Frontier Ruckus / Orion Songbook, The
Album: Orion Songbook, The   Collection:General
Artist:Frontier Ruckus   Added:Nov 2008
Label:Quite Scientific  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2009-02-22 Pull Date: 2009-04-26
Week Ending: Apr 26 Apr 19 Apr 12 Apr 5 Mar 29 Mar 22 Mar 15 Mar 8
Airplays: 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1

Recent Airplay
1. Nov 22, 2023: Strum, Pick, and Thrash
Dark Autumn Hour
4. Apr 21, 2009: Joy's Special
Mount Marcy
2. Mar 29, 2013: Murder Ballads and Torch Songs
The Back-Lot World
5. Apr 14, 2009: I once was Canadian
Orion Town 2
3. Mar 07, 2013: The Show with T-Lex & Lolo
Mount Marcy
6. Apr 07, 2009: I once was Canadian
Orion Town 2

Album Review
Basil
Reviewed 2009-02-11
Frontier Ruckus “The Orion Songbook” Young hipsters from Michigan play a folksy, indie breed of bluegrass music. “Alt-country” at its finest, with some experimental, spidery banjo lines & poetic, kooky lyrics (“your tight skin confessed not a vein in your chest”). Singer’s voice is distinct: harsh & heartfelt with a sense of immediacy (a la Neutral Milk Hotel, The Decemberists). Worth a listen, even if just to hear a musical saw in action! No FCCs (“son of a bitch” on #9)

1) Explores his vocals in a soft song of both love & remorse
2)** Refreshingly sporadic percussion with some impressive banjo
3) ***Spooky duet w/ female; yearning harmonica, aggressive piano & some haunting musical saw. Sounds like Halloween! Lyrics: “if only you knew what you are”
4) Sufjan Stevens meets the banjo – result is sadly unexceptional
5)*** Banjo, horns lead this upbeat, jubilant bluegrass fun-fest; ends w/ :05 left
6) Desperate song; vocals cry out, horns shine w/ deep gloom of New Orleans
7) slow, acoustic guitar song; more folk than country; voice is v. Neutral Milky
8) banjo plucks gingerly alongside acoustic guitar & great piano palpitations
9) ***“SON OF A BITCH” forceful percussion, really rumbly voice, nice horns
10) starts out with some haunting musical saw & harmonies; slow acoustic strums
11) **blend of upbeat folk and spooky musical saw; small town lyrics
12) easy-going travel song about going home, nostalgic banjo solo & harmonies
13) **Builds to a nice hoe-down in the middle; banjo lick guides the rest; Tour de force that highlights all of their instrumentation (6:55)
14) artful acoustic guitar; slow ballad to end the CD

Bailey Richardson baileyr@stanford.edu

Track Listing
1. Animals Need Animals   8. Foggy Lilac Windows
2. The Latter Days   9. Orion Town 2
3. What Youare   10. The Back-Lot World
4. Dark Autumn Hour   11. Rosemont
5. Mount Marcy   12. Orion Town B
6. The Blood   13. Adirondack Amish Holler
7. Bethlehem   14. The Deep-Yard Dream