TRAMPLED BY TURTLES “PALOMINO” Review

TRAMPLED BY TURTLES “PALOMINO”
By Rick Zeigler

Trampled By Turtles have been around for seven years, but Palomino, their fifth album, is their first to get nationwide release. And it is a bluegrass treat. Hailing from Duluth, MN, the five members of Trampled By Turtles play bluegrass with a frenetic, crazed energy bordering on punk rock. But make no mistake, this is bluegrass music of the highest caliber. Employing the standard instrumental lineup of acoustic guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, and fiddle, the twelve cuts on Palomino (all penned by leader and lead vocalist Dave Simonett, save for the two instrumentals) cover traditional bluegrass territory of fiery instrumentals, virtuoso fast-paced vocal cuts, and downcast ballads. But the key ingredient for the band, as it is for any bluegrass group worth its salt, is the instrumental prowess of the players. In this regard, particular mention must be given to the blazing banjo work of Dave Carroll, with Ryan Young’s lightning-fast fiddle also a highlight. The disc opens with “Wait So Long,” characterized by the crazy-fast banjo of Carroll and a wild violin solo by Young in the middle. Simonett’s vocals do not try to echo the “high lonesome” sound of so many bluegrass groups, taking a more naturalistic/country approach. And while the subject matter (primarily about young or doomed relationships) will be familiar to any lover of the genre, there are phrases that reveal a more “modern” approach to material, as when Simonett sings of his lover’s “heart like a frozen freight train”. Second track, “Victory,” is a country hoe-down romp with Simonett singing mournfully of his lover that it “feels like your hands are nailed to the ground,” but also injecting that “the stars, they whisper blessings, babe, as you walk by”. “It’s A War” follows, another blazingly fast showcase for banjo, fiddle, and the mandolin stylings of Erik Berry. A change-up is thrown into the mix with “Bloodshot Eyes,” a slow, harmonica-led bluesy number, with Simonett, sounding a little like Townes Van Zandt, singing, “I’ve tried every bottle, every pill that I know/But time, baby, time, works better than wine.” The group says that most of the tracks were first takes in order to try and capture the energy of a live performance, and they have admirably succeeded in that task. Indeed, they have created one of the finest modern bluegrass recordings in recent memory. And fortunately for us, we can witness their live performance at the end of this month, as they will be playing at Birdy’s on September 30th. Hope to see you there.

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