Brand new debut album, Wrong Side of the Rain, now available for purchase at all major online retailers (Amazon, CD Baby, Itunes, Etc)
*Streamable via Spotify, Googleplay, Apple Music etc)
https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MagnoliaStreetStringBand
https://www.amazon.com/sk=magnolia+street+string+band&ref=nb_sb_noss
If you would like to buy the record direct from the band, or you would like to buy t-shirts, posters, or stickers, send your request to mssbmusic@gmail.com.
Samples from the album “Wrong Side of the Rain”
REVIEWS:
MAGNOLIA STREET STRING BAND –WRONG SIDE OF THE RAIN
BLUEGRASS UNLIMITED December 1, 2019
Although the Magnolia Street String Band makes its debut with Wrong Side Of The Rain, the quintet is long on experience. Paul Prestopino on banjo, mandolin, and resonator guitar (Peter, Paul, and Mary), bassman Ron Greenstein (Chad Mitchell Trio, Tom Paxton), and Bobby Baxmeyer (Broadway shows including Steve Martin’s Bright Star) form a core trio with decades of professional music. That shows in a well-performed album produced by Bob Harris.
With influences from folk, country, Americana, and progressive bluegrass, the group says they didn’t start out specifically to be a bluegrass band, but over four years, they evolved in that direction. Where they arrived resembles bluegrass of the late 1970s and early 1980s often with a pronounced Peter Rowan influence. Even their more traditional selections such as “Rabbit In A Log” or “Dixie Hoedown” evoke that era. And, the band’s arrangement of Johnny Cash’s “Big River” suits their approach particularly well. (www.magnoliastreetstringband.com)AM
Richard D. Smith-Author of Can’t You Hear Me Callin’: The Life of Bill Monroe, Father of Bluegrass
The Magnolia String Band’s debut album Wrong Side of the Rain is on the right side of bluegrass sunshine. You’ll scarcely find a better realized song collection: lively here, lonesome there, and heartfelt everywhere, with a thoughtful blend of evergreen favorites, lesser-known gems, and impressive bandmember originals.
The virtuoso picking and compelling vocals are beautifully served by a superb recording production, the entire package perfectly complimented by joyful graphics artistry.
Walk your ears over to Magnolia Street. You’ll be smiling throughout your first stroll — and every repeat visit.
https://hvbluegrass.org/cd-review-magnolia-street-band-wrong-side-of-the-rain/fbclid=IwAR16WF9ipOpCpbxZWGvKPjGOXYzR0FsJGUWxQ0skn2EhGX5NgOxY7oDnLss
Mike Fowler, Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association
Hmmmmmm. When you first think of musicians from the Garden State of New Jersey (or Joi’sey depending on where you’re from) the likes of Bon Jovi, Springstein, and Houston come to mind-not bluegrass pickers. That has now changed because today there is a homegrown organic variety of this style of that is available on your store shelves right now. The Magnolia Street String Band’s CD premiere release Wrong Side of the Rain is out, and what a CD it is! This group is no prototype or beta test band-these are very seasoned and track proven musicians. In addition to the original founding core members of Matt Backes (vocals, mando, fiddle) and Sheila Shukla (vocals,guitar), the additions of Paul Prestopino (banjo/dobro/mando), Bobby Baxmeyer ( banjo/dobro), and bassist Ron Greenstein make up this group of 5. Look these folks up and see where they’ve been. This is an impressive lineup!
The roots of this group were a lot different from what they are today. They originally started out as a string band about six years ago sans banjo, bass, and lead mandolin (say what)? Their evolution didn’t happen overnight. The years it took for these folks to grow into today’s makeup were worth the wait. This is an extra fancy crop of pickers blended into a solid and tight band with bluegrass as their root structure.
When first watching their videos on You Tube, I was disappointed that I couldn’t hear their sound due to all the commotion in the audience. Listen up: This band is way way more than background music and this release proves it. Every one of these folks have worked hard at their craft to get to the level they’re at today and they deserve your undivided attention. The vocals, sometimes with 3 part harmonies, and clean picking all blend and compliment each other nicely. Their arrangements are clean and well thought out with some interesting shaping sprinkled in throughout the CD.
There is a nice mixture of original material, and some traditional / old tunes. MSSB has put a nice fresh coat of paint on the older numbers (“Rabbit in a Log,” “Poor Wayfarin’ Stranger,” “Big River,” “Midnight on the Highway,” and “Brown Eyed Women”) with just the right amount of tweaking to make the time proven material fresh. Only experience gives you the ability to do that and they did it well. The original numbers including the title cut, and “Be My Friend Tonight” (both by Matt Backes) along with “Onion Grass” by Bobby Baxmeyer will likely become well known favorites. To sum this all up: I hope to hear more from this group, a whole lot more. Give ‘em a listen!