Yonder Mountain String Band Cross Genres for ‘Take a Chance on Me’ [Premiere]

Yonder Mountain String Band are releasing a genre-blurring new album, and they're letting Taste of Country readers hear one of the new tracks first.

"Take a Chance on Me" is from Yonder's first new studio album in two years. The five-piece bluegrass group are set to release Love. Ain’t Love on June 23, and they feel rejuvenated musically after adding violinist Allie Kral and mandolin player Jacob Jolliff following mandolin player Jeff Austin’s departure in 2014.

Yonder guitarist and vocalist Adam Aijala, banjo player David Johnston and bassist Ben Kaufmann collectively wrote all of the songs for the new project, and the band produced themselves with help from John McVey.

"I think this is our best album yet," Aijala says, pointing to the musical scope of the songwriting and playing as part of the group's continuing evolution.

"There are no limits to what we do," he adds. "We’ll try anything, if it feels good, we’ll try it again."

"Take a Chance on Me" is a prime example of how Yonder Mountain String Band are able to juxtapose different musical forms into a cohesive whole. "Funky" is just about the last word you'd expect to use to describe bluegrass, but Yonder manage to incorporate a funky groove with a sweet pop vocal hook and sunny vocal harmonies that would be right at home on mainstream pop radio for a track that is delightfully unexpected. They top off the track with impressive solos that demonstrate advanced instrumental ability without being overly showy.

They attribute their ongoing musical restlessness not only to playing more gigs together and knowing each other's playing better, but also to the experience that only comes with age.

"When we were first starting, our creativity was rooted in rebelliousness. Now, there’s a greater conscious awareness and attention to detail that we’re bringing to our writing and recording," Kaufmann states. "Our nature and instincts remain progressive. We’re just doing it in a way that’s sharper, more musical, and way more satisfying."

For more information about Yonder Mountain String Band, visit the band’s official website.

Listen to Yonder Mountain String Band, "Take a Chance on Me"

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