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New World Orphan

Millbranch String Theory

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Customer Reviews

Millbranch String Theory delivers the goods with their initial release. By: Eric Evans

One of the delightful aspects of living in Bloomington, Indiana is that you find yourself exposed to a wider variety of locally produced musical projects than just about any other city, per capita, in the United States. Such is the case with New World Orphan, the debut release from local progressive bluegrass outfit The Millbranch String Theory. MST is comprised of Jason McCulley on Mandolin, Stephen Harms on Bass, Cello and a few other augmentative instruments and Nick Einterz on Banjo.

Jason and Stephen are what I would characterize as “chop” players – string instrumentalists who are incredibly strong at spewing out amazingly coherent strings of licks at lightning fast speed. This isn’t always a great thing as young “chop” players invariably become obsessed with the speed - to the detriment of musical expression and feeling. That’s why I was legitimately surprised to discover this CD to be a deep and profound offering. The technique of all three players is on full display without a doubt but the entire grouping of tunes is surprisingly heartfelt and nuanced.

The third and seventh tracks, entitled “The Chamber” and “The Remedy” respectively, are good examples of what I mean by a nuanced treatment of the bluegrass style. “The Chamber” begins with an ostinato line in the banjo as the mandolin and cello share a melodic conversation that is really quite moving. “The Remedy” is more of a feature for Jason’s mandolin prowess and really shows off his ability to be expressive on an instrument that isn’t generally known for its ability to present single note melody lines; yet he manages to really sing through it. The bass complements what’s happening on this track by repeatedly presenting an incredibly moving melody line as bowed by Harms. The entire thing could be picked up and deposited as part of a Cameron Crowe movie soundtrack and the audience would be none the wiser.

Musical expressiveness notwithstanding, this record definitely reserves some moments to melt the face of the listener with some unbelievable technique. The opening track, whimsically titled “Ethos, Pathos, Logos”, is triumphantly busy yet as hook driven as a Mumford and Sons tune. The entire thing is propelled expertly by some fierce banjo playing on the part of Einterz. The title track, which is saved for the final song on the CD, is a great collaboration from these fantastic musicians and one final chance for these guys to speak their peace. The mandolin lines mesh with some furious banjo playing leaving the bass to deliver some dramatic punch. Again, this track could just as easily show up on the soundtrack of a show like Deadwood - which shows that the trio’s sensibilities are a delicate mix of the artistic and the commercial.

The remaining tracks each have something special on display and combine to create a product that is considerably greater than what you typically find from a local band’s first release. The package and concept of the album is well done. The production is not overdone so the performances come off as more spontaneous than polished. The artwork is gritty yet whimsical. The entire product is tied together nicely by occasional vignettes between songs and at the end with a final punctuation provided by the entire band.

Everyone says you should support local music. Well folks, this is your time to do just that by purchasing this fine CD. Whether it becomes background music in the minivan as you drive the kids to school or as a delightful counterpoint to a romantic evening, this CD is what you’ve been looking for. Look up “Millbranch String Theory” on Facebook for details on upcoming shows and how to get your copy of the CD.

WOW!

This is by far the best thing and "different" sound to come out in a very long time. Very exciting. You can hear every instrument being played throughout the whole cd. A little bit of "Frank Zappa" meets bluegrass. "The Remedy" blew me away. ~~ This cd I highly recommend. Each track will take you on a different journey but yet surprisingly blends so well as a whole listening experience. Jason's skills on the mandolin, are the greatest thing to come along since Sam Bush. This is a must for all music lovers. Download it and see.... just do it!!!! ~

Top Albums and Songs By Millbranch String Theory

New World Orphan, Millbranch String Theory
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