Some bands stay together for years with little or no change to their lineup. Other bands are more amorphous, with different incarnations of lineups performing under different names and band members sitting in on each other’s solo projects. The latter describes Arkansas/Texas quartet, Sad Daddy. Last spring the friends got together at guitarist/vocalist Brian Martin’s Arkansas cabin with the intent of writing some songs about living in the country and getting back to nature. At the same time they could practice a little anti-social distancing and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The result became the core of a new album to be released early next year, Way Up In the Hills.
The record is a master class in old-timey, bluegrass sound, especially the vocal harmonies. The song themes cluster around escaping back to the country and living the simple life. One of the highlights is a culinary number about bacon. With the sound of swine-y goodness sizzling in the background, this may be the first time a song will make you hungry. Although all four members are certainly capable of laying down fast-paced licks, they left some nice white space on many of the tunes. That generated a laid-back feel that really reflects a few days spent with friends up in the hills.
An exception to that lazy tempo is Charlie Pickle. It’s about an old-timer who just doesn’t care what other people think and is frequently spurred to dance. It always reminded the band how friends and fans dance at shows. Fiddler Rebecca Patek came up with the idea of having friends send clips of themselves dancing, and as luck would have it Halloween was upon them. The clips were edited together to create the video for Charlie Pickle, and we’re lucky enough to offer the public premiere of it here. If this doesn’t leave you with a smile, you need some serious therapy.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.