the first Alison Krauss solo album since 1999 and her first studio recording since 2011’s Paper Airplane with Union Station.

Windy City is due Feb. 17 and features a who’s-who of supporting musicians including Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson, Hank Williams Jr. and Union Station denizens Dan Tyminski, Barry Bales and Ron Block among others.

A torch song of the highest order, “Losing You” has no fiddle, but lots of violin. Its lush strings and orchestral arrangement find Krauss sounding more like Linda Ronstadt in her Nelson Riddle phase of the 1980s than anything we’ve heard from Krauss since, well, ever.

Krauss’ angelic voice is as gorgeous and appealing as ever, even if it sounds out of place in this bland musical setting.

Grade card: Alison Krauss - “Losing You” - C+

1/6/17

[krispyweiss]

Album Review: Alison Krauss & Union Station - Arcadia

A lot has changed in the 14 years since Alison Krauss & Union Station released Paper Airplane.

Dan Tyminski is out, though he contributes acoustic guitar and/or mandolin to all 10 tracks as a session player on Arcadia. In his place is IIIrd Tyme Out’s Russell Moore, who doesn’t play on the album, but sings lead on four tracks to Krauss’ six, making for a more-balanced female-to-male ratio on the mic.

And Moore, who sounds an awful lot like Tyminski, shines, adding urgency to the workplace-disaster narrative that is “Granite Mills” and feigning swagger on the rollicking “North Side Gal,” a song of failed woo.

Well, she gets colder/every time I try to hold her, Moore sings with help from the boys in the band.

So what hasn’t changed? Krauss infusing Union Station’s ballads like the Civil War lament “Richmond on the James” and “There’s a Light up Ahead,” a hopeful prayer, with her angelic vocal performances for one. Jerry Douglas’ Dobro, Ron Block’s banjo and Barry Bales’ bass for two, three and four.

It’s nonetheless a different band. And, AKUS is now, more than ever, truly a band.

Grade card: Alison Krauss & Union Station - Arcadia - B

4/16/25

[krispyweiss]

Travis Book to Miss Infamous Stringdusters’ Winter Tour after Bicycle Accident

- Barry Bales and Jeff Picker to fill in

Travis Book will miss the Infamous Stringdusters’ Ski Dust tour after fracturing multiple bones in a bicycle accident.

Book will miss the band’s Feb. 7-16 run through Colorado and Utah; Barry Bales (Alison Krauss & Union Station) and Jeff Picker will fill in.

“This is truly heartbreaking, as I’ve been looking forward to these shows (and the skiing) for almost a year,” Book said in a statement.

The bassist was injured Jan. 27 near his home in North Carolina.

“I’m in good hands, and have good meds and the prognosis for recovery is good,” Book said, adding he hopes to be able to return in six to eight weeks.

The ’Dusters begin an East Coast tour March 13 in New York.

1/31/24

[krispyweiss]

Alison Krauss & Union Station to (Partially) Reunite for 2025 Tour and Album

- Dan Tyminski is out; Russell Moore is in

When Alison Krauss & Union Station reunite for a tour and album in 2025, guitarist and co-founder Dan Tyminski won’t be on board.

IIIrd Tyme Out’s Russell Moore will instead fill his spot.

“To say I’m excited … would be a huge understatement,” Moore said in a statement accompanying the announcement of Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas’ 73-date North American tour, running April 17-Sept. 28, 2025.

Dubbed the Arcadia tour - which is presumably the name of the band’s forthcoming album - it marks the group’s first outing in a decade. The last AKUS LP, Paper Airplane, landed in 2011.

“I’m so grateful to get to make music again with my comrades of 40 years,” Krauss said in a statement, referring to Douglas on Dobro, Barry Bales on bass and Ron Block on banjo.

“They’ve always accomplished incredible work individually and have been constantly traveling because of it. We’re very inspired to experience this new, exciting chapter in the band’s history.”

No reason was given for Tyminski’s departure; nor was he mentioned in the announcement. The guitarist hadn’t commented as Sound Bites went to press.

Former Old Crow Medicine Show man Willie Watson will open most dates.

12/3/24

[krispyweiss]

Album Review: Willie Nelson - Bluegrass

Willie Nelson covers Willie Nelson on Bluegrass.

Plumbing his thick songbook for 12 numbers both ubiquitous (“A Good Hearted Woman,” “On the Road Again”) and under-appreciated (“Somebody Pick up My Pieces,” “Man with the Blues”), Nelson sings strongly and belies his 90 years. In fact, the vocals sound as if they were cut in the early ’00s.

Backed by a band that includes Rob Ickes on Dobro; and Union Station’s Barry Bales on bass, Ron Block on banjo and Dan Tyminski on guitar, Nelson doesn’t play on the LP. The instrumentation has changed for Nelson’s first bluegrass LP, but the melodies and vocal phrasings have not.

No chances were taken, but Bluegrass does not come off as light or tossed off. Yet, given the band likely came into the sessions knowing the songs, Bluegrass seems an easy way for Nelson to get his annual studio release together quickly before heading back on tour and starting work on his 2024 record.

Grade card: Willie Nelson - Bluegrass - B

10/9/23