Track Listing

1. Life of a Travelin' Man
2. Through the Window of a Train
3. Sycamore Hollow
4. Homeless Man
5. Where Did the Morning Go?
6. Two Soldiers
7. North Cove
8. Week from Today
9. My Ropin' Days Are Done
10. Blues on Blues
11. V-Bottom Boat
12. Just Another Gravel in the Road

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13314 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-12
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Among the most influential bands on today's acoustic music scene, Blue Highway continues to uncover new routes and destinations in its ongoing exploration of the frontiers of bluegrass. Through the Window of a Train, their eighth album, features a stunning batch of brand new original songs brought to life via masterful arrangements, precise picking, and the soulful lead and harmony vocals of the band's three distinctive lead singers. Each a respected artist in his own right, the five members of Blue Highway combine their individual virtuosity with unparalleled musicianship and group empathy to create bluegrass that is sophisticated yet earthy, intimate yet universal. Each note they play resonates with heart, soul, commitment, and friendship - resulting in a sound bringing together the very best of bluegrass's past, present, and future.

Blue Highway: Jason Burleson, Rob Ickes, Shawn Lane, Tim Stafford, Wayne Taylor

Amazon.com
Though bluegrass tradition remains the bedrock of Blue Highway, inspired songwriting and adventurous musicianship keep the quintet's music fresh and contemporary. It may be unfair to spotlight individual musicians in a group as cohesive as this, but the interplay of Rob Ickes on Dobro and Tim Stafford on guitar shines throughout. The vocal harmonies highlight songs ranging from the nostalgic title track to the secular hymn of "V-Bottom Boat." The socially-conscious material laments how a country ignores a soldier on the skids in "Homeless Man" and provides a funeral march (complete with drums, a bluegrass rarity) on "Two Soldiers." The sprightly instrumental "The North Cove," driven by Shawn Lane's fiddle and Jason Burleson's banjo, shows that the quintet can hold its own with the music's virtuosic best. Still, the quintet's name and the CD's title suggest a restless creativity that refuses to stay in one place for long.--Don McLeese

Customer Reviews

Always the Best
I have been a HUGE fan of Blue Highway from when I discovered their "still climbing mountains" CD. I went the next day and purchased the rest of their CDs and there is always one of them in my CD changer. I love their undying BlueGrass sound and the guys of the group are all VERY talented!

Thank you Blue Highway for providing us with yet another GREAT CD!!

Great Music!
If you like bluegrass, great music, and Blue Highway, you will LOVE this album! Highly recommended.

Always Top-Notch
Blue Highway hasn't produced anything yet that has disappointed me. Through the Window of a Train is a remarkably polished, easy-to-listen-to collection of music.
1. Life of a Travelin' Man 2:50 A great kick-off to the CD
2. Through the Window of a Train 3:08 An evocative, smooth song
3. Sycamore Hollow 4:11 Shawn Lane singing lower than usual, which can be a slight shock for long-time listeners. Great arrangement.
4. Homeless Man 4:37 A sad ballad--classic Blue Highway
5. Where Did the Morning Go? 3:08 This one took me a few listens before I quite got it.
6. Two Soldiers 3:47 Written by Tim Stafford with Wood Newton. A touching song about the two soldiers who have the unenviable task of telling parents that their child died in war.
7. The North Cove 3:16 Highlights the always-smooth, rolling banjo of Jason Burleson.
8. A Week from Today 3:26 Good but forgettable.
9. My Ropin' Days Are Done 3:25 A beautiful and touching song written by Tim Stafford & Bobby Starnes.
10. Blues on Blues 2:58 A hard-driving bluegrass song of the type I've come to expect to be sung by Stafford.
11. V-Bottom Boat 2:24 A catchy gospel number.
12. Just Another Gravel in the Road Classic Blue Highway ending with all the right elements.

All in all, this album is definitely worth buying. One warning: there are several uses of cuss word. (A surprise, coming from this band.)