If You Can't Stand the Heat

Frank Solivan's satin-smooth, mid-tenor voice soars right off the bat in ‘Crave’, the opening track of If You Can't Stand the Heat. Co-written by Frank and Becky Buller, it's a fast-tempo song that showcases the expertly controlled, sharply polished repartee for which Dirty Kitchen (2016's IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year) is now widely recognised. Co-produced by Grammy-winning banjoist and Compass Records co-founder Alison Brown, this is the third album by Solivan, an Alaskan based in Washington DC.

While the band's songwriting, vocal and instrumental chops put them in the upper echelon of the bluegrass hierarchy, the truly distinguishing factor is Solivan's finesse in directing the process like a master chef. From sparkling original throwdowns (‘Crack of Noon’) to cleverly arranged covers (Steely Dan's ‘Rikki’), the ingredients are fresh and well-balanced, and the seasoning spot-on.