Album Review: Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson, ‘What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow’
Plain and simple: the musical notes and phrases of the 18 songs and tunes on What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow live so deeply within Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson that the duo evokes the earthiness and the spirit of the old-time string music they celebrate and honor. The pair traveled back to the North Carolina houses of their mentors Joe Thompson and Etta Baker and included their mentors’ arrangements of these songs and tunes. Many of the tracks feature the singing of birds or the buzzing of cicada, airily blending the music of nature with the strums and fingerpicking of Giddens’ banjo and the flights of Robinson’s fiddle.
Justin “Demeanor” Harrington’s bones provide the rhythmic foundation for Robinson’s jaunty fiddling and vocals on animated “Rain Crow,” perfect for a hoedown. “Brown’s Dream,” a traditional tune arranged by Giddens and Robinson, features the two of them trading hot licks as they allow their notes to dart and dash around the central melodic theme. The animated air “Going to Raleigh” blends a jump blues structure with a playful use of time signatures. Nimble banjo picking and spry fiddling flow under the duo’s harmony vocals on Joe Thompson’s arrangement of “John Henry,” while Harrington’s skittering bones drive the feverish tarantella tune “Molly Put the Kettle On.” Brisk fiddling propels the scampering-down-the-road tempo of “Little Brown Jug,” while Giddens’ cascading banjo picking and rolling mimics the rhythms of the title bird in the leisurely unfolding “Marching Jaybird.” On “Country Waltz,” the duo produces an ethereal sound that’s the perfect accompaniment for dancing across the floor.
On What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow, Giddens and Robinson invite us to join them in their front yard, or on their front porch, to come and sit a spell, and to dance, tap our feet, clap our hands, and sing, reveling in the beauty and grandeur of old-time string music.
###
What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow is available HERE.
Resources
Music and Merch
Tour Dates
Biscuits & Banjos Festival
Follow at
