Hand on the Plow

The Tillers claim they once played in hardcore punk bands, and in their speed and dynamics you can hear the truth of it. Yet now the instruments they use are acoustic guitar, banjo and double bass, on which the trio demonstrate a masterful control of tempos. The songs here are strong and it is hard to tell whether they are original or traditional – the liner notes give no indication. Songs such as ‘Can’t Be True’ could easily be big country music hits in the hands of, say, Willie Nelson, while the lyrical banjo picking on ‘Long Summer Day’ has a warm strength and beauty. Excellent as The Tillers are as instrumentalists, they are, however, weak singers with no one vocalist possessing a distinctive voice: this is a problem in bluegrass, where a remarkable tenor voice can really establish a band. That said, The Tillers have made a beautifully performed and recorded album. Much pleasure guaranteed to fans of bluegrass, country and folk music.