Say “jam band” to a lot of people and they picture fans as face painted twirlers wearing tie-dye in the meadow. Â I’ve never been to a Grant Farm show, but I have to believe they have also have a contingent dressed in pearl-snap shirts and intricately stitched cowboy boots. Â They’re about the only jam band I can think of where Ben Haggard or Cindy Cashdollar could sit in and sound at home.
Their latest album, Kiss the Ground, has some of that sound as well as tunes shifted to the rock end of the spectrum.  Colors  is a sweetly twangy number that evokes Luther Perkins or Chet Atkins for the guitar solos.  The Innocent One is all acoustic and showcases the band’s vocal harmonies.  Similarly, Fill Your Cup takes the harmonies to an inspirational level with its message that “when you’re broken down, get right up.”
Many of the highlights for me were lyrical. Â The Keg is an awesome tale of getting stranded in a small town and finding that it was right where you needed to be, with an unfortunate consequence of missing a show. Â I Wish That It Would Rain is an anthem to every working man’s desire to “give me an excuse to stay inside, pull out all my toys and play.” Â Get In Line bursts the bubble of the dreamers telling them “if salvation’s what you’re looking for, get in line.”
It’s always hard for a great live band to capture the essence of their music in a studio album.  The better ones strike a balance by giving you a peek into persona without committing a couple of hours to a show.  I think Kiss the Ground will whet your appetite to have the full Grant Farm experience the next time they’re in your town.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.