by Oliver on July 31, 2023 in single
Virtuoso Billy Strings has been invited to icon Willie Nelson’s crazy 90s party – and in return brings in the country legend for the fast, quasi-bluesgrass fun California Sober an Bord.
The single recorded with the gang around Jarod Walker (mandolin), Royal Masat (bass), Billy Failing (banjo), Alex Hargreaves (fiddle) and Shannon Forrest (a subtle snare drum should not bother even bluegrass purists) is as catchy as it is directly coming weed uptempo anthem, relaxed and nonchalantly lively. So effortlessly, the picking guitar, free from giddiness, is embellished with a strolling harmonica (Mickey Raphael) and pedal steel dreaming (by Doug Jernigan), decorated with a band of solos that can hardly be contained in the joy of playing. The songwriting and performance are top notch, although perhaps quite expectedly serving a certain comfort zone.
But that really makes you want to, especially since the lyrics add a certain depth with a cheeky wink.
Strings: „And keep the hard stuff and the whiskey from my head/ Well, I guess that’s just the trouble when you’re always seein‘ double/ And the lines are gettin‘ twice as hard to see/ I’ve had years I don’t recall, but I’m told I had a ball/ At least somebody did who looked a lot like me“.
Nelson: „The old crew don’t get together anymore these days much ever/ After some went straight and some went straight to jail/ Now they’re busy postin‘ vids and just tryin‘ to raise their kids/ Instead of raisin‘ holy hell and postin‘ bail.“
And then this perfectly fitting duo, without any generational gaps, hits a snappy refrain that you can’t get out of your head: “So I’m California sober as they say/ And lately I can’t find no other way/ I can’t stay out and party like I did back in the day/ So I’m California sober as they say.“ A great little hunt!
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