Chatham County Line
by Grant Moser
October 2006
Let’s face facts here: Bluegrass is never going to be at the top of the Billboard charts. But that’s no reason not to listen to it if it’s done well—and Chatham County does it well. The band is incredibly tight and feels like a well-oiled machine rather than separate individuals. The songs have a catchy rhythm and the album never gets boring, which is the main problem I have with country music. “By the Riverside” is a gem of a song, upbeat like a summer afternoon, and “Savoy Special” comes barreling along like a steam-train out of control; the crystal clear notes the band pulls out of the air along the way are breathtaking. I have friends who love deriding “hillbilly music,” but the simple truth is that to play bluegrass this well requires a ton of technical expertise. Speed is an easygoing, bright album that sounds like it was fun for these guys to make. Welcome to Appalachia.