The Colored Pencil Factory

PreS-Gr 4—New York City's authentic bluegrass group, Astrograss, mixes old with new on their third recording. The string bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and harmonies follow traditional conventions in these arrangements of 16 traditional and original tunes. Sarah Aiden's fiddle is featured on "Make It Up" (a song about ensuring your future legacy by fabricating it), "Happy, Sad and More Song" (a tune about emotions), and the traditional "Cluck Old Hen" and "Sail Away Ladies." Aiden sings a raw, gutsy lead on songs like "Sawing on the Strings" (an old-time sounding square dance) and the traditional folksong, "Shortenin' Bread." Other highlights include "Hey Blue Dog" (a call-response song), "Continental Geography" (a musical tour of the world), and "Grave Diagnosis" (a morose ballad channeling the poetry of the late Shel Silverstein). Original tunes by Jordan Shapiro and Joe Grossman often feature clever lyrics. While some vocals sound pitchy at times, it adds to the group's authentic mountain music sound.—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH