CD Reviews- Dierks Bentley- Up On The Ridge

The Background:
At every turn in his career, he’s done his own thing, whether that meant touring with jam bands, playing rock venues or recording with bluegrass all-stars on platinum country albums. Now Dierks steps forward with his most artistically daring project yet - the all-acoustic Up On The Ridge - a powerful, beautiful album steeped in the bluegrass and roots music that moved Dierks Bentley to be a country musician in the first place. His fifth album for historic Capitol Records is a document of an artist who’s using some well-earned freedom to write in a fresh vein and cook up collaborations with the musicians who fascinate and amaze him most in the world. It’s the way all albums should be made - built on an idea and an artist-driven vision - as opposed to formulaic packages of eleven songs with four radio singles.

The Review:
A student of country history- his passion for the Grand Ole Opry is well-documented- Bentley has been given an opportunity to produce an album of modern bluegrass songs backed by one of the strongest collection of acoustic musicians since Steve Martin’s The Crow. Up On The Ridge is not just about the music from the Appalachian hills, it’s about the Appalachian hills. “Down In The Mine” uses eloquent lyrics about theose with no other resources to feed their families except for working “down in the hole” of those mountains. “Fate has no mercy for those down in the mine” and Bentley does a fantastic job of relaying a thankless job filled with greater dangers than any of us will experience. The production ebbs and flows in instrumentation which help with the emotion and suspense. It’s truly a beautiful single. The first single to radio is “Up On The Ridge” which blends a rocking bluegrass love song with the hills as a background- all with terrific musicianship. “Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)” borrows bluegrass star power in the form of Nickel Creek’s lead singer and mandolin player Chris Thile. “Rovin’ Gambler” is a whirlwind of picking in the typical bluegrass tragedy of bad behavior- someone getting shot and jail time. “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” is a fantastic cover and remake of the legendary U2 track. He gives a fresh take on the classic rock tune, giving it a whole new acoustic sound with still keeping the familiarity of the original. “Bad Angel” leans on two of country music’s hottest commodities in Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson- it’s delicious vocal jumbalaya about the corner of “Temptation and Salvation Street.” “Draw Me A Map” is a gorgeous dobro and mandolin filled plea for forgiveness and love. But it’s also a great analogy for the album as a whole. Few artists, if any, have been able to connect this instrumentation to modern country radio. With his first single of “Ridge”, Bentley has drawn a map from bluegrass to radio with some medium to moderate success. Here’s hoping X marks the spot and more radio finds this mark,

Sounds Like:
Dierks figured out a way to convince his label to put passionate art ahead of commercialism

Track Highlights (suggested iPod adds):
Down In The Mine
Up On The Ridge
Senior (Tales of Yankee Power)
Rovin’ Gambler
Pride (In The Name of Love)
Bad Angel

The Verdict:
Four Stars Out Of Five