Crooked Still

Visulite Theatre

Nov. 7, 2010

The Deal: Quintet plays heart-felt bluegrass-based music for small Visulite crowd.

The Good: One of those bands that's been on my radar for quite a while, I went to see Crooked Still with an open mind and not much of any expectations. What I got was a unique style of bluegrass that had hints of folk and jazz.

Singer Aoife O'Donovan commands much of the lyrical attention though the group does find time for more traditional bluegrass-style harmonies splashed in. That's not a complaint — it gave the group a different sound that enabled it to also showcase its fantastic instrumentation. The groups take on the traditional song, "Henry Lee" was an opportunity for O'Donovan to express more of her range.

The band's use of cello added another dimension to the songs — sometimes offering more of a percussionist beat.

If banjoist Greg Liszt looks familiar, it's might be from his time in Bruce Springsteen's Seeger Sessions band.

Other standout songs were "Locust In the Willow" and "Half of What We Know."

The Bad: Only that there weren't more than the 40 or so in attendance.

The Verdict: A talented quintet that entertains not through a "show" but through talent and instrumentation.