Crooked Tree
Crooked Tree puts Molly Tuttle's guitar playing inside a bluegrass record that values songs as much as instrumental skill. The fast exchanges and clear harmonies are impressive, but they serve stories with a recognisable human centre. Tuttle sounds comfortable within the tradition while making room for concerns that belong to the present.
The guest list is large enough to suggest a crowded record. In practice, most appearances add a useful colour. Margo Price joins Flatland Girl for a warm reflection on family and place, while Gillian Welch gives Side Saddle another strong voice in its challenge to restrictive expectations of women. Tuttle remains the focus because her singing has the confidence to stand beside these different personalities.
Nashville Mess Around brings a lighter touch to the pressures of a growing city. Its quick movement and playful delivery keep the complaint from becoming a lecture. Big Backyard is similarly welcoming, with Old Crow Medicine Show helping to turn a broad sense of community into something lively rather than overly sweet.
There is darker material too. Castilleja follows the bluegrass murder-ballad tradition, and The River Knows draws a colder line through betrayal and revenge. Their presence gives the record more emotional range than the bright surface might initially suggest. The playing stays attractive without making every story cheerful.
San Francisco Blues slows the pace and leaves more room for regret. Tuttle's reflections on leaving the West Coast sit naturally within its bluesier setting. Grass Valley closes by looking back at childhood encounters with bluegrass, bringing the record's musical roots into the songs themselves. It is a fitting end to an album that sounds connected to a living community.
Some passages feel busy, and listeners looking for a major departure from traditional bluegrass may find the approach familiar. The many guests do not always need quite so much room. Even so, Crooked Tree succeeds through the balance of sharp playing, expressive singing and clear writing. Its warmth makes the technical skill easy to enjoy, while the stronger stories give that skill a purpose beyond another fast solo.
