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James Justin & Co.: Places

Self-released

For James Justin & Co.’s third record, Places, James Justin Burke (guitar/vocals), Tom Propst (bass/vocals), and Bailey Horsley (banjo/vocals) play more straight-ahead, acoustic bluegrass with honest vocals—a noticeable change from 2011’s Dark Country. The liner notes read: “Places is a sonic adventure, where our stories from the road live forever, play it loud!” And this spirited, rootsy, 10-track disc does just that—takes you places. Bolstered by guests on mandolin, trumpet, keys and drums, it deserves to be cranked up, and listened to out on the open road. The trio ambles along the Blue Ridge Mountains with the bouncy “Forever and a Day” and across the heart of the country via “Midwestern Sounds,” before getting reflective with “Our Little Island” (perhaps hearkening to early days living in Folly Beach, S.C.) and exploring the epicness of looking out over the horizon while crossing Colorado’s “Wolf Creek Pass.” Blake Christiana of the band Yarn lends his vocals on “Metal City” before we visit the “Ruedi Reservoir” and “Old New Mexico.” And closing track “Limerick of Love” is an honest and simple Irish throwback—the perfect little ditty to bring us back home.