Punch Brothers

from Nonesuch: The Punch Brothers are nothing less than a youthful band comprising the most prodigious and sought-after musicians from the cutting edge of bluegrass and folk music. The quintet was brought together by former Nickel Creek star Chris Thile, who, the critic Geoffrey Himes of Washington Post declared, "may well be the most virtuosic American ever to play the mandolin"– adding, not insignificantly, that "he has the flirtatious charisma of a major pop star." Joining him are Chris Eldridge, who Acoustic Guitar has called "the most-talked-about guitarist in the bluegrass world," a member of The Infamous Stringdusters and occasional guest star with dad Ben's legendary combo, The Seldom Scene; bassist Greg Garrison, who has recorded with John Scofield and Vasser Clements, among many others, and regularly sits in with Leftover Salmon; banjo player Noam Pikelny, an alumnus of Leftover Salmon and the John Cowan Band who also appears on label-mate k.d. lang's new disc, Watershed; and fiddle player Gabe Witcher, who has been featured, on the Oscar-winning soundtracks of Babel and Brokeback Mountain, among countless other films.

At the heart of this remarkable group's Nonesuch Records debut is Thile's most formidable work yet, "The Blind Leaving the Blind," a long-form, four-movement piece that combines the rigor of classical composition, the improvisatory excitement of jazz and the gather-round-the-mic intimacy of a traditional bluegrass session. "The Blind..." is as ambitious in its story-telling as in its instrumental arrangements, with Thile rendering a deeply personal tale of a failed relationship and lost faith through impressionistic lyrics that fall somewhere between a confession and a late-night, barstool soliloquy. Thile's lyrics evoke loneliness, desire and betrayal with a candor equal to such classic Joni Mitchell tracks as "Down To You" and "Paprika Plains." And, as with Mitchell, their specificity gives them the ring of truth.