Yonder Mountain String Band
Yonder Mountain String Band is an American progressive bluegrass group from Nede… Read Full Bio ↴Yonder Mountain String Band is an American progressive bluegrass group from Nederland, Colorado.
The band has always played music by its own set of rules. Bending bluegrass, rock and countless other influences that the band cites, Yonder has pioneered a sound of their own. With their traditional lineup of instruments, the band may look like a traditional bluegrass band at first glance but they’ve created their own music that transcends any genre. Dave Johnston points out “What could be more pure than making your own music.” Yonder’s sound cannot be classified purely as “bluegrass” or “string music” but rather it’s an original sound created from “looking at music from [their] own experiences and doing the best job possible.” The band continues to play by their own rules on their new record The Show.
The Colorado-based foursome has crisscrossed the country over the past eleven years playing such varied settings as festivals, rock clubs, Red Rocks Amphitheater in the band’s home state, and recently the Democratic National Convention in Denver at Mile High Stadium opening for Barack Obama. Their loyal fanbase has been built from this diverse setting of music venues as fans latched on to their genre-defying original sound.
In between tours the band spent time this last year working on its fifth studio album. Set for a September 1 release on the band’s own label, The Show is the second album with rock producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Elliott Smith, Foo Fighters). While some might scratch their heads as to why a string band would want a rock producer, this decision was a natural choice for the band. “We don’t have a lot of nostalgia for the past,” says banjo player Dave Johnston. “You shouldn’t try to recreate the 1940s. I like to think of us as informed by the past and all the great performers before us. But we also want to look forward rather than give people something that has already been perfected.”
The Show has the similar acoustic instrumentation (Adam Aijala on guitar, Johnston on banjo, Jeff Austin on mandolin and Ben Kaufman on bass with all four singing) as many of its classic bluegrass forefathers. Though once again drums are present (as with the self-titled fourth album) with the great Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello’s bands adding a rhythmic backdrop to Yonder’s still-acoustic sound on six of the tracks. The record consists of thirteen songs all written by Yonder.
The band has long cited such varied influences as the bluegrass of Del McCoury, Johnson Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe, Osborne Brothers as well as the punk rock of Bad Religion, Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys. Somewhere in between these two tent poles are early 20th Century composers and alternative rock bands like Grandaddy and Postal Service. It’s all funneled through the band’s unique chemistry, honed since they first met at an informal club performance in 1998. With band members writing individually, in different pairings and as a collective, the album proves that this group is a collection of creative peers and you can hear it in the rich tapestry of music that makes up The Show.
Here Yonder offers such traditional bluegrass sounding fare as “Out Of The Blue” and “Casualty.” The band has explored its country roots in the past and does so again this time on “Steep Grade, Sharp Curves,” a song that describes the roads around its home base in Nederland as well as a particularly dangerous femme fatale. A little further from the roots is the impressionistic “Isolate” with its simple but ominous bass line and minimal arrangement. There is also a bevy of rockers like “Complicated,” “Fingerprints” and “Belle Parker,” a gem of a song about a hard-hearted woman. The band even finds some excellent middle ground between bluegrass and rock on “Fine Excuses” thanks in part to a scorching guitar solo from Adam Aijala. There is also the extended “Honestly” -- at eight-minutes, the longest song on the album, with a middle section that is an excellent platform for lengthier live excursions that are as improvisatory as any electric band on the live music circuit.
The band is a regular at bluegrass festivals like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the band's own Northwest String Summit as well as massive multi-stage events like Austin City Limits Festival, Bonnaroo and Rothbury. Fans are no doubt drawn to Yonder’s anything goes attitude, its humor and passion about music, and the band’s ability to stretch out live. “We love that people come to see us,” Johnston points out. “Everyone appreciates good music. Some people want to go to a recital and some people want to party.”
But as its fans know, Yonder Mountain String Band does something a little different, more than just a musical party. The Show is the band’s most varied and versatile album to date, and the summation of the journey that these guys are on together. It’s bluegrass for the masses, acoustic tunes filled with dazzling chops, and it’s fun to boot. The humble Johnston sounds as surprised as anyone by the band’s success, but knows that it all boiled down to chemistry, which has never changed. “Somewhere down there we all kind of recognized that we had something unique,” he explains. “But there is no way I could have imagined the amount of success that the band has had.”
The band has always played music by its own set of rules. Bending bluegrass, rock and countless other influences that the band cites, Yonder has pioneered a sound of their own. With their traditional lineup of instruments, the band may look like a traditional bluegrass band at first glance but they’ve created their own music that transcends any genre. Dave Johnston points out “What could be more pure than making your own music.” Yonder’s sound cannot be classified purely as “bluegrass” or “string music” but rather it’s an original sound created from “looking at music from [their] own experiences and doing the best job possible.” The band continues to play by their own rules on their new record The Show.
