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Reviews Too Old to be Controlled Posted on the Nwbluegrass Yahoogroup: Big Medicine, out of North Carolina, plays old-time like a bluegrass band, or maybe its bluegrass like an old-time band. They can't be pigeon-holed. The album has 20 cuts of the finest traditional hillbilly music you'll ever hear. Between four members they play guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo and bass. The singing is not the polished and buttery smooth saccharine we've come to expect from contemporary bluegrass. It has grit and believability, and is sometimes moving. The band constantly trades around the instruments, yet maintains a solid sound. Their music is definitely in the traditional old-time vein, but they bring each piece to life as though it is their own original creation. And they do rock! I judge a CD by the number of times it raises the hair on the back of my neck. Hair-raisers on this one include the Carter Family's "Bear Creek Blues", which has some wonderful guitar playing. My oh my.. And their "Wild Bill Jones" is the hottest, and fastest, I've heard yet. I've been buckdancing to it in my underwear every morning this week! They sing a gospel song from Wade Mainer called "Sit Down" that will have you standing up and shoutin' along. They sing "Pretty Little Miss Out In The Garden" in a very Stanley Brothers-esque way. The fiddle tunes will make your fat jiggle, I said so. They get a nice variety on the vocals, with lots of harmony singing. In fact the whole dang collection is great, lots of variety and nice surprises. As the liner notes state, "It is music that can move the heart, lift the spirits, make you cry, or tickle your feet." I give Big Medicine 5-1/2 stars out of 5 stars. Bill Martin "Great songs, delivery, harmonies, and stage presence. You all are entertainers, something that's all too rare in the old-time community." Jack Bernhardt, Raleigh News & Observer "The
combination of their instrumental talents, considerable as they are
individually, add up to a whole that's greater than the sum…Too Old
to Be Controlled radiates good times and the joy of sharing music
for no other reason than the sheer fun of it." "Big
Medicine does it all, and they do it well." "Big
Medicine runs the fault line between old- time and bluegrass but also
manages to make some highly creative statements that sound as if they
came from deep in the tradition.This band is an example of experienced
players who have learned the music, its shapes, colors, and forms, and,
not being content to just play it, have taken these shapes and colors
to form their own music within the genre...Big Medicine is an all-around
band. They nail the fiddle tunes, they sing and play a wide range of
songs, and do it all equally well." "Their
competent musicianship and obvious love and respect of old time music
shines through on every cut. This band has the capability of opening
new musical doors to folks who may be unfamiliar with traditional southern
rural music.." "These
four North Carolina musicians join together their impressive individual
talents to brew up some of the most spirited old time and classic style
bluegrass being played today. If you need a lift, a pick me up, friends,
this is the tonic that'll do ya. "Played
with precision and joy by one of North Carolina's most accomplished
old-time string quartets." "These
folks play old-time country music that is right on the money - vocally,
instrumentally, and emotionally. Listening to the cuts on their recent
CD gives me the same feeling of satisfied elation as I get from those
great, inspirational performances of 60 and 70 years ago." The
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