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Todd Phillips (upright bass), David Grier (guitar) and Matt Flinner (mandolin) are not names that will immediately spark interest outside of the immediate bluegrass-fan arena.  This is extremely unfortunate.  Heads begin to turn when citing the credentials of the individuals - Grammy awards, national championships and magazine awards in particular.  Each of the trio is considered one of the best in his field.  Add to this the comparisons to Dave Grisman, Bill Monroe,and Bela Fleck, and interest continues to rise.

Although the trend toward old-time music sparked by "Oh, Brother" is still kicking, there is comfort in knowing that each man in the trio is a veteran rather than a genre-jumper.  This is not a fad for them, and this is evident in the music.  No attempt is made to pander to trends and create the next Soggy-Bottom-sensation.

Each instrumentalist shines throughout.  Interplay between mandolin and guitar with the constant underpinning of tasteful and appropriate bass is the theme.  This is another refreshing fact - each player performs above expectations without attempting to steal the show and prove technical superiority at the expense of being a member of a trio.  Restraint in an instrumental performance with an ensemble is often as important as instrumental expertise.

If there is a weakness, it would be the moments when the group strays a bit far from the traditional bluegrass and blues-infused bluegrass that makes the recording so enjoyable.  This happens primarily in mid-album during "Afro Blue" and "Search For Peace" - nice pieces, but not as strong as others.  However, just following these tracks we are returned to form in "Dixie Hoedown" and all is well again. 

This is an album to relax to, to be savored, to sit on the front porch and drink lemonade to.  It is the type of music that inspires people to take mandolin lessons - not to be a star, but just because it sounds like so much fun.

Jeff Edwards 8/4/2002

While listening to this album, it hit me that this isn't a typical bluegrass  album.  True, it is a trio of bass, acoustic guitar, and mandolin, well  within the usual range of the genre.  Yet, this album seems to owe as much to rock music as it does the bluegrass genre, both in song selection and in overall song stylings.

A case in point is the opening track, "Tennessee Blues," written by bluegrass legend Bill Monroe.  While clearly a bluegrass tune, there are hints of rock music in the soloing, as the guitar and mandolin licks go beyond the idioms of even blues soloing.  The next track is a fairly straight bluegrass reading of another Monroe tune, "Monroe's Hornpipe."  However, with "I Am A Pilgrim," the album takes a turn in a distinctly non-bluegrass direction, sounding more acoustic blues or jazz than bluegrass.  

This pattern of taking directions not traditionally associated with bluegrass holds to form throughout the disc.  The overall effect is more akin to a jazzy jam session, as on "Afro Blue" than a bluegrass hoedown, although "Dixie Hoedown" is a good example of the latter.

A cover of "Search For Peace" works well in the setting prepared by the first four tracks, and is followed by two bluegrass traditionals-- the aforementioned "Dixie Hoedown" and "Old Dangerfield" before embarking on the last set, perhaps the best part of the album.

What struck me most about this album was that the last two listed tracks, "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix, and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" from the Beatles' Abbey Road album worked so well.  I certainly didn't expect an acoustic trio to be able to pull off either of these electric songs with any real conviction or power.  Yet, "Little Wing" is very convincingly done, and it can be argued that the cover is as strong as the original in the case of "I Want You."  The bass plays the bass line, the mandolin and guitar alternate with taking lead lines, and support each other to fill in the gaps; other than there being no drumming, the effect is very similar to the original song.  

If this is the future of bluegrass-- less emphasis on the twang of the vocals, more on the virtuosity of the players, then bluegrass has a bright future indeed.  Anyone who appreciates good musicianship owes it to him- or herself to try to track this album down.  Looking Back has never sounded so progressive.

Alex Klages 8/31/2002