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King Wilkie
BROKE
(Rebel)
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Some of the country’s most dynamic young players are in bluegrass bands. O Brother . . . madness? A new roots wave? Or simply something rotten in the state of rock and roll? Whatever the reason, outfits like King Wilkie, a sextet of twentysomethings from Charlottesville, Virginia, get right to the heart of this music with their arching harmonies, blazing picking skills, and crackling energy. Whether they’re covering the Singing Brakeman Jimmie Rodgers ("Blue Yodel #7") or the celebrator of Dixie Jimmie Davis ("Where the Old Red River Flows"), Abe Spear’s banjo and Nick Reeb’s fiddle spur King Wilkie’s melodic flights and give the group a sense of restless momentum. Stories like their own "Lee & Paige," about young lovers who’d rather die together than face a fatal separation, and "All Night Blues," which blends lyrics of betrayal with high-speed picking, sound right too, hitting all the musical and emotional notes of genuine mountain music. When youthful musicians nail a sound this old, it’s proof of a commitment to sonic perfectionism and a belief in the worth of these songs. If there’s any trace of irony or genre tweaking here, maybe it’s in the group’s name. King Wilkie was the favorite horse of the original architect of bluegrass, Bill Monroe. But these guys are keeping ol’ King’s spirit far from the glue factory. (King Wilkie appear this Tuesday, July 20, at the Cantab Lounge, 738 Massachusetts Avenue in Central Square; call 617-354-2685.)
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