this one

The Boys Are Back in Town

Good Time Blues (Rebel)
The Boys From Indiana

By Bob Mitchell

You can depend on Rebel Records when you are in the mood for authentic bluegrass. They recently released two projects that are back-to-back home runs. Good Time Blues (The Boys From Indiana) is a re-issue from the label's "Vault Masters" and it is pure gold with such classics as Audrey Holt's "Atlanta Is Burning," and covers of "The Girl in the Blue Velvet Band" and Bill Monroe's "Little Country Church," and "How Will I explain About You." This exhilarating recording contains 14 of the band's best tracks, now available on CD for the first time.

Although the Boys from Indiana are no longer performing, one of the original members, Aubrey Holt, joins his son Tony Holt and The Wildwood Valley Boys. Daylight's Burnin' is Tony's fifth thoroughly entertaining release for Rebel. The press release says it "provides a captivating sequence of original songs that are reminiscent of the Boys of Indiana heydays." Indeed, it does.

Especially rewarding is the unique and impressive father son vocal collaboration. Aubrey's flawless tenor is a perfect match for Tony's lead vocal especially on Aubrey's original, "I'll Cry Like a Baby." Other highlights include the haunting "Silver Ghost," two other Aubrey originals, "Sweet Maggie Belle," and "What Happened to Ann," and Tony's poignant center piece original, "Old Granddad."

The tight knit Wildwood Valley Boys are Tony on guitar and lead vocals, Aubrey on tenor, Jake Brown on mandolin, Matt DeSpain on Dobro, Paul Priest on bass, Evan McGregor on fiddle and baritone vocals and Brian Lever on banjo. I especially enjoyed McGreggor's bow work on "Cousin Russell," "Sweet Maggie Belle" and "What Happened to Ann." Lever's five-string was consistently solid but no more so than on his original instrumental, "Boilermaker."

Both projects are well paced and deserve a place in any fan's collection. For more information, check out www.wildwoodvalleyboys.net.