David Benedict – The Golden Angle
Shelton Records – 26 October 2018
Only a handful of times before has the bluegrass form been notably reinvented. It is always a nice surprise to hear it again reinterpreted and given new life by a musician at the beginning of what seems to be a very promising career. The Golden Angle, the sophomore album from mandolinist and composer David Benedict, showcases the genre in a new and unexpected light and calls upon a well-balanced cast of contemporary bluegrass talents to embellish this noteworthy project. The Golden Angle brings to mind a musician spirited into the calling to take bluegrass to a new level.
The International Bluegrass Music Association has seen the emergence of quite a few impressive new faces on the scene in the last few years, bestowing honours upon David Benedict and several of his contemporaries. These new voices have enriched the genre in ways that Flatt and Scruggs might never have seen coming. The new generation of bluegrass talent is consequently faced with rising above the high and lonesome trope of a musical style that’s long attracted a veritable boys’ club. With more female artists than ever before finally piercing the glass ceiling of this indomitable genre, the floor is left wide open for collaboration, innovation, and reinterpretation by artists bold enough to impart their vision. Benedict has embraced this new wave with an enthusiasm that touches every note of his songwriting.
Bringing together multiple genres and turning bluegrass into a (yet still fully recognizable) hybrid folk form, The Golden Angle is an unexpected adventure, full of wonderful surprises. These surprises provide the album with undoubted momentum. It feels as though David Benedict is on a quest to capture our ears from the moment he has our attention, bringing forward the swanky “Dorrigo” as an introduction. More a high-five than a handshake, “Dorrigo” is full of personality in its mandolin trills and spinning melodies. Little fragments of frantic riffing propel off each other as runners in a melodic relay. Like fuel at our fingertips, it leaves us ready to dive head-first into the album.
Throughout this work, Benedict manages to pull us in several different directions without leaving us tired or torn. We can feel the gossamer twinkling of “Waltz for Griffin” and just as easily enjoy the jagged ferocity of “Lawnmower.” Never do we think we must choose between them, and that in itself is deeply satisfying. Even when played out of sequence, these tracks seem to belong together like episodes of a story. Perhaps it is the distinctive instrumental talent of Benedict and his backing band which bring this cohesive flavour to a work so varied. We become accustomed to the wandering footsteps of Benedict’s mandolin, the steady resilience of Missy Raines’s bass, and the (sometimes) frenzied gliding of Stuart Duncan’s fiddle. Together they tread the sands of near-perfection and, while giving us all a taste of their humble abilities, make us feel quite at home.
The best of The Golden Angle are the tunes which showcase each of these instrumentalists while highlighting David Benedict’s undeniable songwriting ability. “Waltz for Griffin” is my favourite track of the album, wherein the mandolin at times stampedes through a melodic line and at other times chimes with the delicateness of a tiny bell. It is a questioning piece. The mandolin loses and finds itself multiple times with the aid of its supporting instruments. It is a lifelike tune in that it’s not without uncertainty, but it is reminiscent of a story of companionship, one told equally through each member of the group with Benedict humbly at the helm.
Another unexpected favourite is “High Stepping Jessy,” which is the track that best exemplifies the idea that this is “not your father’s bluegrass.” Out with the old: this piece is a little bit jazz, a little bit hip-hop, and a lot bluegrass too. The mandolin plays MC, holding the mix together while Mike Barnett and David Grier churn out high-velocity rhythms. Outrageously innovative, David Benedict has written a new formula for bluegrass with this tune, while still maintaining a genre based heavily on the old formulas. What’s not to like?
Benedict’s talent is in blending the old and new, concocting a mixture of classic instrumental themes and innovative interjections. All the bells and whistles of The Golden Angle are placed with great care and attention by a group fully prepared to take on such a task. It’s a task many might doubt could prove successful, reinventing a genre the very foundation of which is enduring tradition. But, David Benedict has entered into this grand adventure with all the qualifications of a promising innovator in his field. He intentionally strays from the bland and instead writes songs indicative of what might be left if the middle ground fell from under our feet. The Golden Angle is an admirable work with great potential, and David Benedict has truly proven himself among leaders of a generation of musicians guiding bluegrass into new pastures.
https://www.davidbenedictmusic.com/