Time Captain

Contemporary bluegrass- and rag-based groups often write and arrange their material to appeal to contemporary listeners – which might mean folks who've washed away, or never acquired, the feel of the dirt-farm roots of traditional material. Colorado's Ragged Union are an ensemble of equally masterful musicians, whose will to entertain works really well in live performance. In a recorded context, though, their eagerness to please seems a bit more mannered and self-conscious, closer to contemporary ‘newgrass’ here than on their previous album, Hard Row to Hoe.
Sometimes the showy chord changes and instrumental ornamentation seem to want to make up for what's missing in the lyrics, melody and song structure. But there's still much to like, including Christina Union's vibrant, Maria Muldaur-like vocals and the joyous vigour of Geoff Union's Grateful Dead-like creation, ‘Moonshine Boogie’. ‘Diamond Joe’ is a Western legend retold, well-paced by Jordan Ramsey's mandolin, and ‘Leaving Town’ channels the high, lonesome appeal of such close-harmony country acts as the Delmore Brothers and the Louvin Brothers.