Old Man Luedecke

Artists like Old Man Luedecke are the living proof that the most important attributes for a musician are talent and ability. What he does is, on the face of it, simple and undemanding but he plays the banjo brilliantly, yodels and sings with real verve and his songwriting is simply a joy.

The album consists of 14 slices of melodic and tender folk/roots and song after song tell stories that are real and honest – no chest-beating or braggadocio, no exaggerated sexual exploits and no concessions to fashion.

The album was recorded virtually live in Old Man Luedecke’s back-woods cabin along with long time collaborator Tim O’Brien (himself a multiple Grammy winner) and here you are essentially hearing a conversation – in music – between two old friends. Between Luedecke’s songs and his banjo and guitar playing and O’Brien’s fiddle, mandolin and Bouzouki, together with sublime harmonies, you are transported back to a time when music was personal and not ‘targeted’ or ‘on-mission’ – all from the heart.

Just to listen to a beautiful and intense ballad like ‘The Briar And The Rose’ envelops you in a warm and loving place while opener ‘Yodelady’ (which has been on his setlist for at least 6 years) puts a smile on your face with the charm of the old-time banjo and yodels. ‘Year Of The Dragon’ features O’Brien on mandolin with a lovely melody and sublime chorus while ‘Low On The Hog’ has memories of Scottish folk alongside bluegrass and old-time country and more of the beautiful picking from O’Brien.

I was a big fan of the last album from these two ‘Tender Is The Night’ and this goes further into the simplicity of the music and the effectiveness of it – simply lovely and with not a wasteful note on the whole set