Written by the Monroes’ Fran Kent, the song describes her discovery of a document from 1865 that marks her great-great-great-grandfather’s separation from the Union Army in Vicksburg, MS. William F. Perdue had spent three years as a soldier, having survived a brutal, bloody war that left more than 600,000 Americans dead, and almost twice as many wounded.
As the song continues, Fran tells of the
emotions she felt in coming face-to-face with an ancestor
she never knew, even as she held in her hand something he
had carried personally as the war ended. She reports
that it was a powerful thing, almost exactly 150 years after
the document was drafted." -John Lawless
"Appaloosa Daydream, the Urban Monroes’ third CD release; trots, gallops and sometimes flies across a 10-song soundscape of original and traditional bluegrass music. Songs like the upbeat and vocally divine original, “Lamp in the Window” can take you to a warm fire on a cold night, while the title track prances delightedly in a valley of instrumental bliss. Don’t be fooled by seeing “Little Maggie” on this CD’s track listing either. This is uncharted territory. That recognizable title could not prepare one for this sonic surprise package, with a performance as hauntingly beautiful as it is muscular. Combining motifs from Darling Corey and Little Maggie, the band’s arrangement exchanges energy from moment to moment like the ebb and flow of ocean waves as this trail again leads to the unexpected and exciting.
"I just LOVE Little Maggie. I
can't sit still while listening to it. I'm an old Irish dancer
so out comes the Irish dancing!"-Fan Review
"Oh that was just plain awesomeness
there!!!!!!!!!"~Fan
Review
"The musicianship here is
outstanding. Great intertwining of instruments its like they
are talking to each other". ~Fan Review
"WOW! BRILLIANT! EXCELLENT! It is delightful
and a great pleasure to listen to your tuneful, harmonious,
moving, optimistic and wonderful music. Great tracks, great
tunes great musicians, and fascinating and gorgeous vocals.
AMAZING!"~ Fan Review
"Wow!! First time I heard "Never Mind Love" in a bluegrass style and I must say it sounds really
AWESOME!!! Harmonies are off the chart!! Great job!!!"-Fan Review
"Portland
swings, the fiddle does too. Glass that’s blown, grass
that’s blue. The sweet sweet smell of a garden rose. The
sweet sweet sound of the Urban Monroes! "
~Fan Review
“Appaloosa Daydream is exceptional.” -The Daily Reed
“The band is beyond tight.” -The Daily Reed
“When four talented musicians convert four very different acoustical instruments into one blended sound it is what I call magic.” -The Daily Reed
“You create magic in this CD.”-The Daily Reed
“…the arranging you have done here is brilliant.” -The Daily Reed
“All of the tunes on the CD are superb. There is no fill and no “hit next track” on the CD and they flow together well.” -The Daily Reed
“I was listening to “Blue Moon of Kentucky” and fell in love with the vocalist just as I did over 30 years ago with Emmylou Harris.”-The Daily Reed
“– crisp, sweet and truly captivating.”-The Daily Reed
“Passionately executed, high flying fun”
-The
Oregonian
“Vocally
and instrumentally exciting album suitable for a broad
range of listeners”
-The Statesman Journal
“Honest like a hard day’s work and tasty like cold beverage at the end of that day”
-The Columbian
“Their
musical savvy and obvious ability make their albums
compelling listens”
-Goldmine Magazine
"You
all have boundless talent. This is a spectacular
show! Well performed"
"Excellent performance on all levels!You left me
wanting more!!! Urban Monroes is the real
deal"
"I was prepared
for a good time, but I wasn't prepared to be blown away by
one of the bands on Saturday's roster. The Urban
Monroes, a bluegrass band from the north part of the
Willamette Valley, are just a superb example of a
contemporary take on traditional bluegrass. Their
playing was tight and fast when it needed to be--just
listen to their take on "My Window Faces The South"--and
swingy and slow in their lovely version of Karla Bonoff's
"Home." Listening to the CD here at home, we get to
play our favorites over again and focus on the
musicianship as well. I saw from the website that
they'll be at the Emerald Valley Opry here in Eugene this
spring. I'm definitely marking the calendar for that
one. I suggest that if you get a chance to see them
live, you take it". From
the blog of Lynn Daniels Anderson
http://www.allaboutoregon.blogspot.com/
-Fan Review from Florence
"You guys rocked.
I really like what you've got going on. Hope to hear your
music again somewhere live. Thanks for the awesome music!
-Fan review from Eastside Bluegrass Concert
Series
"My
girlfriend, Jean, and I went to Birdfest yesterday
thinking we might hear some good music and enjoy the
beautiful fall day. Little did we know that we'd discover
the best music we've heard in a summer full of bluegrass
festivals. You guys are awesome. That's a much overused
word these days, but in your case it's absolutely
appropriate because Jean and I were truly in awe listening
the power, beauty, and soulful nature of your music.
When
people think of Bill Monroe, they usually think of a very
specific way of playing, the so called "bluegrass
tradition" that Bill created. But what Bill Monroe
represents to me is pure originality and soul. He was so
bluesy and soulful. And there was nothing he ever did that
wasn't informed by his personal artistic vision and
straight from his heart, I think. You acquit yourselves
very well in this version of the "tradition" because
there is an authenticity and soul to your music that rings
like a bell." Fan
Review Old Liberty Theater
It was a
great day for Jean and I. We picked up your CD and are
enjoying it very much...So all in all, this was a pretty
special
Saturday for
us. We'll be keeping an eye on your schedule and hope to
catch you whenever we can, especially the festivals next
summer. I hope you guys hit some of the ones here in the
NW. Thank you so much for the music. The world is a better
place with the musical karma you're putting into it."
-Fan Review from Bluegrass and Birdfest
