While it's common, and perhaps unfair, to judge new music against classics from yesteryear, the process is inevitable. It's the handful of recordings by a handful of artists that serve as touchstones for everything that follows, and remind reviewers, critics, and listeners just how far many new artists have to go. The early- to mid- '60s recordings that
Red Allen
made for
Rebel
and
Melodeon
fit into that rare category, qualifying as fabulous
bluegrass
that also serves as an acid test to post-millennium purveyors of jazzed-up mountain music. Many factors -- great pickers, good material -- work toward the overall effect, but the secret ingredient on
Keep on Going
is
Allen
's ability to inject everything he touches with lots of
country
soul. There's nothing particularly special about the lyric of
"I Don't Know Why,"
but
's lead, and his harmony with
Wayne Yates
on the chorus, turn each line into a sad refrain that reaches down deep. The cuts with brothers
Billy
, in particular, sound as
old-timey
as 1946, while the earlier material with mandolinist
Frank Wakefield
combines
singing with cutting-edge instrumental work.
reminds listeners that while
certainly benefits from instrumental proficiency and smoothly blended harmony, the truly great musicians fill their music with a depth of feeling and inspiration.
's work will also remind listeners how
was made back in the old days, and teach aspiring musicians exactly what it takes to make a classic. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.