Bluegrass. Not exactly my favorite genre. But what the dudes from Chatham County Line do on their fourth album charmed the hell out of me. Everything is recorded in live takes in the studio with very little meddling afterwards and it gives the album a very real and warm sound. Which is a perfect sound for the band’s acoustic-driven and harmony-heavy songs. Throw in vocalist Dave Wilson who comes equipped with an equally warm and twangy voice that’s perfect for this kinda music and you know you’re in for a treat.

And while the band’s instrumentation is very traditional with banjos, violins and a pedal steel guitar, the way they write songs isn’t. It’s pop, bluegrass, rock and country all rolled into one without ever sounding like one thing. And it’s especially on songs like “One More Minute” that these guys score major points with me. A ballad that doesn’t sound fake or cheesy? Hell yeah! Bring it on!