Search - Steel String Theory :: Curve in the Road

... and 1/2 ... A young, inventive and resourceful approach

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 01/22/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Playing Time - 62:33

SONGS - The Way You Do, Jalapa, Lonely Room, One Less Worry, Curve, Misery, Rent Song, Left at the Lurch, Can't Get Used to Goodbye, Big Burley, River Song, Possamaquaddy, These City Lights, Bingo Sully, Shoulda' Stayed Gone, Train Song, Black Hairy Possum



It doesn't take more than a few measures of the lead off track, "The Way You Do," to conclude that Steel String Theory, an Asheville, N.C. band takes a young, inventive and resourceful approach to the music. This open-minded trio (Charlie Chamberlain, Philip Barker, Steffans Hardin) tends to be experimenting with diverse abstractions to attract an eclectic audience. Depending on one's support for musical experimentation within the sideboards of bluegrass instrumentation, the result may not be everyone's cup of tea. While their various instruments were born between 1907-1988, Steel String Theory lives in a more futuristic acoustic genre of their own incorporating elements of newgrass, jazz and classical music.



A photo of the seven instruments used (three guitars, mandolin, mandola, banjo, bass) is included. Speculating about the future success of Steel String Theory, I feel that some additional tightening and embellishment of their music will build them a legion of trendy fans to ride along on the expedition. Give their music a few listens, and see if you comprehend and are moved by the good-time aspects, catchy lyrics, and excitement in the same way that I was.



Originally from Greenville, S.C., Phil Barker writes and sings many of their songs. He and Charlie Chamberlain formerly played in the Prograss Duo. Also from Greenville, Charlie has studied jazz, music composition and theory in Texas and South Carolina. Besides writing and performing original acoustic music, he teaches at the 5th String in Greenville. Bassist Steffans Hardin hails from Georgia, and he began studying and performing music at age nine. He's played with Moonshine Still and a Klezmer band called The Red Heifers. I understand that resonator guitarist Ivan Rosenberg is now playing with Steel String Theory. As a band, Steel String Theory recently placed third in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival band contest.



With more than an hour of music, this album covers many bases. There are soaring, energetic vocals ("The Way You Do" and "Misery") and jazzy instrumentals ("Jalapa" and "Black Hairy Possum"). Thematically, there are songs about drinking, cheating, trains, rivers and home. I tended to like their instrumentals best of all, with the dawg-like "Black Hairy Possum" having the most impact. There are some other instrumental standouts -- "Big Burley" grabs you with an engaging romp that keeps revisiting the tune's melodic head.



"Curve" throws one at you with its bluegrass intensity, but I sure wish that a guest fiddler and banjo-player had been invited to embellish the arrangement. The 8-minute "Left at the Lurch" begins with a passage from Gustav Mahler's "Symphony #1," recreating a day when static-ridden LPs were our norm for music. The piece uses a minor scale and eastern flavoring that evolves into more of a Latin piece. With that many minutes for the song's genesis, I was left hoping for a few more interpretive twists and innovative improvisational passages during their exploratory adventure.



Steel String Theory shows great potential. Their eclectic and slightly unorthodox approach might just be in need of some expert production guidance and a few guest artists to take them to the next level of acoustic individualism. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

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