Sound Off: CD review

Steep Canyon Rangers

Lovin' Pretty Women

(Rebel)

While some might view bluegrass as "old-timey" music, in truth there are more and more young acts appearing on that music scene these days.

Chalk it up to the skill and practice required to get the sound just right, to have each acoustic instrument blend with its mates in a purely organic way.

A good number of today's younger bluegrass acts are coming out of North Carolina, and one of the most talented has to be the Steep Canyon Rangers.

Like their Raleigh colleagues in Chatham County Line, this five-piece outfit plays like a seasoned group of musicians twice their age, and on the band's latest studio release, "Lovin' Pretty Women," there is plenty of good pickin' to go around. From the gospel-tinged "Be Still Moses" to the lovely mandolin picking on "Kuykendall," this is bluegrass music that will appeal even to those who don't think anything good happened in the genre after Ricky Skaggs.

As a bonus, Steep Canyon Rangers often perform here in Charleston, so be on the lookout for the next local appearance by this bluegrass powerhouse. (B+)

Download These: "Be Still Moses," "Kuykendall," "Don't Ease Me In."

The Dream

Love vs. Money

(Def Jam)

Both 2007 and 2008 were good years for Terius Youngdell Nash, better known as The Dream.

In the course of a little over a year, this songwriter turned in some of pop music's biggest hits. Rihanna's "Umbrella?" The Dream wrote that. Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body?" The Dream again. Beyonce's "Single Ladies?" Guess who?

Metallica's "All Nightmare Long?" Actually, Metallica wrote that one, but with his Midas touch it is not out of the realm of possibility that The Dream could be brought in to doctor a song with James Hetfield and see it become a hit.

After proving his chops as a scribe, The Dream has followed in the footsteps of other songwriter-producers such as P-Diddy, Missy Elliott and Kanye West, releasing his own albums of music performed by The Dream himself.

One might expect that The Dream's sophomore effort as a solo performer, "Love vs. Money," might simply be packed with loads of boastful swagger and countless references to his songwriting talents.

Instead, The Dream has crafted a seriously strong and catchy set of R&B tunes and hip-hop influenced jams. This isn't all that surprising, given The Dream's obvious talent at creating music. But the real news here is that there is a surprisingly small amount of filler among the 14 songs on the CD.

Standout tracks include "Walkin' on the Moon," which features Kanye West, as well as "Take U Home 2 My Mama" and "Kelly's 12 Play," which pays tribute to fellow R&B artist R. Kelly.

Look for this one to snag a few Grammy awards next year. (A-)

Download These: "Take U Home 2 My Mama," "Kelly's 12 Play," "Walkin' on the Moon."

Mojo Gurus

Let's Get Lit With The Mojo Gurus

(Linus)

Listening to "Let's Get Lit with The Mojo Gurus," it would be easy to understand if one were to experience a bit of musical multiple personality disorder.

That's because this Tampa Bay, Fla.-based band tends to wear its many rock 'n' roll influences on its collective sleeve.

Picture a band that is equal parts AC/DC, Southern Culture on the Skids, Georgia Satellites, Hank Williams Jr., and a pinch of the Rolling Stones circa 1972, and you might begin to get an idea of what these guys are about.

On the Mojo Gurus' new CD, things are kept loose and fun. After hearing studio versions of "I Can't Stand to Hear that Song Again," "(Just A) Couple of Kicks" and "13," you get the feeling that the live performance might really be what it's all about with these guys.

That isn't to say that the CD is bad, but clearly the studio environment has these guys out of their element. I say this is a band that thrives under the spotlight.

"You Didn't Have To (Do Me Like That)" proves to be more than just a past tense nod to Tom Petty's "Don't Do Me Like That," and the rest of the album sounds like the beer-soaked party it probably was in the studio. If infectious fun was the aim of releasing this CD, then the Mojo Gurus have accomplished that mission. (B-)

Download These: "(Just A) Couple of Kicks," "13," "Stingray."

Contact Devin Grant at chucktowncritic@yahoo.com