Lou Reid & Carolina - Time (CD, 2005)

by Nigel Tuffman, 09/12/2005

Lou Reid burst onto the bluegrass scene many years ago as an original member of Doyle Lawson’s Quicksilver. Many years later his voice sounds very much the same as it did then – strong and engaging. Lou has played banjo, guitar, bass, and fiddle with some of the biggest bands in the business over the years, and now plays some punchy mandolin and guitar on this project with his own band. He really can do it all.

Lou’s band Carolina (with Kevin Richardson on guitar, Trevor Watson on banjo, and Joe Hannabach, Jr. on bass) settles into a good driving North Carolina groove on these tunes. With instrumental guests like Jerry Douglas, Ron Stewart, and Randy Kohrs, the music is solid and tasty. Lou’s wife Christy and Richardson provide much of the right-on vocal harmony, along with capable guests including Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill.

Lou has rustled up a whole CD of good new songs from a handful of songwriters. “My Dying Day” opens the CD on a strong note, and John Cadley’s “Time” (with Gill and Skaggs on harmonies) will likely get a lot of airplay. I also really like the closer, “Out of Here”, a leaving song that tells it like it is. These tunes are not really breaking any new ground, but the familiar themes resonate and the singing and playing is tastefully done.

Lou has a winner here.

Click here to visit Lou Reid & Carolina website