Full Review

Adrienne Young – Plow to the End of the Row

If first impressions count then Adrienne Young’s debut album certainly starts off well – from the exquisite packaging and booklet complete with a packet of wildflower seeds, everything about ‘Plow to the End of the Row’ shows that this is a release put together with a real attention to detail.

Adrienne and her band Little Sadie mix authentic bluegrass and country with contemporary folk sensibilities, and while this is a path that has been walked before, it’s rarely sounded as fresh or as vital as it does here.

The disc starts off with the title track, a simple song with atmosphere and sense of location that details rural American life, it’s a wonderful piece of writing where she captures the incessant demands of farming life while celebrating the obvious rewards of the lifestyle. This quality of writing continues throughout, with ‘Home Remedy’ a co-write and duet with Will Kimbrough being the obvious highlight, it’s a song that revels in the comfort provided by love and companionship, with their vocals complimenting each other well – the melody (and sentiments) linger long after the song has finished. Elsewhere ‘Blinded by Stars’ and ‘I Cannot Justify’ both offer strong and thought-provoking comment on wide-ranging issues.

Musically, this is as you’d expect, Adrienne plays guitar and banjo, and the excellent band provide a variety of backing that includes fiddle, mandolin, acoustic bass and some interesting and varied percussion.

The songs and band switch between styles seamlessly, moving from ‘Poison’ the most obviously contemporary track, to the traditional ‘Soldier’s Joy’ without ever sounding clumsy or forced.

‘Plow to the End of the Row’ is a strikingly natural collection – her vocals are distinctive but unaffected, and the quality of the writing and musicianship makes this one of the most memorable albums of the year. Highly recommended.