Poor Boy's Pleasure (Mountain Fever, 2016)
Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
Reviewed by Kevin Oliver
Sisk nods directly to Martin on the tribute "Jimmy, J.D., and Paul," which tells the tale of a young Junior witnessing the Sunny Mountain Boys in the 1950s, set to a driving traditional Martin-style tune. Martin's legendary hard living might not be an inspiration to the straight-laced Sisk, but his ability to entertain and engage in excellent musicianship certainly is.
The strength of Rambler's Choice is that they shine on multiple styles within what one might think of as a restrictive 'traditional' technique. "Longneck Blues" leans country and honky-tonk, "Lonnie Ray" kicks off the album with an uptempo workout worthy of the Clinch Mountain Boys, and Sisk proves again what a great gospel singer he is on the waltz-time "What About Me Lord," employing a plaintive mountain soul style straight from the Ralph Stanley playbook.
Bluegrass has come a long way since the glory days of Jimmy Martin that Sisk references and represents in the contemporary scene. It's a measure of the success of both the genre and of Sisk that he's not only accepted, but celebrated as a masterful part of that popularity and progress.
CDs by Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice







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