Will you tell me what you think? (Archive Valley)

[Halfadrop]

Long time guitar player turned clawhammer banjo player turned obsessive mando player here!

I just put together a new band - Archive Valley.
It's thrilling to try to write for the mandolin for the first time. Would you have a listen and tell me what you think?


I'm really excited about our sound so if you like what you hear, why don't you smash like on our FB page.

I also wanted to ask: Who should I listen to?
Thing with the mando is....there aren't THAT many players I really love.
I like clean, melodic players.
'course I'm into Thile but also Matt Flinner, Mike Marshall. There's a guy called Joshua Pinkham.

Any other recommends?

thanks Mando gang

[George R. Lane]

I like the intro, very Beatleish. There a hundreds of sad bluegrass stories, you could make a CD covering those. Overall; "Very Cool".

[Mark Gunter]

I enjoyed your arrangement and your playing a great deal. You've given this old tune quite a new twist, IMO. For me, it will always be a great old blues standard, but it has a later history as well, with Bluegrass, for about as long as Bluegrass has existed. The melody changes and chord progression seem to have little in common with either tradition, but the cadence is reminiscent of the older blues tradition. Anyway, this is a new sound for this old standard, to me anyway, and I like it a lot on its own merits, and won't compare it to the old blues versions (for me, Leadbelly recorded the definitive versions of this tune). Your arrangement stands on its own, and I think it's great. Sort of a "gypsy camp meets Leadbelly" kind of overtones. Good work.

[billhay4]

Fine interpretation.
Do you mind if I ask where you're from? I'd like an idea of what influences your music.
Bill

[Halfadrop]

Thanks guys. We're from Italy. I think the intro to the piece has a lot of Neapolitan melody influences.
I still feel a bit intimidated by this repertoire. I love it but I can't stand people who trample on it without any awareness or respect.
Still developing...

All feedback much appreciated!

- - - Updated - - -

Hey Bill, thanks, we're from Italy!

[Tavy]

That's really great - always good to hear a new take on an old classic and you've managed to make that one "different" while retaining the melody just nicely. Good work!

[Franc Homier Lieu]

I'm really excited about our sound

Me too! I'm not on FB (I'm taking a 'wait and see' approach on that to see if it it really turns into something), but I can't wait to hear more from you guys.

[Frankdolin]

Love It!!! Very cool indeed.

[Rush Burkhardt]

Thanks for sharing your music, Halfadrop! I found no need to categorize it. (I also listened to Red Prairie Dawn.) I love the tone and expression of both. More, please!

[EdHanrahan]

... Hey Bill, thanks, we're from Italy!

Ah-hah!! Even before reading this, I was thinking that the smooth volume swell and tremolo sounds a lot like my friend Franco (a/k/a "The Barber of West Caldwell"). Currently mid-80s, he hasn't played a bluegrass note in his life BUT is originally from Sicily!

Nicely done!

[billhay4]

I was guessing a little further east than Italy, and perhaps a Gypsy influence, but the Italian is definitely there. It's great to hear interpretations of traditional American songs. They give them such additional meaning.
Very nice job. Look forward to more of your stuff.
Bill

[Halfadrop]

You guys are so nice and encouraging. Thank you!
Perhaps i'll share what we do next too then.

grazie

[Charles E.]

Nice take on an old tune. You are pulling some nice tone out of that Eastman.