On their new album, Lovin’, Fightin’, Losin’ Sleep, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers show that when they are picking and singing, even the blues can feel good. They deliver “Black and Decker Blues,” “Cancellation Blues,” and “Low Dog Blues,” with toe-tapping high energy. The tracks include songs from some of bluegrass music’s best songwriters—Missy Raines, Tim Stafford, Ronnie Bowman, Billy Strings, Jerry Salley, and Larry Cordle—as well as a bluegrass-fueled cover of the Traveling Wilbury’s “The End of the Line.”
Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers root their music firmly in bluegrass soil, while remaining fresh and new. Their signature tight harmonies and clean picking complement the lyrical thread of the tracks with a balance of optimism, humor, and wisdom. The album title is taking from the opening track “Time Adds Up (If You’re Lucky),” which sets the tone for the album, which takes a look at the passage of time from a little further down the line:
Time is slippery; you can’t hold her.
Good news is I’m getting older.
The songs are most often a recognition of what is good in life. “Something to Look Forward To” is a road song with a positive spin, acknowledging, “The road has always been a friend to me” while “counting down the miles” to reach home. Cementing that carpe diem theme, the next track reminds listeners to remember they are living in “The Good Old Days.”
“Circling the Drain” heralds the end of a relationship with a tongue-in-cheek delivery. “The Bluebirds Are Singing for Me” has a more traditional old-time flavor, and “Cancellation Blues,” the single instrumental track, composed by Mullins, showcases the band’s instrumental virtuosity.
Mullins, who plays banjo, is joined on vocals by guitarist Adam McIntosh, fiddler Jason Barie, and mandolinist Chris Davis, with Zach Collier on bass. Making guest appearances on “End of the Line” are Ben Isaacs on bass and Josh Swift on resophonic guitar. The balance of stellar vocals and instrumental breaks highlight the individual skill as well as the bandmates’ particular chemistry. Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers deliver an album that is as fresh as it is timeless.