The SteelDrivers: at The Station Inn (Nashville, TN) Fri. February 8, 2013

The SteelDrivers

Bluegrass

Nashville Scene Critic's Pick …

Compare the personnel on the SteelDrivers’ brand-new Hammer Down with the lineup on its predecessor, Reckless, and you’d think there’s been a double switch: Gary Nichols for Chris Stapleton, and Brent Truitt for Mike Henderson. That’s technically true, but it’s misleading, for the first swap was already done by the time Reckless appeared, and its novelty — along with any questions about Nichols’ abilities — faded a long time ago. Truitt’s arrival is more recent, but he, too, sounds completely comfortable. And while Hammer Down shines a brighter spotlight on his fine mandolin work — and on Tammy Rogers’ (and, of course, Nichols’) songwriting — it’s unmistakably a SteelDrivers record. Even without a new release to celebrate, the quintet regularly sell out their Station Inn home turf, so consider yourself warned.

—Jon Weisberger