Bluegrass band Dead Man Winter was born from singer/songwriter Dave Simonett, fiddler Ryan Young and bassist Tim Saxhaug of Trampled By Turtles, the trio’s first acoustic band. Raising their stakes high, Dead Man Winter recently released their first album, Bright Lights. Accompanying Simonett, Young and Saxhaug are a rotating group of players on guitar, bass, drums and percussion.
Rebellious drums and tambourine kick off the first track on the record. Titled “Nicotine,” it’s a fun and uplifting tune that introduces great fiddle and bass playing. The second number, “Wasteland,” is a perfect one to relax to and may remind you of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song, “Who’ll Stop The Rain.” Slowing the pace down is “A Long Night In Minneapolis,” a harmonious Dylan-esque ballad that is completed with a harmonica and tambourine. Getting down and dirty, “Get Low,” is a bluesy all-Americana rock ‘n’ roll groove.
Feedback bounces from speaker to speaker transitioning into cunning guitar riffs and banjo strumming as “Cry For Help” begins. The banjo and fiddle have the spotlight in “House Of Glory,” as they come out to town becoming the foundation of the song. Guitar and banjo frame the title-track as Simonett’s tone smoothes over the acoustic lullaby, telling a story of being on the road performing under “Bright Lights.”
In A Word: Captivating
