TRAMPLED BY TURTLES
''DULUTH''
OCTOBER 30 2008
40:18
1/November
Dave Simonett/3:38
2/White Noise
Dave Simonett/2:06
3/The Darkness and the Light
Dave Simonett/3:22
4/Truck
Dave Carroll/2:49
5/Empire
Dave Simonett/3:21
6/Methodism in Middle America
Dave Simonett/6:25
7/Nobody Else
Dave Simonett/2:25
8/Pipe Knot
Erik Berry/2:59
9/Think It Over
Dave Simonett/3:11
10/Duluth
Dave Simonett/3:01
11/Shenandoah feat. Rich Mattson
Traditional/4:17
12/Hammock Swinging
Erik Berry/2:44
Erik Berry /Mandolin
Dave Carroll /Banjo, Vocals
Rich Mattson /Vocals
Tim Saxhaug /Bass, Vocals
Dave Simonett /Guitar, Vocals
Ryan Young /Fiddle
REVIEW
by William Ruhlmann
Minnesota quintet Trampled by Turtles are usually referred to as a progressive bluegrass band to distinguish them from a traditional one. But on the basis of their fourth studio album, named after their hometown of Duluth, they might better be called a punk bluegrass band. Especially early on, TBT, playing with breakneck speed, suggest a punk-like energy that supports singer/guitarist Dave Simonett's adenoidal vocals, which boast the timbre of Violent Femmes' Gordon Gano and the phrasing of Townes Van Zandt. Simonett justifies such comparisons by his lyrical persona, whether he's confessing to a drunken blackout or name-dropping John Steinbeck. But there are also several instrumentals on the disc, and they provide plenty of room for the musicians, especially mandolin player Erik Berry, to shine. Trampled by Turtles are progressive in the sense that they are bringing new influences into bluegrass, but they are also an accomplished outfit and never lose the rough-and-ready feel that the music should have.
BIOGRAPHY
by Andrew Leahey
Progressive bluegrass band Trampled by Turtles are from Duluth, Minnesota, where frontman Dave Simonett initially formed the group as a side project in 2003. At the time, Simonett had lost most of his music gear, thanks to a group of enterprising car thieves who'd ransacked his vehicle while Simonett played a show with his previous band. Left with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, he began piecing together a new band, this time taking inspiration from bluegrass, folk, and other genres that didn't rely on amplification. Simonett hadn't played any bluegrass music before, and he filled his lineup with other newcomers to the genre, including fiddler Ryan Young (who'd previously played drums in a speed metal act) and jam band bassist Tim Saxhaug. Along with mandolinist Erik Berry and banjo player Dave Carroll, the group began carving out a fast, frenetic sound that owed as much to rock & roll as bluegrass.
Trampled by Turtles released their first record, Songs from a Ghost Town, in 2004. In a genre steeped in tradition, the album stood out for its contemporary sound, essentially bridging the gap between the bandmates' background in rock music and their new acoustic leanings. Blue Sky and the Devil (2005) and Trouble (2007) explored a similar sound, but it wasn't until the band's fourth release, Duluth, that Trampled by Turtles received the full support of the bluegrass community. Duluth peaked at number eight on the Billboard bluegrass chart and paved the way for a number of festival appearances. When Palomino arrived in 2010, it was met with an even greater response, debuting at the top of the bluegrass chart and remaining in the Top Ten for more than a year.
''DULUTH''
OCTOBER 30 2008
40:18
1/November
Dave Simonett/3:38
2/White Noise
Dave Simonett/2:06
3/The Darkness and the Light
Dave Simonett/3:22
4/Truck
Dave Carroll/2:49
5/Empire
Dave Simonett/3:21
6/Methodism in Middle America
Dave Simonett/6:25
7/Nobody Else
Dave Simonett/2:25
8/Pipe Knot
Erik Berry/2:59
9/Think It Over
Dave Simonett/3:11
10/Duluth
Dave Simonett/3:01
11/Shenandoah feat. Rich Mattson
Traditional/4:17
12/Hammock Swinging
Erik Berry/2:44
Erik Berry /Mandolin
Dave Carroll /Banjo, Vocals
Rich Mattson /Vocals
Tim Saxhaug /Bass, Vocals
Dave Simonett /Guitar, Vocals
Ryan Young /Fiddle
REVIEW
by William Ruhlmann
Minnesota quintet Trampled by Turtles are usually referred to as a progressive bluegrass band to distinguish them from a traditional one. But on the basis of their fourth studio album, named after their hometown of Duluth, they might better be called a punk bluegrass band. Especially early on, TBT, playing with breakneck speed, suggest a punk-like energy that supports singer/guitarist Dave Simonett's adenoidal vocals, which boast the timbre of Violent Femmes' Gordon Gano and the phrasing of Townes Van Zandt. Simonett justifies such comparisons by his lyrical persona, whether he's confessing to a drunken blackout or name-dropping John Steinbeck. But there are also several instrumentals on the disc, and they provide plenty of room for the musicians, especially mandolin player Erik Berry, to shine. Trampled by Turtles are progressive in the sense that they are bringing new influences into bluegrass, but they are also an accomplished outfit and never lose the rough-and-ready feel that the music should have.
BIOGRAPHY
by Andrew Leahey
Progressive bluegrass band Trampled by Turtles are from Duluth, Minnesota, where frontman Dave Simonett initially formed the group as a side project in 2003. At the time, Simonett had lost most of his music gear, thanks to a group of enterprising car thieves who'd ransacked his vehicle while Simonett played a show with his previous band. Left with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, he began piecing together a new band, this time taking inspiration from bluegrass, folk, and other genres that didn't rely on amplification. Simonett hadn't played any bluegrass music before, and he filled his lineup with other newcomers to the genre, including fiddler Ryan Young (who'd previously played drums in a speed metal act) and jam band bassist Tim Saxhaug. Along with mandolinist Erik Berry and banjo player Dave Carroll, the group began carving out a fast, frenetic sound that owed as much to rock & roll as bluegrass.
Trampled by Turtles released their first record, Songs from a Ghost Town, in 2004. In a genre steeped in tradition, the album stood out for its contemporary sound, essentially bridging the gap between the bandmates' background in rock music and their new acoustic leanings. Blue Sky and the Devil (2005) and Trouble (2007) explored a similar sound, but it wasn't until the band's fourth release, Duluth, that Trampled by Turtles received the full support of the bluegrass community. Duluth peaked at number eight on the Billboard bluegrass chart and paved the way for a number of festival appearances. When Palomino arrived in 2010, it was met with an even greater response, debuting at the top of the bluegrass chart and remaining in the Top Ten for more than a year.
