Red Camel Collective is one of the most distinctive bluegrass units to hit the scene in recent memory. The five-piece outgrowth of the renowned Junior Sisk Band features the impressive talents of Heather Berry Mabe’s vocals and guitar, Jonathan Dillon’s mandolin playing, Jeff Partin’s resonator guitar work, Toby Mabe on banjo, and Curt Love manning the bass. Berry Mabe deserves the lion’s share of credit for their new single “Sincerity” as its author and lead vocalist; it is an unquestionable showcase for her ear-catching skills.
However, the band as a whole deserves plaudits for their achievements with this single. The interplay between Dillon and Tony Mabe is particularly potent. Partin’s resonator guitar contributions add further spice accentuating the arrangement with a welcome bluesy flavor. His presence provides Red Camel Collective an instrumental wildcard that similar bands lack. The five-piece are impassioned adherents of classic bluegrass. However, they don’t chain themselves to the genre’s stylistic bedrock.
They put an unique musical stamp on the style and write in a recognizable bluegrass vein without pursuing purist ends. “Sincerity” illustrates Berry Mabe’s personal fluency while slotting in nicely as a strong songwriting subject. It is a theme that many songs in countless genres tackle in varying fashion, and her take on the topic has individual flair. Her poetic power as a lyricist is straightforward and understated. There are no flowery flourishes. She writes with pointed conversational eloquence that befits the arrangement rather than overshadowing it.
It is a short song. However, despite its relative brevity, Red Camel Collective structures the arrangement in such a way that they deliver their lyrical message and afford themselves ample space for showing their playing chops. Instrumental breaks are brief but effective. The musicians’ experience playing in a top-line outfit such as the Junior Sisk Band has given them sufficient grounding to know what audiences want to hear and put that plan into action.
Steve Wilson co-produced, mastered, and mixed the single. The renowned luthier and leader of his respected unit, Wilson Banjo Co., Wilson has established himself as a go-to figure in bluegrass circles for putting distinctive sonic touches on stellar material. “Sincerity” has a robust sound and bell-clear clarity.
It is a worthy successor to their recent single “Roll On Mississippi”. It reveals more obvious riches awaiting the bluegrass community and beyond with the band’s pending full-length debut. Branching out from their “day gig” as members of the Junior Sisk Band pays enormous dividends for the members of Red Camel Collective, and listeners will rejoice in sharing the artistic spoils.
It is clear that Red Camel Collective is destined, if fate serves them well, to be with us for many years. This is fortunate. Few active bluegrass bands today command such instant respect while holding out the promise of even greater triumphs to come. They stand apart from the pack, and they will continue developing and deepening with each new release.
Claire Uebelacker