Hold with Hope

by Breakaway

Overview

New England bluegrass band Breakaway has undergone extensive personnel changes since its last album, 1997's Watershed. Guitarist Andy Greene and mandolinist Andy Sacher have left, and since both were also lead vocalists and songwriters this change has had a considerable effect on the ensemble's sound. Remaining members Scott Hopkins, Peter Riley, and Gene White Jr. have regrouped, adding guitarist/singer Paul Miller as a permanent member, with mandolinist/singer Taylor Amerding credited as a guest but participating as though he was an equal with the others. Thus, the sound has been filled out, but Greene's presence as a songwriter is still missed. Breakaway has turned more to cover songs as a result, contributing only four originals here, as opposed to the seven on the previous album. For their covers they have turned to some songwriters not usually associated with bluegrass music, including Woody Guthrie ("Pastures of Plenty"), Jesse Colin Young (an instrumental "Darkness, Darkness"), and David Hidalgo and Louis Perez of Los Lobos ("One Time, One Night"). None of the songs sound out of place, however, and more traditional country fare such as Harlan Howard's "Water's So Cold" and George Jones' "Old, Old House" also fits in well. The original material -- two Hopkins instrumentals and two songs by Riley -- is adequate. The result is an album that does nothing to tarnish Breakaway's reputation, but leaves them where they were before, a novelty in the sense of being a competent bluegrass unit from a region not usually associated with the music. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	07/25/2000
Label:	Gadfly Records
UPC:	0076605226626
Rank:	245106

Tracks

1. Pastures of Plenty
2. Water's So Cold
3. Snowshoe
4. Can't Stop a Train
5. Darkness, Darkness
6. Old, Old House
7. One Time One Night
8. Chenango County Blues
9. Long, Long Drea
10. Faded Prints (Of Country Living)
11. Sophronie
12. Hold With Hope

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Breakaway   Primary Artist
Paul Miller   Vocals,Vocal Harmony,Guitar
Peter Riley   Bass,Vocals,Vocal Harmony
Scott Hopkins   Banjo,Vocal Harmony
Junior Barber   Guitar
Taylor Armerding   Vocals,Mandolin

Technical Credits

Chuck Eller   Engineer
Lane Gibson   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mastering
Alton Delmore   Composer
Mark Greenberg   Composer
Ron Thomason   Liner Notes
Louie Perez   Composer
Peter Riley   Composer
Jesse Colin Young   Composer
Woody Guthrie   Composer
Breakaway   Arranger,Producer
Brian Hofeldt   Composer
Hal Bynum   Composer
Harlan Howard   Composer
Chas Eller   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mastering
David Hidalgo   Composer
George Jones   Composer
Scott Hopkins   Composer
Tony Villanueva   Composer