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The Dillards – Wheatstraw Suite (1968)

Posted on October 24, 2020

The Dillards are a bluegrass band from Missouri, and were one of the first bluegrass groups to use electric instruments in the 1960s, leading the way in a slew of genres like folk rock, country rock, and progressive bluegrass. They’ve been noted as influences for such ands like The Byrds, The Eagles, Elton John, and Led Zeppelin. This is their first album to really pick up that electric instrumentation that led to a more folk rock and country rock sound to their usual bluegrass intonation. With that said, this seems like it ought to be an interesting listen so I’m going to jump on into the music.
“I’ll Fly Away” starts out with some interesting bluegrass chorus vocals that really bring a great introduction to the album. Sweet short intro.
“Nobody Knows” starts out with some galloping banjo alongside some acoustic guitar. I really dig the bass guitar lifting the tune up from the background, laying down a sort of framework for where the tune is headed in sort of bopping country sort of way. Oh wow, the flute is super sweet from the background. Oh wow, the mandolin comes on and absolutely pours into the soundscape in a really great manner. Really sweet tune.
“Hey Boys” starts out with some really bright acoustic guitar and some mandolin setting a really tight, folksy vibe to this track. Oh wow, I really dig the banjo sort of fleshing out the notes to the tune, and bringing a sort of backwoods bluegrass sort of sound to the soundscape. Those chorus bluegrass vocals in this one have a really nice earthy feel mixed with some late 60s pop inclinations. Another sweet track.
“The Biggest Whatever” starts out with the sound of a creaking rocking chair and soon there is a story told by someone from a distance for moment until the tune drops into a sort of tight and fast paced country folk rock tune. I really dig the jingling of the acoustic guitar nearly swishing around in the background. Oh wow, the lead acoustic guitar plays some great, really flavorful licks. Really great tune.
“Listen to the Sound” starts out with some super gentle acoustic guitar and some flutes, introducing a meadow-like soundscape. Oh wow, it almost sounds like there was an electric guitar for a moment, accentuating the melody with some short notes. Oh wow, the drum track has a really nice sort of country and western gallop to it. Oh wow, the mandolin is super slick in this one, playing some super tasty notes to accentuate the melody quite a bit. Oh wow, the lead guitar lines are quite pleasant. Really nice tune.
“Little Pete” starts out with super twangy guitar with some super interesting tone – I think it might be a dobro or a pedal steel guitar of some sort. Oh wow, the bopping bass and backbeat combine for a cowboy-like country and western tune that makes it sound like you’re some sort of cowboy riding on down to the watering hole or something. Really sweet tune.
“Reason to Believe” starts out with some gentle acoustic guitar that reminds me a lot of the melody of “Mr. Tambourine Man” from Bob Dylan. Oh wow, those orchestral strings bring a whole lot of sweetness. There’s somewhat of a descending melody to this one that really has a great flavor to all the jangling, earthy instrumentation. Oh wow, those chimes bring a really sweet flavor to the mix during the little instrumental jam at the end. Really sweet song.
“Single Saddle” has a super tasty bluesy guitar to introduce this super cowboy sounding galloping tune. Oh wow, I really dig this track. There’s a really relaxed, earthy and country feel in the vocals that I really enjoy. Great little tune.
“I’ve Just Seen a Face” starts out really delicately and almost ornately with the notes of the mandolin raining in with the backdrop of the bass and acoustic guitar. Oh wow, the pedal steel guitar brings a really sweet country and western feel to this track. This has a whole lot of great country flavor in it. Really nice tune.
“Lemon Chimes” starts out with some really gentle acoustic guitars and sweet sounding orchestral strings. Oh wow, I really dig the percussion to this one – as sparse as the drums are in this album, this one brings a whole lot of flavor with such a simple beat – really awesome. Oh wow, the piano brings a lot of great, sort of bluesy western flavor to this one, while the vocals have such a sweetness to them. Oh wow, the lead acoustic guitar has a really great, earthy tone to them. I feel like I recognize the vocal melody in this one from another folksy tune (I think it’s “Rapture” by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester), and it’s pretty sweet. Great tune.
Oh wow, “Don’t You Cry” starts out super hot with a really tight, fast-paced bluegrass jam, with the band not stopping this bopping, tight tune for anything. The banjo really goes in on this one. Oh wow, the sweetness from the flute and orchestral strings bring such an interesting flavor to a fast-paced bluegrass jam like this. Great tune.
“Bending the Strings” starts out really hot with another bluegrass jam tune. The banjo really goes in, and the mandolin and bass work in conjunction while the banjo has a lead to lay out a framework for the direction of the song. Oh wow, now the mandolin has the lead, and the jam from the band is super sweet. The acoustic guitar keeps that jangle going at full speed throughout the whole thing. Great bluegrass jam.
“She Sang Hymns Out of Tune” starts out with some news recording of the economy (I think?) on one side, while the band softly comes in with the chorus vocals from the intro tune on the other side until both sides fade out for a really sweet tune to come on. Oh wow, some church organ introduces this really sweet sort of folksy western tune, with the mandolin, banjo, bass, and guitar all seemingly coming together for a really sweet descending melody while the vocals seemingly rain down from above. Oh wow, the sweetness from the orchestral strings brings a really great flavor to this one. I really dig the simple outro to this one. Really great tune and great finish to the album.
Wow, this was a pretty sweet album. I could understand a bit how The Dillards might have influenced groups like The Eagles and The Byrds. If you dig bluegrass at all, or country and western type folk music, you might want to check out this album. If you do decide to give this one a listen, I sincerely hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A

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