Made It All Up

Sociograss formed in 2018 when guitarist and singer Tim Leslie of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, visited Edinburgh, Scotland, for the first time. Soon enough, Leslie hooked up with like-minded members of other bands in the area who shared his passion for US roots music, particularly Appalachian folk and other early US genres and styles. Made It All Up, is the resulting six-piece Sociograss’ debut album, showcasing the band’s exceptional versatility and sharply honed chops across eight mostly original songs from the pen of Leslie and James Wright, which range from rags (‘Mousetrap Rag’) and waltzes (‘Made It All Up’) to country blues (‘Sucker’) and old-time stringband. On ‘Squirrely Riders’, the individual virtuosity and outstanding ensemble playing supports the notion that Sociograss is essentially a bluegrass band. At the same time, Made It All Up, from a band still based in Edinburgh, stands out by stretching the definition of what it means to be a bluegrass band.