Review Summary: Not just music for people in Arkansas anymore.
I know what you’re thinking. Don’t feel bad, everyone goes through this. We all suffer dry spells with Metallica eventually. The band has a limited amount of good music and its just not as appealing today as it was 15 years ago. Those musical tones, which used to be so fresh, have been watered down by the imitators (as well as the band itself). The once grinding and dramatic vocals are sliding closer to petulance. Do you catch yourself daydreaming about other bands when Metallica isn’t around?
I’m here to help you through this. With a little work you and the 4 piece can get your mojo back and give your relationship the boost it needs before you do something you’ll regret. The secret to rekindling this romance involves a surrogate. Specifically Iron Horse. Hearing different people playing familiar songs allows the listener to discover new things to appreciate about the originals. Chris Cornell once said that no one ever complimented him for his lyrics until Johnny Cash started performing Rusty Cage.
Now that we’ve established that this is a safe place you can admit that your bluegrass collection is lacking. Not that you need a ton of it; a little goes a long way, and though these guys are not on the same level as genre royalty Ricky Skaggs or Harry Chapin, Iron Horse do an admirable job translating Metallica’s songs to something you would hear at a hoedown. Instead of fierce guitar licks you’ll hear some spirited banjo breakdowns. An upright bass keeps the time, and a mandolin holds it all together. Leading the whole charge are vocals often showcased in three part harmony in which neither of the tri-parts exhibits much range.
Yeah its kind of a bummer they neglect the jug which is the best bluegrass instrument but it just leads to lightheadedness. Lets not encourage hallucinogenic behavior. This band may not be dynamic but they have a professional approach and listening to the lyrics from Ride the Lightning and Fuel sung in such a sobering manner is really worth the price of the free download. And the cherry on top is that at least none of them have the vastly punchable face of a certain Metallica drummer.
You can read the final paragraph at our next session after you’ve had the album for a week.
First of all its good to see you and Metallica holding hands again. Obviously you are doing much better. I won’t even ask about the sex. In the same way that seeing a live performance can change your opinion of a band so too can listening to the Horse that is Iron. Lets not forget to thank our new friends who have shown that a fast picked banjo mixed with some low grade moonshine is a decent substitute for one of the biggest bands of the ‘80s.
