Tribute to Tradition
The best tribute albums take well-known material and reinvent it as new--albeit with care and respect for the original intent. On that level,Tribute to Traditiondoesn't work, but that's not to say it's a bad album. Rather, it's (for the most part) a safe collection of some great country songs, recorded by some of the most talented young stars in Nashville today. Individually, these songs stand strong as ever, and the performances do reflect an obvious reverence. Still, a few more chances could have been taken with arrangements or vocal pairings. That said, highlights include Randy Travis's "Mama Tried" and Alison Krauss's "The Three Bells." Two new tracks are also included, nominally "to show that traditional country music is still alive and well," but that seems more like a hedge.--Alexandra Russell