[rating=4.00]
For years country music superstar Dierks Bentley has made it known of his love for bluegrass music. So it was no surprise to his fans that he announced he was releasing a bluegrass project this year. Bentley recruited well known friend and producer/songwriter Jon Randall to help put together an album that would honor his love of this genre while putting his own spin on it.
Dierk’s Bentley’s Up on the Ridge combines elements of bluegrass, country and Americana alongside the artist’s trademark vocal and knee-slapping melodies. Bentley enlisted an A-list cast of bluegrass musicians and country music vocalists to put together one of the finest records out of Nashville in years. The title track features a driving acoustic dobro melody with a irresistible chorus written about a track of land that Bentley owns outside of Nashville. Chris Thile and The Punch Brothers show up to lend their instruments to the blistering "Rovin Gambler" and Boby Dylan’s epic, "Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)". Standout tracks are the rollicking cover of the epic battle of temptation, "Bad Angel," which features Jamey Johnson and Miranda Lambert on vocals and the Kristofferson cover, "Bottle to the Bottom" alongside the legend himself on guest vocals. Bentley’s Up on the Ridge will hopefully be the first of many roots driven records from him.
