I listened to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band from September to October 2023.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1967): B
Ricochet (1967): C+
Rare Junk (1968): B-
Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy (1970): B-
All the Good Times (1972): C+
Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1972): A-
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1967):
This is a country-rock, jug band revival group with something like seven members. I haven't learned who any of them are but, like the Holy Modal Rounders, their mission is to seamlessly combine early 20th century folk music with modern-day aesthetics. They're not as faithful to early 20th century stylings as the Rounders and--without a personality to latch onto yet--they're not as enjoyable either. Nevertheless, they are talented and much more commercially viable. B
Ricochet (1967):
There are a few decent songs--"Shadow Dream Song," "Put a Bar in My Car," and "Truly Right"--but with their sophomore album, they have cemented themselves as a peculiar novelty act, not a group to keep an eye on. Their approach was charming on their debut but it's alienating how wacky some of their tracks are at this point. C+
Rare Junk (1968):
Not only did I write off the last album, I concluded they wouldn't they wouldn't be releasing anything decent in the near future. (Often I quit an artist once I've come to this conclusion but my intention when starting the Dirt Band has always been to hold out to Will the Circle Be Unbroken.) Well, here I am walking back my bleak prediction. Novelty act though they are, their humor warms and so does their sound as they add electric instrumentation and drums. Even covers of songs I know hold up as worthwhile. I'm biting my tongue this time on their future projects: who knows what'll release next. B-
Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy (1970):
What I regretfully failed to mention about their previous release was the departure of Bruce Kunkel. This group was too big for me to learn who he was, but his absence certainly helped the band move into a new direction, which continues to improve their sound. This one showcases the band continuing to embrace modern aesthetics and introduces Jimmy Ibbotson, whose multi-instrumental talents are well felt. B-
All the Good Times (1972):
I'm happy that this new direction has moved them away from novelty and towards a commercial country band, but just how much have they progressed in the last three albums? Not at all. This one starts out with a good live cut and is followed by some fine if completely unmemorable studio numbers. No doubt, they need some bigger names and more interesting personalities to ground their acceptable talents. C+
Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1972):
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band never had much exceptionalism but since the beginning, they showed off their excellent musical taste for early country music. By 1971 when the band brought in so many country legends for this triple album, the country scene had passes those stars by. Their talents, however, had not. Over the course of 38 songs, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band excellently back Roy Acuff, Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, and Merle Travis. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the album, however, is the continuous joy that radiates from the grooves. Not only are the Dirt Band overjoyed to have their heroes in the same studio, but the country stars themselves are having a blast. Acuff was ambivalent about participating in such a project at first but there's no doubt he had a big grin on his face as he delivers many of his patented classics. He even delivers an enthusiastic speech about the importance of capturing a cut in one take so you don't lose any of the magic. Amen. A-
