The Parmesans make folk/bluegrass with a musically traditional bent and a hilarious streak through the lyrics (see title: Nature’s Burrito). Every release of theirs I’ve had the privilege of reviewing has been charming, and this is something like the fifth one. Burrito shows them in fine form, with their “everyone around the mic” approach to recording showing off their instrumental and vocal chops.
The harmonies are particularly gorgeous in “Walls for the Wind,” an adaptation of an Irish blessing. “Sweet Moonlight” is the highlight here, as the verses feature vintage melodic structure and instrumentals before picking up into a fun, modern chorus. If you’re into English mythic folk, The Parms poke a little bit of fun at the genre with “The Wizard Song”; if you’re into traditional tunes, they do a trumpet-infused, peppy version of “Pallet on Your Floor.”
To sum up: The Parmesans are pretty great at every aspect of traditional music that they take on, and you just have to pick which version of their skills you like best. You can put their discography on as the soundtrack to your backyard summer bash, and you’re good to go for the whole party. Gosh, I love The Parmesans.