In the world of folk and bluegrass music, this isn’t your mother’s bluegrass band (that’s if she listened to bluegrass?). For those who were broken hearted over the break up of Nickel Creek, Punch Brothers are the filler for that big hole in your back yard. Granted, you won’t find the Watkins siblings here, but in the sagacity and proficiency of Chris Thile, the same spirit thrives with the grand being of ingenuity.

Since the band’s forging as Thile’s back up group on his solo cut How to Grow a Woman from the Ground and Who’s Feeling Young Now?, the band has done some renovation, and have moved beyond what it means to be a bluegrass band. On Feeling Young, the band envision themselves as a rock band as reference by tracks tracks like “Movement and Location,” “Who’s Feeling Young Now?,” and “Hundred Dollars.” Songs here have shifted intention, from composition to songwriting; in fact, the most bluegrass-y-ish song you will find is a cover of Sweedish Band Väsen’s “Flippen (The Flip).” The albums other cover, a startling arrangement of Radiohead’s “Kid A,” may be it’s most amazing track. Punch Brothers will have you believing that it’s one of their originals considering how natural the song feels to this genre.

On top of the mountain of projects that Chris Thile is involved in, this will be one for which he will always return. It could be argued that, musically, this is the best band performing today. Coming from a strictly songwriter approach, the next stage in the evolution of this band can only be on a wider scale to a larger mass.

Album Rating: Buy It on CD or Vinyl

Listening Co-efficient: Active Listen

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