By Brent Thompson

For better or worse, the term “Americana” has become a catch-all description for many musical formats. But if you want a concise way to define Americana, I say look no further than YARN’s Born, Blessed, Grateful & Alive, the band’s first studio effort in eight years. Across the album’s 12 tracks, the North Carolina (by way of New York City) trio effectively blends several musical styles into a cohesive sounds of its own. In opening with the Gospel-tinged “Turn Off The News,” the band immediately takes the listener into a smoky Honky-Tonk with “Something’s Gotta Change.” From there, country, rock & roll and even jam band sounds round out YARN’s musical stew. Produced by stalwart Damian Calcagne, the album features guest appearances by members of Railroad Earth and The Infamous Stringdusters. With Born, Blessed, Grateful & Alive, YARN accomplishes the tough task of making the familiar sound fresh.