Album Notes

Virginia trio Furnace Mountain has released yet
another A+ album. If you haven't yet heard this
Appalachian string band, consider this your cue --
give one listen to this or any of their prior discs
and hear music that sings to the soul. Drawing
inspiration from Celtic, folk, and old-timey roots,
the group is sure to enamor all who encounter them,
and the unmatched vocal pairing of bassist Aimee Curl
and bouzouki player Morgan Morrison is nothing short
of spine-tingling. Trading leads and weaving
harmonies, the two women captivate the ear in ways
that are enchanting, mesmerizing, and downright
divine. "Fiddlin' Dave" VanDeventer, as he is known,
infuses the band with lively spirit, expertly guiding
such purely instrumental tunes as "Duck River" and
"Chinquapin Hunting." The trio is often enhanced by
the addition of a bodhran (a drum of Irish origin) and
the occasional inclusion of mandolin and washtub.
Nearly all of the songs are traditional, but each one,
from the very obscure to the somewhat familiar, has
been reworked and re-envisioned as something fresh and
original. If you like live music, check out Furnace
Mountain each September in Berryville, Virginia, when
they host the legendary Watermelon Park Festival. For
more information about the band, this album, and
Watermelon Park, visit
www.furnacemountain.com....Shannon Holliday---