Inside Out in Bloomington, MN

The CD case advises store owners to file this one under "bluegrass," but it's not clear why. Granted,
Missy Raines
is a nearly legendary bassist in bluegrass circles, but her latest solo project features little to no bluegrass; instead, it ranges far and wide pursuing a varied agenda that covers jazz, new acoustic swing, funk, and a sort of country-flavored pop. Not all of it succeeds: the title track opens the program on a vague and unfocused note, trying for jazz but just sounding like noodling. But
"Basket of Singing Birds"
nicely showcases her warm, slightly sultry voice and
"Duke of Paducah"
is a softly impressive instrumental that tightens up the jazz groove considerably by adding an element of Southern R&B to the mix.
"Pootie Tang,"
however, falls flat -- it's hard to do acoustic funk convincingly, and when you do it unconvincingly the results can be a bit embarrassing. But it can be done well, as the band demonstrates later on the excellent
"Stop, Drop & Wiggle."
The emotional centerpiece of the album is
Raines
' instrumental tribute to her recently deceased father, a gorgeous composition entitled
"Ides of March."
It's uneven and fans of her more mainstream bluegrass work may be puzzled, but there's plenty to enjoy on this album. ~ Rick Anderson