By: Emily J Ramey

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

In a music world where the radio single is still king, and a side step into another genre is as dangerous as a side step near the edge of a cliff, I think Dierks Bentley’s foray into bottled bluegrass should be applauded for its bravado as well as its solidity.  Bentley’s well-earned freedom stems from his reckless and unconventional ascent to the top of Nashville’s country music scene, with albums such as 2005’s Modern Day Drifter and 2009’s Feel That Fire and various national tours with the likes of fellow up-and-comers Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, and Darius Rucker.

The album starts off strong with a fervent title track.  The meandering strings and uncomplicated lyrics (“Come on, girl it’s almost dawn/Let’s get it ‘fore the magic gone/Tall, tall grass all around/Come on, lay that blanket down/Wild flowers just like you/Lay on me like mornin’ dew.”) set a bold tone for the album.  “Fallin’ for You” exudes a quiet sensuality and an easy duskiness that is swept away with the current of the melody by the end of the song.  A cover of Dylan’s “Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)” introduces the effortless accompaniment and carefree harmonies of The Punch Brothers, a classical bluegrass quintet led by master mandolinist Chris Thile (of Nickel Creek fame).

“Rovin’ Gambler” begins with Thile verbally checking in with his fellow musicians before kicking off one of the most showy tracks on the album.  “Draw Me a Map” is a subtle gem of songwriting incandescence, with rich tones and glowing lines: “I’ve never been so at loss/I’m at a canyon I can’t get around or cross/So baby come down here, lay by my side/And tell me love’s not lost across the great divide.”  U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love)” is a silvery interpretation of a blustery standard, polished into near perfection with the help of The Punch Brothers and The Del McCoury Band.

Bentley puts forth a steady effort, while graciously allowing his collaborations with some of the current virtuosos of bluegrass (Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss, Jamey Johnson, and Kris Kristofferson, to name a few) to cultivate a stunning and unadulterated body of work, worthy of our attention, not as the side project of a country star, but as a genuine addition to Nashville’s collective bluegrass catalog.

Emily J Ramey is a burgeoning young music writer, living and working in Nashville, TN. Her background includes journalism classes at New York University and a Music Business degree from Belmont University. Check out her blog at listenerextraordinaire.wordpress.com.