Trouble

Personnel: Jared Green (vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano); Ian Craft (vocals, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, drum); Ben Plasse (vocals, upright bass); Brendan Benson (vocals, tambourine); Bridget Baumgartner, Etta Britt (vocals); Ricky Skaggs (mandolin); Matty, Phil Madeira (accordion, washboard); Greg Stocki (drums).Audio Mixer: Brendan Benson.Recording information: Readymade Studio, Nashville (09/2013/01/2014).Photographer: Joshua Black Wilkens.Often, progressive bluegrass gets mired in its own ambition, seeming affected whenever it asserts its roots or tackles the present. That's not the case with the Howlin' Brothers. How does this Nashville trio sidestep such pitfalls? It's through sheer kinetic joy, a quality that was evident on their 2013 debut, HOWL, but thrives on its 2014 sequel, Trouble. Once again, Brendan Benson -- a colleague of Jack White who is known for his exceptionally well-crafted power pop records -- produces the band and he favors a crackling live feel, emphasizing the