King Wilkie: Low Country Suite (Zoe)

Although nominally a bluegrass band, this six-piece from Virginia (here produced by Jim Scott who did similar duties for Johnny Cash and Tom Petty) have staked a claim in alt.country and country-rock, so it is no surprise to see some overseas writers namechecking the late-period Byrds, the Band and early Wilco in articles.

King Wilkie certainly aren't up-beat banjo-pickin' bluegrass boys here (although they can be) but mostly dig a little deeper and darker on tracks like Millie's Song, Savannah and the harmony-styled Rockabye (the latter subtitled Farewell Lonesome Dove) where you can also hear the spirit of the Louvin Brothers and the Everlys.

There's a lot of Gram Parsons and country-styled Bob Dylan in places too -- so by all those references you get that King Wilkie really are in a major league.