The Gordons - Time Will Tell Our Story (2002)

Having recorded together since 1976, this duo mixes the best of bluegrass and mountain music for a bare-bones, no-nonsense approach to enjoyable toe-tappers. Beginning with "Make Believe," the sweet harmonies work stellar over the guitar work of Gary Gordon and autoharp performance of Roberta Gordon. The resemblance to groups like the Carter Family is almost eerie in places, but the musicianship is what carries the record from high beginning to end. Sharing as well as splitting vocal duties, songs such as "Gone Gonna Rise Again" and "Better Place" are slow- to mid-tempo acoustic-oriented numbers that resemble the Dixie Chicks circa Home. The laid-back approach rarely hurts the songs presented, but a few numbers could use a slight amount of editing. "The Flood" could have come off more like O Brother Where Art Thou, with Gary Gordon coming across like Travis Tritt in terms of tone. "Worth It to Watch 'Em Run" is standard rapid bluegrass fare with Roberta on lead vocals and the banjo of Bill Cross coming to the fore. "Cottonmill" has an Irish or Celtic sway to it and is one of the album's highlights. "Sweet Time" misses the mark a bit, as the song is a bit aimless in its structure and format. "Follow Mother Home" sticks to the lovable harmonies and narrative of the hereafter. "I'll follow her in her footsteps/To be with her someday," is just one example of the religious message underlining the work. The centerpiece of the album is the eight-minute "John Barleycorn," which takes some time or repeated listens to warm to. With a dirge-like beginning over the opening moments, the duo keeps the tempo throughout, resulting in a monotonous listen. The title track exemplifies what works best on the album, a give-and-take vocal with a quaint yet gorgeous Appalachian arrangement.~Jason MacNeil