The April Verch Band Album Release : at The Station Inn (Nashville, TN) Wed. March 27, 2013

The April Verch Band Album Release

Bluegrass

Nashville Scene Critic's Pick …

The April Verch Band’s Bright Like Gold contains a generous 20 tracks — but that’s arguably still not enough to show off the full range of the trio’s musical interests, which wind from mossy old fiddle tunes through classic country and bluegrass, a bit of swing and some strong original material. Though she’s an Ottawa Valley native with a lifelong grounding and ongoing commitment to the area’s fiddle and stepdancing styles, Verch has gravitated more recently toward Appalachian old-time music, abetted by bandmember Cody Walters, who frequently lays down his bass in favor of the clawhammer banjo. Guitarist Hayes Griffin is equally adept at covering a lot of musical bases, so while the album’s got a stellar list of guests (including two touching and masterful appearances by the legendary Mac Wiseman), the group — here for the first time in years — needs no help in mounting a show that ranges from quiet and intimate to raucously spirited, but always compelling.

—Jon Weisberger