February 11, 2015 - 1:35pm UTC
AUSTIN, Texas — New places and sounds can be so rewarding. A refreshing case in point is MilkDrive’s third studio release, Places You’ve Not Been.
Set for release March 31, 2015, by Bismeaux Records, Places is a treat from start to finish. Self-produced, this super-tight album consists largely of original material expressive of the band’s wide influences and maturing talents.
A power team of award-winning multi-instrumentalists, MilkDrive has become a fixture in Austin’s growing bluegrass and acoustic music scene. Founding members Brian Beken, Dennis Ludiker and Noah Jeffries met as youngsters and co-contestants of Idaho’s own National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest. Hailing from San Diego is the band’s newest member, bassist Jesse Dalton.
From the first track, “Take Too Long,” listeners quickly get to cash in musically on the song’s alluring promise of toe-tapping glory found “in all the places you’ve not been.” Beken’s skills as a vocalist and main writer shine through in the mysterious haunts, “John Paul,” and “The Water,” and fans will enjoy instrumental highlights, “Orion’s Waltz” and “Delephine.”
MilkDrive's upcoming shows include:
March 5 – Grand Stafford Theater, Bryan, Texas
March 6 – Mucky Duck – Houston
March 7 – BIG NAC Music Festival – Nacogdoches, Texas
March 13 – Harvest House – Denton, Texas
March 14 – Cactus Cafe – Austin
March 15 – Gruene Hall – New Braunfels, Texas
March 20 – The Churchyard – Corpus Christi, Texas
March 21 – Fischer Haus Cantina – Fischer, Texas
March 26 – Dan’s Silverleaf – Denton, Texas (with Head for the Hills)
March 27 – Live at the Liberty – Watonga, Oklahoma
March 28 – Blue Door – Oklahoma City
March 29 – That Guy’s Coffee, Paris, Texas
April 17 – Old Settler’s Music Festival, Driftwood, Texas
May 1 – Gruene Hall, New Braunfels, Texas (opening for Asleep at the Wheel)
May 2 – The Liberty Bell, Nacogdoches, Texas
May 16 – Bluegrass Festival, Buhl, Germany
May 17 – Kulturzentrum Alts Schlachthuus, Laufen, Switzerland
May 9 – Dosey Doe Music Cafe, Conroe, Texas
May 30 – Bugle Boy, LaGrange, Texas
June 13 – Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival, Palisade, Colorado
June 21 – Gruene Hall, New Braunfels, Texas
July 11 & 12 – Frankfort Bluegrass Festival, Frankfort, Ill.