Review: The Infamous Stringdusters "20/20"
In 2006, The Infamous Stringdusters released their first album, a self-titled EP that caused roots music fans everywhere to sit up and take notice. 20 years later, the progressive bluegrass/jamgrass band continues to innovate, expand their musical repertoire, and build their fan base. To celebrate their 20th year, The Infamous Stringdusters have released a new album, titled 20/20.
It would have been easy for the band to mark two decades with a greatest hits album or even a live album to showcase their dynamic concerts. But easy isn't something Chris Pandolfi (banjo), Travis Book (bass), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Andy Hall (dobro), and Andy Falco (guitar) have in their vocabulary. 20/20 is not just an album of new material, it's a whopping 20-song, hour-and-nine-minute love letter to both the band's past and where they're headed in the future.
In the album's press materials, Pandolfi talks of the band's philosophy over 20 years. “Bluegrass can sometimes be a little confusing. “Because what’s coming out of the instruments has the energy of rock ' n ' roll, but guys are just standing there [onstage] in suits. When we came to [bluegrass], we loved the music, but the vibe wasn’t representative of who we were.” That shows throughout all of 20/20.
The band has already released five music videos for songs from the album, but surprisingly not for the undisputed standout track, “Gospel 22 (Let Him Move).” An A Capella number, it's a testament to just how strong vocally each band member is. It's a great nod to bluegrass gospel songs of the past, though you're not likely to hear The Carter Family throwing out lyrics “I don't know shit / I let it go / They do not know / Just what they do / Some day you'll find / Neither do you.”
Another highlight of the album is the banjo-heavy track “Karma's Got Your Number.” It's a great showcase for Pandolfi's talents and lyrically one of the album's strongest. A straight-up bluegrass banger with a heavily percussive meter, it's, as the title might suggest, a tale of someone getting their comeuppance for past misdeeds. “You been living like you won't wake up tomorrow / and I'm sure you don't know why you did today / You sewed your path of ruin and of sorrow / and karma knows just how you'll have to pay.”
With 20 songs, the band couldn't stretch out and flex their jamgrass muscles too much. And it's actually one of the album's shorter songs, the 2:38 “Working Man's Blues” that is the album's jammiest track. Everyone gets a chance to stretch on a short solo and show off their not inconsiderable skills.
But, as one would expect from The Infamous Stringdusters, it isn't all bluegrass. “Hard Times Ain't That Hard Anymore” has an old-time feel to it, while “Dancing on the Moon” is an indie folk tune, and “Up From the Bottom” would fit with any Americana band's catalog.
It's been a great 20 years for The Infamous Stringdusters. They've traveled the world, and their live shows have moved bluegrass music forward in ways that not many bands can boast. Who knows what the next 20 years have in store, but with an album like 20/20 kicking off their third decade, the future looks bright.