The Colorado-based foursome has crisscrossed the country over the past eleven years playing such varied settings as festivals, rock clubs, Red Rocks Amphitheater in the band’s home state, and recently the Democratic National Convention in Denver at Mile High Stadium opening for Barack Obama. Their loyal fanbase has been built from this diverse setting of music venues as fans latched on to their genre-defying original sound.
In between tours the band spent time this last year working on its fifth studio album. Set for a September 1 release on the band’s own label, The Show is the second album with rock producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Elliott Smith, Foo Fighters). While some might scratch their heads as to why a string band would want a rock producer, this decision was a natural choice for the band. “We don’t have a lot of nostalgia for the past,” says banjo player Dave Johnston. “You shouldn’t try to recreate the 1940s. I like to think of us as informed by the past and all the great performers before us. But we also want to look forward rather than give people something that has already been perfected.”
The Show has the similar acoustic instrumentation (Adam Aijala on guitar, Johnston on banjo, Jeff Austin on mandolin and Ben Kaufman on bass with all four singing) as many of its classic bluegrass forefathers. Though once again drums are present (as with the self-titled fourth album) with the great Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello’s bands adding a rhythmic backdrop to Yonder’s still-acoustic sound on six of the tracks. The record consists of thirteen songs all written by Yonder.
The band has long cited such varied influences as the bluegrass of Del McCoury, Johnson Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe, Osborne Brothers as well as the punk rock of Bad Religion, Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys. Somewhere in between these two tent poles are early 20th Century composers and alternative rock bands like Grandaddy and Postal Service. It’s all funneled through the band’s unique chemistry, honed since they first met at an informal club performance in 1998. With band members writing individually, in different pairings and as a collective, the album proves that this group is a collection of creative peers and you can hear it in the rich tapestry of music that makes up The Show.
Here Yonder offers such traditional bluegrass sounding fare as “Out Of The Blue” and “Casualty.” The band has explored its country roots in the past and does so again this time on “Steep Grade, Sharp Curves,” a song that describes the roads around its home base in Nederland as well as a particularly dangerous femme fatale. A little further from the roots is the impressionistic “Isolate” with its simple but ominous bass line and minimal arrangement. There is also a bevy of rockers like “Complicated,” “Fingerprints” and “Belle Parker,” a gem of a song about a hard-hearted woman. The band even finds some excellent middle ground between bluegrass and rock on “Fine Excuses” thanks in part to a scorching guitar solo from Adam Aijala. There is also the extended “Honestly” -- at eight-minutes, the longest song on the album, with a middle section that is an excellent platform for lengthier live excursions that are as improvisatory as any electric band on the live music circuit.
The band is a regular at bluegrass festivals like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the band's own Northwest String Summit as well as massive multi-stage events like Austin City Limits Festival, Bonnaroo and Rothbury. Fans are no doubt drawn to Yonder’s anything goes attitude, its humor and passion about music, and the band’s ability to stretch out live. “We love that people come to see us,” Johnston points out. “Everyone appreciates good music. Some people want to go to a recital and some people want to party.”
But as its fans know, Yonder Mountain String Band does something a little different, more than just a musical party. The Show is the band’s most varied and versatile album to date, and the summation of the journey that these guys are on together. It’s bluegrass for the masses, acoustic tunes filled with dazzling chops, and it’s fun to boot. The humble Johnston sounds as surprised as anyone by the band’s success, but knows that it all boiled down to chemistry, which has never changed. “Somewhere down there we all kind of recognized that we had something unique,” he explains. “But there is no way I could have imagined the amount of success that the band has had.”
