I like all these newgrass bands (Crooked Still, Infamous Stringdusters) as much as the next guy. But I’m more fond of bands that take bluegrass and distort it so that it probably resembles the original music of the early 20th century. I was first exposed to this sub (sub) genre by The Cankickers and ever since I’ve been keeping my eye out for more.
Black Death Allstars call their music deathgrass and have more in common with O’Death (whom they’ve opened for) than they say Bob Wills. Their songs harken back to an age when people brewed their own liquor, hoboed (sp?) around the country, and generally were anti-social unemployed deviants. Basically what we’ve got now in 2009.
These songs are from their debut release Transient Breakdown that just came out. The songs were recorded in one 5 hour session and of course were done live with no overdubs. You can get your own copy with original artwork by emailing here – deathgrassallstars@gmail.com or through CD Baby here.
The band plays the annual anarchy skate party festival known as Skatopia (”Their tag line is ‘88 acres of anarchy’, and the whole weekend will be filled with burning cars, gasoline explosions, people breaking bones skating really difficult ramps, metal and deathgrass”) this weekend. Check out that scene in the YouTube video below.
Trainhop Story Rag
Corn Liquor
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Skatopia
Tags: Black Death Allstars, Bob Wills, Deathgrass, O'Death