Borderland (Skinny Elephant, 2016) is a studio album led by New England mandolinist Joe K. Walsh with a rotating cast of collaborators from the old-time and acoustic music worlds. Walsh plays mandolin and sings throughout; Bruce Molsky contributes fiddle, guitar, and banjo on multiple tracks and joins Walsh in singing; Brittany Haas plays fiddle and sings on select tracks; Gabe Hirshfeld plays banjo; and Karl Doty holds the bass. The album explores the intersection of American old-time music with Celtic and Scandinavian fiddle traditions, reflecting the cross-cultural curiosity Walsh had long brought to his acoustic work. Borderland demonstrates Walsh's skill at creating music that feels rooted without being constrained by any single tradition, and it introduced his work to audiences beyond the New England and Mid-Atlantic old-time circles where he had been active.
Tracklist
- 1 Red Skies 3:04
- 2 Never More Will Roam 3:34
- 3 Cumberland Gap Source Recording 3:44
- 4 Pine Tree Waltz 3:30
- 5 The Berry's Walk Out 3:59
- 6 Innisfree 3:29
- 7 The Bee-Loud Glade 2:34
- 8 There but for Fortune 2:59
- 9 Pogo Big alt version 5:05
- 10 The Stream 3:46
- 11 Closer 3:14