In Our Time features some sweet acoustic blues guitar playing and mandolin strumming and Yes styled high harmonies, The Old Man at the Mill is a banjo rocker, with some line dancing instructions and some easyging falsetto harmonies and strong Southern accent to it. Ebo Walker has a celestial banjo driven shuffle with storytelling lyrics and sensational layered harmonies, Brother John is a sixties sounding effort with Bossa Nova bass and Latin rhythms complete with jazzy flamenco licks and awesome dual harmonies. Touch Her if You Can is a sappy pop song with very soft crooning and gentle harmonies and string/flute backing. Best is the lyric depth and the majestic strings coursing in at various parts like a full orchestra eliciting strong emotions of nostalgia. West Montana Hannah combines the soft soothing deep pop of some of the tracks with the banjo shuffles of the other tracks, it has rocking bluegrass, funky back beat and deep emotional content but none of these tracks top Copperfields.
Copperfields
The soothing yet earthy lead voice, the clear tenor close harmony, mix of bluegrass picking and baroque orchestra. It's a bridge between the upbeat springtime arrangements of the 60s to the downbeat wintery of the 70s. 'All the Copperfields are going back to the towns where they were born, do you have Copperfield to play in when you're getting old?', the lyrics aren't superfluous but are sung in an hearty choral style of many of the album tracks, they were a superb vocal group and arrangers alongside their obvious bluegrass chops; undoubtedly the first big Country Rock group. Listen to how the timeless strings that envelope the chorus and the wearied dispassionate vocal as his age catches up to him; deep lyrics set to well crafted pop melodies, tight musicianship and best of all.. stirring string sections.
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