The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-the iconic and profoundly influential group often cited as the catalysts for of an entire movement in country and roots music-have finished work on their first studio album in five years, Speed of Life.  The album finds the band at their laid back, ramshackle best, eschewing the large collaboration approach here for a set of songs anchored by the remarkably deft musicianship, and diverse songwriting and vocal styles of the core band of Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter, and John McEuen.