(Translated from my original Italian text by ChatGPT and Piero Scaruffi)
The Blood Oranges offered in Boston a rare fusion of bluegrass and grunge, thanks to the presence of veteran mandolinist Jimmy Ryan and punk veteran drummer Ron Ward (from the Crush). In reality, the true backbone of the sound is provided by Mark Spencer’s guitars.
The album Corn River (East Side Digital, 1990) was one of the first to bring country back into the alternative rock world, from the lively square dance of Pounding Pipes to the rattling bluegrass of Baby Down. In fact, the only truly rock track is Western Man, a fiery Southern-style boogie. The heart of the album is formed by the ballads: the melodic country of Heart Of Mud and the dark blues of Time Takes Away.
The Crying Tree (East Side Digital, 1994) is even more breathtaking, strengthened by the superb form of Cheri Knight (vocals and bass) and Mark Spencer (guitar), as well as Ryan, in bluegrass rides like Halfway Around The World, rockabilly epics like On The Run, and quirky jigs like Hell's Half Acre. Thanks to ballads full of pathos (Bridges In The Dark, Shadow Of You, Shine) and Knight’s performance (imposing on The Crying Tree), the album makes the Blood Oranges more than just a novelty. Rock may have found the worthy heirs of the Del-Lords.
Ryan is also active in the Beacon Hill Billies, who play bluegrass, in Sunday’s Well, and especially in Wooden Leg, whose Wooden Leg (East Side Digital, 1996) is essentially the continuation of the Blood Oranges.
(Original English text by Piero Scaruffi)
Cheri Knight, who lived in a small rural town and worked in a farm,
started a solo career with
The Knitter (East Side Digital, 1996)
The songs (notably The Knitter
are tuneful, varied (running the gamut from barrelhouse to celtic folk),
and exploit her majestically hoarse voice.
A crowd of guests and tasty arrangements further enhance the graciously melodic
parables of The Northeast Kingdom (E-Squared, 1998):
Dar Glasgow, Rose In The Vine,
Black Eyed Susie, Deadman's Curve, The Northeast Kingdom.
It was possibly one of the best country album of the year, but not quite
country, as the style mixes pop, blues and folk.
