Some Strange Country

Crooked Still's 4th album Some Strange Country is an elegant package of superbly crafted musical styles taking country/folk as the deep foundation and veering off into exhilarating and exciting directions. It's amazing music and it can hardly be called "bluegrass" or be locked into one genre. Where Ray Charles gave us Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music back in 1962, Crooked Still bring those expressions into the new millennium. Recorded during a long blizzard in rural Virginia, Some Strange Country expands on the band's unique blend of Appalachian-based string band styles combining with chamber music strings and pop sensibility, all supporting Aoife O'Donovan's sultry and sometimes spooky vocals. The album was produced by Gary Paczosa (Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek) and features guest contributions of bluegrass legends Ricky Skaggs and Tim O'Brien and vocals from rising star Sarah Jarosz. There are several gorgeous original songs along side adaptations of tradition numbers from the likes of Dock Boggs and others plus an unlikely but playful cover of the Rolling Stones "You Got The Silver". With the release of Some Strange Country Crooked Still cements their status as one of the most innovative and successful bands in American Roots music.