So Familiar

So Familiar is the follow-up to Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's 2013 debut duo album, Love has Come for You. Produced by Peter Asher, the album's dozen songs were partly inspired by the collaborative musical Bright Star, for which Martin wrote the story, while Brickell penned the lyrics – and both share music credits. So Familiar transports the concept of roots music right into orchestral pop-rock territory, complete with string and brass arrangements that create a richly ornamented, theatrical soundscape. Accompanying Martin's finely honed clawhammer banjo pickings and Brickell's distinctive vocals is an all-star line-up that includes banjo master Béla Fleck, veteran session bassist Leland Sklar, keytarist Victoria Asher and guitarist Mike Einziger, along with members of the Steep Canyon Rangers (Martin's regular band). Hardcore Americana and bluegrass fans may not appreciate the full-throated Broadway take on their beloved genres, but this is targeting a broader audience, one which might find much to enjoy in this cheekily modern mash-up.