NewFound Road heads back to studio

Live at the Down Home

Live CDs can sometimes suffer from quality control issues. Not so here with the NewFound Road CD recorded in Johnson City, Tenn. on Dec. 4, 2010. The recording feels like the listener has a seat at the Down Home and yet the tracks have studio sonic quality. The crowd injects energy, but does not distract. The band has its roots in gospel music, but stretches out into other genres. There's a Jackson Browne number, These Days, bluegrass, (a high energy rendition of Reuben) and some smooth country, (Tom T. ...

Same Old Place

The new album by Newfound Road might be called "Same Old Place," but the music doesn't find the band stalled out in the same old place. Their sophomore release for Rounder (and fifth overall) finds the band teaming with producer Jim VanCleve, of the award winning group Mountain Heart, to polish their sound and song selection. While the sound may be a little too polished for some bluegrass purists, the crisp, clean production brings out the sound of each instrument and harmony part. ...

Life in a Song

Seldom does a bluegrass band of unknowns make an immediate impression. With most bands, the members have spent several years paying their dues as understudies in established bands or they've made a name for themselves as solo artists and joined together as some kind of supergroup. Not New Found Road. Relative unknowns from Ohio, Tim Shelton, Rob Baker, Jr. Williams and Randy Barnes ably share the vocal duties while weaving some fine harmonies. They write solid bluegrass tunes while selecting tasty covers. ...