From singing on stage with the late Melvin Goins at age seven to being named Kentucky colonel in 2017, Dreyden Gordon has already amassed a wealth of experience in his life journey. Though hardly out of his teens, the Grayson, Kentucky native displays a wealth of knowledge and respect for traditional bluegrass music, all of which comes through on his sophomore effort, Stop the World.
The bulk of the material on Stop the World is evenly mixed between familiar and obscure songs in the traditional canon. The project opens with Hello City Limits, which comes from the repertoire of Red Allen. From the first note, you can tell that Dreyden has surrounded himself with a first rate cast of pickers and singers. Along with Gordon on guitar and lead vocals, the core backing band consists of Alex Leach on banjo and tenor vocals, Jason Hale on bass and baritone vocals, Clay Hess on mandolin, and Jason Barie on fiddle.
The real gems however, are Dreyden’s original songs. All Alone to Cry is the quintessential lost love song, while Snow on the Lilies and Hang Out a Lantern have themes of remembering and yearning for happier times at the place one called home. The latter two tracks feature Ethan Vivian on banjo and Danny Lee Davis on tenor vocals. All three of these compositions have a depth and maturity one would not expect from someone of Dreyden’s youth.
The title track, Stop the World, and I Know What It Means are two of the most unique interpretations offered within this collection. Gordon’s rendition of this country classic is a fun combination of traditional bluegrass and honky tonk influences. The latter, which has been recorded by scores of bluegrass artists, is done here in a truly unique fashion. With its minor key arrangement, it gives the song an even darker, somber feel than its predecessors. Both of these songs show Dreyden’s capability of making these well-loved songs completely his own.
Dreyden Gordon is living proof that traditional bluegrass music is here to stay. With stout original material and well executed interpretations of favorites within that style, this is a recording that will surely please anyone with a palette for raw, authentic music.
