★★★★★
?????????? Railroad Earth's latest album, Last of the Outlaws, finds the sextet both exploring some new territory in the studio while at the same time giving their fans a healthy dose of what they have been used to since the band's inception in 2001--tightly-crafted music that tells a story and seems to get better each time it's heard. RRE enjoys popularity in several genres ranging from bluegrass to folksy Americana to new-grass to improvisational...
- www.glidemagazine.com
2014-01-29
★★★★★
Black Bear Records Last Of The Outlaws finds Railroad Earth in their twelfth year together, still discovering just what they're made of - in the nicest of ways. Newest member Andrew Altman (who took over the bass duties from Johnny Grubb in 2010) has settled in nicely with a style that's aggressive yet tasteful at the same time; Carey Harmon lays down some of his best studio drum work to-date on Outlaws ; and John Skehan - one of the jamgrass/Americana/whatever-you-want-to-call-it scene's most...
- www.jambands.com
2014-01-22
★★★★★
In the center of Railroad Earth's seventh album, Last of the Outlaws , the band unleashes a beast. The 21-minute, multi-part, string-band symphony "All That's Dead May Live Again/Face with a Hole" may become Railroad Earth's identifying recording--the moment where they laugh in the faces of the critics who've lazily dubbed them the "folk-pop-Celtic-bluegrass-roots-and-rock act from Jersey...
- www.relix.com
2014-01-11
★★★★★
The music made on this centuries old farm has a timeless quality that echoes The Band's seminal debut Music from Big Pink. The earthiness of Lonecroft is apparent throughout. The band even includes an instrumental ode to Sheaffer's homestead ("Lonecroft Ramble") that showcases the picking prowess of these accomplished acoustically-inclined musicians. Listening to "Little Bit O Me" one could swear Jerry Garcia has risen from the grave...
- www.americansongwriter.com
2013-04-25
★★★★★
Railroad Earth proves to be equal parts Dead and Del on its first-ever live album. The eclectic sextet certainly stretches out its numbers, a la the Grateful Dead, but it does so in a way that doesn't cheapen the bluegrass aesthetic promoted by such all-time greats as Del McCoury. Despite any protests to the contrary, Railroad Earth is definitely a jam-band. None of the songs on this two-disc set clock in under six minutes...
- www.soundspike.com
2010-12-07
★★★★★
Singer/writer/guitarist Todd Sheaffer heads up a gang of six progressive bluegrass pros with a bag of 13 titles (mostly his own) designed for that BBQ you've been hoping for but haven't quite got around to. The energy comes through in instrumentals like Pack a Day and Lois Ann. His voice, while not exactly dripping with character, is strong enough to carry the bulk of the lead vocals...
- www.hour.ca
2010-11-09
★★★★★
Railroad Earth's fifth and self titled studio release will paint a totally new picture of this New Jersey souped up string band. On Railroad Earth you will notice it is much different from their previous affectionate themed album, Amen Corner. What stands out most is that there is not one bluegrass track on Railroad Earth. Why...
- glidemagazine.com
2010-11-02
★★★★★
From the rubble of the obsolete Jersey fave From Good Homes springs this acoustic-and-proud ensemble fronted by singer/guitarist Todd Sheaffer. The seed for this collection of thirteen cuts was always there in FGH, but with Bird in a House, Sheaffer and Co. fully flesh out a string band jones with the loose, impromptu m.o. of a back porch pickin'...
- www.rollingstone.com
2009-06-08
★★★★★
In 2003, a reader, Michael Moran, sent a letter encouraging me to check out the New Jersey bluegrass-jam band Railroad Earth, along with a pair of live gigs on CD-R to get me started. I never got around to replying but took his advice. I enjoyed the group's 2002 and 2004 studio albums, Bird in the House and The Good Life, though not to the point of overjoy because there wasn't enough of the sprinting-improv verve of those concert discs...
- www.rollingstone.com
2009-06-08
Loading...
