Album Review: Dierks Bentley, Up On the Ridge

It doesn’t come as much of a surprise to Dierks Bentley’s fan base that their favorite artist harbors a deep love for acoustic roots and bluegrass music, but to the causal country listener, it may have come as a bit of a shock to hear that the singer-songwriter was releasing a project in that vein. Dierks’ Up on the Ridge is an expertly-crafted tribute to those sounds Bentley loves so well and will hopefully serve as a stepping stone for country fans to discover more roots-based music or vice versa.

Dierks very wisely tapped the best and the brightest to aid him with his efforts as the likes of Alison Krauss, Chris Thile and his band the Punch Brothers, Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, Vince Gill, Chris Stapleton, Del McCoury and Kris Kristofferson who all join him and the superb collection of songwriters like Buddy and Julie Miller, Shawn Camp and Jon Randall who make contributions to the project. And, that’s not to mention the excellent selection of pickers – Sam Bush, Ronnie McCoury, Mike Bub, Rob Ickes, Bryan Sutton, Tim O’Brien, Stuart Duncan and more - displaying their talents on each and every track featured.

For Up On the Ridge, Bentley chose to include a mix of traditional bluegrass standards, brand new tunes and even a couple of interesting cover choices with Bob Dylan’s “Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) featuring Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers and U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love)” also spotlighting the Punch Brothers with the addition of Del McCoury hitting the all the right high notes. The title track, which is the lead single from the project, stands out the most from the pack due to the first few notes and hypnotic chorus and although the voice of Alison Krauss is on the track too many layers cover her angelic vocals.

Any bluegrass influenced album worth its salt has to include at least one utterly heartbreaking tune and Bentley lives up to that with “Draw Me a Map” and “Bottle To the Bottom,” penned by Kris Kristofferson who lends his vocals to the track. Meanwhile, Dierks stops just short of having a great dark murder ballad, a bluegrass tradition, with “You’re Dead To Me.” Although he didn’t kill off the woman who broke his heart and continues to torment him so with her existence in the song, it still is a stand out track with its bitter sentiment and the excellent mandolin work and harmony vocals by the fabulous Tim O’Brien. In addition to “You’re Dead To Me,” Bentley’s rambunctious version of the grass standard “Rovin’ Gambler” with the Punch Brothers is a true highlight with its driving instrumentation and vocals.

Mainstream country fans will get their kicks on “Bad Angel” featuring Jamey Johnson and country’s darling of the moment and ACM Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert, making it sure to be a contender come awards season. While Vince Gill, a frequent collaborator of many artists, lends his tenor to the fun and frisky “Fiddlin’ Around.” Dierks closes things out on a somber note with “Down in the Mine,” a tune that is reminiscent of Patty Loveless’ “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” from her 2001 bluegrass-flavored Mountain Soul album.

Bentley’s Up On the Ridge is a must-have for any true Dierks fan and is sure to find its way on many best-of lists when 2010 comes to a close. This labor of love ranks as one of, if not, the best album so far in Bentley’s seven-year career.

Nikita Palmer for Citadel Digital  © 2010

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