There’s nothing overly complicated about the old fiddle tunes and songs on this CD, or about the way these four Fox Hunt boys from West Virginia have chosen to put them together. No grand orchestration, no high drama, no frills, and certainly no fancy digital effects from the studio. Thank goodness. This is music rough around the edges, made in a world which usually demands precision of musicians; it is from these edges, that spring the energy, humility and generosity that keep bringing me back to this CD. This is a quartet of extremely solid musicians, yet the focus is never on the individual player; instead, they complement each other as a truly fine ensemble should. They understate their talents, to let the spirit of the music come through, rather than overwhelming the music with a display of virtuosity. The CD, a mix of fast breakdowns and more contemplative tunes, and a few songs and ballads, is consistent in its groove, four guys who’ve clearly played together a lot, late into the night--- good music like this, I think, can only be the result of good camaraderie. In other words, this CD is a late night jam session, between good friends. And there, my friends, lies the beauty of this CD. It is an invitation to join those late night parties. A break from the Fox Hunt’s usual fare of original songs, this is not just another old time music CD made for a niche audience of people who are already fans of fiddle tunes (though they’re sure to appreciate this CD, too.) Instead, this CD, taking advantage of a diverse fan base, is a chance to bring these fiddle tunes to the ears of people who might never have realized how much fun is involved. I truly appreciate their take on this musical tradition. Though they acknowledge their teachers as source material for each tune, it seems that the spirit of the tradition—as social, and community based music-- has been passed along, too. The music is alive, with these boys, who’ve declined to preserve the music like a museum piece, but instead present it to us as a series of heartfelt, accessible fiddle tunes and songs with a sincerity that grabs us, with the hopes that it will inspire us to grab our own fiddle or banjo and join the fun. It’s an engaging CD that demands more than one listen, because the tunes and their presentation are, in fact, deceptively simple. Their rendition of the murder ballad Knoxville Girl is one such example; repetitive four part harmony, delivered with directness. Yet, as I listened to it again, and again, I realized that what really drew me about this song—and the rest of the tunes—was the unpolished quality of the presentation. From the quartet’s sound, at any moment, singular voices float in and out of focus, as happens with the fiddle and banjo tunes, an awareness of both a group sound, but then also beginning to recognize the part of each individual. The approach is honest, and makes no mystery of the process of playing music: this is music that everyone might be a part of. I must admit that I have a sort of bias working here; some of these musicians are those who took a chance on me, late one night, and drew me into the party, despite my protests that I didn’t know what I was doing, that I didn’t know anything about this music. They didn’t seem to care; they just wanted to include me, and to make sure I had a good time. And, in a world where so often music seems like an exclusive activity for the hyper talented and the child prodigy, their repeated invitations—in this CD, and any chance you might run into these guys, on the street, or in a crowded bar—are revolutionary.