It’s still as Bill Monroe said, “folk music with overdrive,” but the Resophonics introduce elements lacking in most modern bluegrass music — great original songs played with passion, energy and humor that would be as at home in a rock club as on a festival stage. The four individuals that make up the band represent some of the busiest session and live players in the Boston/Cambridge acoustic music scene.
Guitarist/songwriter Sean Staples was featured on the Boston Music Award winning This is Boston, not Austin, a compilation of some of the area’s best songwriters including Ellis Paul, Martin Sexton, and Jonatha Brooke and has been featured on such prestigious stages as the Newport Folk Festival, the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, and the Strawberry Festival in California. Banjo player Eric Royer has travelled the world with his “guitar machine,” a one man bluegrass band that is nearly as mesmerizing as his inspired playing. Bassist Nolan Mckelvey is a founding member of the popular Flagstaff, AZ band Onus B. Johnson and has been featured on stages across the country including the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Dobro/lap steel player Tim Kelly was dubbed by The Boston Globe “the dobro man in demand” and has been featured on numerous recordings including those of Mary Lou Lord and Alastair Moock. Together these four combine elements of the traditional string band and the contemporary songwriter to create a unique sound that is rooted in tradition without sounding dated, modern yet with substance.
$14
The Resophonics combine the frisky amiability of old timey music with the intimacy of the contemporary singer songwriter.
The Boston Globe
I could probably go on for hours talking about the Resophonics. From good ole Beantown, this band was a highlight of this year’s Fredhead bash. Consisting of Tim Kelly on lap steel, Nolan Mckelvey on upright bass, Eric Royer on banjo and Sean Staples on guitar, mandolin and lead vocals, these guys tore the place apart every time they took the stage. To say they are fantastic is no exaggeration. . . Their newest, “Diamonds in the Ground” is far from a diamond in the rough. Frankly, it’s close to brilliant. Staples wrote all the songs, which go from a taste of bluegrass to just plain ole roots music. These boys know how to play those instruments and play em they do!
Fern MacDonald, MissLana.com
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