Mark Newton Band - Hillbilly Hemingway (CD)

All Music Guide

If Hillbilly Hemingway sounds like an odd name for a bluegrass album, that's probably because it is a bit unusual. But given a bit of thought, one might make the argument that country songwriters like Hank Williams, forced to write in an economical style for a threeminute format, then perhaps the Mark Newton Band is on to something. The band, vocalist Mark Newton, mandolinist Andy Ball, banjoist John Wheat, bassist Beth Lawrence, and guitarist Clay Hess, is augmented by fiddler Stuart Duncan, dobro players Rob Ickes and Randy Kohrs, and producer Carl Jackson. The band plays extremely well together as a unit and the dozen songs have been carefully chosen. Newton's countryflavored lead is backedup by precision harmony, though these vocals work best, and are most distinctive, in the instances where a female tenor is placed in the mix. Although Carl Jackson has stuck to an unobtrusive production, the music remains fairly smooth, fitting snuggly into "contemporary" bluegrass category. This ...lack of rough edges is abated somewhat by songs like "Are You Lonesome Tonight," featuring Hess' rougher, more traditionbased vocals, and the freeforall instrumental "Downforce." Hillbilly Hemingway is a likable, radio friendly album, that will please Newton's fans. - Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide Read more Less