If Sorrows Swim [LP]

Michigan's perennial string band Greensky Bluegrass deliver the follow-up to their breakthrough 2011 album Handguns with the equally robust If Sorrows Swim. In the three years since Handguns hit number three on Billboard's bluegrass chart, the progressive Kalamazoo quintet have honed their distinct style which blends the earthy warmth of traditional bluegrass styles with a more muscular, darkly hued rock tone. The fifth studio album in their 14-career, If Sorrows Swim contains contributions from dueling songwriters, mandolinist Paul Hoffman and guitarist Dave Bruzza, whose differing styles create a complementary whole that is a major part of the band's identity. Full of the top-notch playing fans have come to expect, it's an album grounded in the lonesome rural sound, but with plenty of punch and immediacy. ~ Timothy Monger