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Yonder Mountain String Band Lyrics
40 Miles From Denver It's a cold, cold moon out tonight And it's a cold,…
A Father's Arms The news it came to me as a surprise And I…
Alone And Blue Don't leave me alone and blue When all that I want…
And Going Away I'll tell you it's sad but true I'm saying goodbye to…
Angel If ever I need you dear I find your love is…
Annalee Annalee woke up every morning at the crack of dawn To…
Another Day When the rain is fallin' you can hear me callin' Been…
At The End Of The Day Many times I've been out on the cold lonely road My…
Behold The Rock Of Ages There ain't no kingdom bigger Ain't no money worth Be you …
Big Lights Way up here they shine like diamonds Them big lights below …
Bloody Mary Morning Chorus: It's a bloody Mary morning Baby's left me without …
Boatman's Dance Dance Boatman Dance Dance I say Dance Boatman Dance Dance al…
Check Out Time Chorus: Hotel keys are what I'm holding. It's room number …
Classic Situation Sleep on it, see if it makes a difference in…
Complicated There is fire And there's light The sense of something Comin…
Crazy Train All aboard, hah hah Aye, aye, aye Crazy, but that's ho…
Darkness And Light here was a soldier, there was a lady, there was…
Dawn's Early Light That old prairie wind is blowing I can feel it on…
Deep Pockets I wish my baby had deep pockets So we could run…
East Nashville Easter Engine's running hot But now it's burnin' down Everyone says…
Eight Cylinders Because your reasons are as cool as ice And your mind…
Ever Fallen in Love with Someone You Shouldn't Have You spurn my natural emotions You make me feel like dirt And…
Everytime Gimme a long country road Runnin' thru ten miles o' cotton …
Girlfriend Is Better I . . . who took the money? Who took the…
Good Hearted Woman A long time forgotten Are dreams that just fell by the…
Half Moon Rising There's a house somewhere I know where's the fire's burning…
High On A Hilltop High on a hilltop, I search the land below Looking for…
Hill Country Girl Cool, cool me down river Pedernales My heart's a-burning fo…
Holding Well you asked was I holding I said no I'm not…
How Don't tie me up and take my time Waiting years and…
How 'Bout You Don't tie me up and take my time Waiting years and…
I Ain't Been Myself In Years There's a voice blowing over the mountain A voice I used…
I'm Lost Take me back and I′ll come running Take me back and…
Idaho From Stanley up to Sunbeam From Clayton on to Chalice, Hea…
Just The Same Come on mamma, put your good dress on The night is…
Keep on Going Chorus: Gonna take my time Before I pick the next way Im…
Left Me in a Hole Divorcee goes to the bars A sophisticat pulls up in his…
Looking Back Over My Shoulder Looking back over my shoulder wondering how I made it…
Loved You Enough Chorus: I loved you enough to let you go, dear I loved…
Mother's Only Son I am my mother's only son And you might think that…
Must've Had Your Reasons Must've had your reasons when you left without a call I…
Near Me I'll ask you once as I'm leaving Is there anything that…
New Horizons Come son, take hold of my hand now Come daughter, jump…
Night Out Midnight, streetlights Give it up I'm going home Where th…
No Expectations Take me to the station Put me on a train I've got…
Not Far Away There's a deep dark hole in the mountain Where the devil…
On The Run A man stood in the shadows his face was dripping…
Peace Of Mind You and I headed straight into the west Sun is rising…
Pride Of Alabama Dixie was the pride of Alabama I met her on a…
Rain Still Falls Run away to chase old times Hanging on a clinging vine Cli…
Rambler's Anthem I've seen the setting sun in California Her mountain winds t…
Ramblin' in the Rambler Chorus: There's still ramblin' in the rambler let him go Y…
Red Tail Lights The sun is setting out my window Only empty fields and…
River The river rolls and the river winds And it seems to…
Sharecropper WE MOVED HERE FROM SUNHEARST WHEN I WAS FOURTEEN WORKED THI…
Sideshow Blues My land lady treats me like I don t pay…
Sidewalk Stars You looked at me through old windows And said, "Dust is…
Sleepy Cowboy Hey Old Man, listen here I had this dream and you…
Snow on the Pines Well the wind from the mountain To the valley, to the…
Sorrow Is A Highway My heart is like a white line Divided (???) these feelings…
Steep Grade Sharp Curves About three miles from border town, the california nevada li…
The Bolton Strech He cracks a wicked smile and his foot pressed to…
Think for Yourself I've got a word or two To say about the things…
This Lonesome Heart Once I had a sweetheart and our love was fair I…
To Say Goodbye To Be Forgiven Are you one foot in the grave, or one step…
To See You Coming & To see you coming 'round the bend I just can't think…
To See You Coming 'round The Bend To see you coming 'round the bend I just can't think…
Too Late Now As I woke up at the dawn of the day And…
Town There's a town out there I spent a little time I almost…
Traffic Jam I'm sitting on a hilltop looking at a traffic jam Laughin'…
Train Bound for Gloryland That train bound for Gloryland is headed up the line Fast…
Troubled Mind Headin' down to the river, feelin' all undone Might be for…
Two Hits and the Joint Turned Brown Bob Marley and his reggae band (Two hits and the…
Wind Let a little light in your heart A wild goose chase,…
Wind Through The Willows Thought I heard you call my name On a gentle summer…
Wind's On Fire Let a little light in your heart A wild goose chase,…
Winds O' Wyoming To old cowboys the wind often whispers Sweet reminders of w…
Years with Rose It's been too many years with only memories Looking back th…