Play It For a Long Time (Copper Creek, 2002)

The New Roanoke Jug Band is a three-man band (plus friends) keeping alive the music of their forerunner, the Roanoke Jug Band (1926-33). The 24 tracks on this new CD are mostly based on songs from the Depression era, although "When Those Two Towers Fell" has lyrics based on the Sept. 11 attack atop a tune from 1927.

While the recording quality is a far cry from yesteryear the production values are intentionally close to the original. The singer takes a backseat to the instrumentalist, and all of it is unadorned by modern effects in recording. The ability of the singers (Scott Baldwin and Jay Griffin) and musicians (that you hear, at least) is adequate, but sometimes not what you would expect in a bluegrass band - though "Unnamed Blues" demonstrates what you're hearing is affected by the genre, not necessarily the ability of the musicians. But this is a different brand of music and, for those fringe fans of old time music, easy listening.

It's easy to hear the sounds of Jimmy Rodgers and the Carter Family on this great trip down memory lane.