The Ballad of Charlie Avalon, Stillhouse Junkies’ new concept album, demonstrates the powerful vocal and instrumental arrangements of the Colorado bluegrass band at their best. To describe the project as “ambitious” is an understatement. What fans loved about the band’s distinct sound on Small Towns remains intact, but this album brilliantly delivers the unified arc of the Charlie Avalon’s narrative.
Band founder Fred Kosak began penning songs for the project early in the pandemic, prior to the release of 2022’s Small Towns. The completion of this song cycle, based loosely on the life of Mississippi John Hurt (from Avalon, Mississippi), was delayed as the band toured to promote that album.
While individual tracks stand on their own, the project invites listening from beginning to end. Short narrative segments read by Sam Bush, with album producer Joe Newberry playing banjo, stitch the songs together into a seamless narrative flow as the title character and his music move from the Gulf Coast to New York City. A producer from the city who came to the delta to contemplate retirement hears Avalon playing banjo and is inspired to promote his music career. String arrangements parallel the vocal harmonies, sometimes stepping out of the way to highlight a lyrical melody or guitar riff.
