Country Standard TIme Review

Wildfire
Rented Room on Broadway – 2106 (Pinecastle)
Reviewed by Donald Teplyske

Emerging from a latter version of The New South, over the past 16 years, Wildfire has quietly established themselves as a consistent bluegrass outfit. With original members Robert Hale (guitar) and Curtis Chapman (bass) leading the way, Wildfire returns with "Rented Room on Broadway," their fifth album. John Lewis remains on banjo while bluegrass vagabonds Greg Luck (fiddle and guitar, and another J. D. Crowe alumnus) and Chris Davis (mandolin) make their recording debut.

A highlight of every Wildfire album has been the lead vocals of Hale, and that continues here. "Home Again" was released as a single more than two years ago and is a well-constructed, modern bluegrass song within the familiar theme of wanting to go "back home again." The other Hale composition is "Three," a song that takes a different tact in that it focuses on the comforts found in the present.