One Riot One Ranger - Flat City Nights (CD)

innovative rangerized bluegrass with a tinge of alt-country sounds

By Joe  Aug 10, 2003

One Riot One Ranger is Paul Brown, Mark Gaskill, Pete Remenyi, Chas Williams, and Mark Wyatt. Based in Columbus, Ohio, this band is equally at ease with classic bluegrass tunes like Jim & Jesse's "South Bound Train" and the Delmore Bro...thers' "Weary Lonesome Blues," as they are with the Hollies' "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress" and Bob Nolan's "Cool Water." Their original tunes are also strong enjoyable offerings, emphasizing Gaskill's and Williams' songwriting skills, and the band's ability to blend storytelling and musicianship. Williams' "I Dreamed About a Country Song" and "Cheap and On the Fly" shows that he can write new country music, as well as bluegrass ("Flat City Blues"). Gaskill, Williams and Wyatt each handle lead vocals in their own unique ways. Gaskill has a pleasing baritone voice on his self-penned and folk-flavored "I Didn't Know" and "You Know Who You Are" and "Stewart Ross." With Flat City Nights (their third release in the last six years), 1R1R innovatively rangerize bluegrass without losing respect for the music's roots. This eclectic release spans a broad chasm from bluegrass to alt-country, folk to Americana. Hard-driving banjoplayer Paul Brown is a fairly recent and welcome new addition to the group, and he also contributes fiddle or dobro on six of the cuts. Inspired by a fictional drive-in movie, Flat City Nights also offer a cute CD booklet that folds out into a full-color movie poster. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now) Read more Less