Leftover Salmon
On their self-titled sixth album, Leftover Salmon strip away the more eclectic elements of their "polyethnic Cajun slamgrass" and come up with a simpler but soulful sound rooted in both bluegrass and the blues. Drew Emmitt's vocals on songs like "Down in the Hollow" and "Weary Traveler" have a genuine high, lonesome twang that wouldn't sound out of place in a traditional bluegrass band, while his sound on bluesier numbers like "Last Days of Autumn" has an engaging laid-back feel. But even though the group is performing more traditionally structured songs instead of loosely organized jams, there are still plenty of opportunities for the group to exhibit the instrumental virtuosity that has made them favorites on the jam-band circuit. Newcomer Noam Pikelny is a blazing banjo picker in theBéla Fleckmode, and every time he breaks into a solo the energy level kicks up a notch. Leftover Salmon's new take on traditional styles has more than enough imagination to keep fans of the band's older, more freewheeling style happy, even as the more disciplined performances attract new ones into the fold.--Michael John Simmons