Laps in Seven * - Bush, Sam (CD)

I'm a true Sam Bush fan, but I must say, this album seems to indicate that Sam has fallen into a rut. The highlight is the first cut, "The River's Gonna Run," a duet with Emmylou Harris. Beyond that there seems to be little spark in Sam's new compositions and a couple of cuts that feel like filler. Witness "New Country." Even with Jean Luc Ponty on board, this version lacks the fire of the earlier recording by New Grass Revival. And what possessed Sam to record "White Bird," the classic tune from It's a Beautiful Day? Sorry, his voice is no match for David LaFlamme's. If you're a New Grass Revival fan, a superior solo album is available from John Cowen. "New Tattoo" is the best of John's solo efforts to date, with more of the newgrass feel we all have come to love and to expect from Sam Bush.