Various Artists - Strummin' With the Devil

It's funny, the number of heavy metal songs that actually make really good bluegrass songs. This disc, a bluegrass tribute to Van Halen, is the latest in a staggering variety of such works and it succeeds for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that heavy metal comes from your same basic Americana root as bluegrass and employs a number of similar ideas, themes, and structures. Change a few instruments and the arrangement, and BANG. A seriously fun little disc.

The novelty of making heavy metal/hard rock songs into awesome bluegrass songs hasn't worn itself thin. At least, not on me. I love 'em all, from Dwight Yoakam's amazing mountain version of The Clash's "Train in Vain" to the inestimable Hayseed Dixie discs, nods to AC/DC and Kiss, respectively. Of course, when I was growing up in the 70's, these kinds of songs were my brother's music, not mine. I didn't realize how good they were until I was older and came to appreciate the subtle genius of Eddie Van Halen (which is about the only thing missing from this terrific little collection).

Some of these songs, with all their nudge-nudge-wink-wink innuendo, make terrific mountain songs, such as the very overt "Ice Cream Man"; some just FIT the mountain sound, such as "I'll Wait" and "Jamie's Cryin'," while others seem a little out of place. "Panama" is the one that strikes me as the least likely choice, and "Hot For Teacher," likewise, seems just a little off, somehow, but in the case of the former, I have to admit it's the first time I've actually understood all the lyrics. But "Ain' Talkin' 'Bout Love" sounds like it was written for mountain musicians in the first place.

I'll freely admit this kind of thing just isn't for everyone. I know there are those who don't want to "sully" their country music with rock and vice versa, but the simple truth is rock and roll grew out of country music, was originated and founded by country boys, and that's really why it works.