All Relationships are Doomed to Fail
It took no less than the violation of FOUR restraining orders to bring you this album. You better have a better excuse than that for not buying it.
Using all the tools they had handy—mandolins, fiddles, crack songwriting and a baaad-ass singer—they created a record that pays due reverence to the giants of bluegrass like Ralph Stanley, RATT and ABBA.
Back in the day of the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" mania, there was a lot of talk about how "bluegrass was back." The Meat Purveyors were there to make sure that it wasn't done too sweetly, too kindly or too safely.
Using all the tools they had handy—mandolins, fiddles, crack songwriting and a baaad-ass singer—TMP gave fresh new meaning to High AND Lonesome. One need only note the album title. What? You gonna say it's wrong? You're one of those Glass Half Full jerks? Yep, these folks have been squeezed through life-n-love's wringer and emerged with their innards bruised but intact.
Jo and her beehive delivers the heartfelt twang, Cherilyn thwacks the bass and chimes in with harmonies, Pete keeps the grass blue with his fiery mandolin and Bill Anderson strums and writes newfound classics.
All Relationships… is a record that pays due reverence to the giants of bluegrass like Ralph Stanley ("Love Me Darling"), RATT (the CAN'T MISS cover of "Round and Round"), Nick Lowe ("Without Love") and ABBA ("S.O.S."). Originals cover the usual topics: trucker speed, facing closing time alone, being treated like a circus clown, and irrestistible urges for self-destruction. It's all served up with a sly wink, a late night sigh, or a sucker punch, depending on the need.
Choice Cuts:
Hey Little Sister
Thinking About Drinking
Round and Round
Dues
