Punch Brothers

Punch Brothers
Ravinia, Highland Park
Monday, July 21, 2008

Bluegrass is a virtuosic style of music — no denying that. But King Crimson it ain’t, or at least shouldn’t be. So beware of bands like Punch Brothers and their four-movement, 41-minute songs.

In 2002, Dream Theater released Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence, a double-CD set whose second disc was solely the title track in eight different movements and 40-plus minutes. This is fine, dandy, and expected for Dream Theater. Bluegrass bands, however, aren’t wise to indulge in such shenanigans.

Punch Brothers, led by ex-Nickel Creek member Chris Thile, weren’t wise on their debut, Punch (Nonesuch), and the never-ending “The Blind Leaving The Blind.” Not to make fun of the subject matter itself, which deals with his dissolved marriage, but Oh. My. God. is it boring. This writer isn’t of the mind that my kind should insert themselves into a critical analysis of an album, but I feel the only way to properly authenticate my point is to share a personal story. Last weekend I had the honor of accompanying my lovely wife to Schaumburg on an all-day shopping trip. Being dedicated to my work at IE, I brought Punch with me for the drive home, get a leg up on writing this “Stage Buzz,” you know? Things started well enough with lead track “Punch Bowl” and its old-time bluegrass, but then came “The Blind Leaving The Blind: 1st Movement,” which I skipped about halfway into its 12-minutes because I felt myself getting tired as I drove. Halfway through the “2nd Movement” my eyes got heavy just as I encountered snarled traffic on I-90 East. Skip. “3rd Movement” and its 12-minutes? Now my eyes are literally shutting as I lurch forward at 15 miles per hour, endangering our, and others’ lives.

Yes, Punch Brothers could have killed my wife and I. Not daring to mess with the “4th Movement,” I switched to the radio and was instantly energized by Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse Of The Heart.” It could have just been the combination of slow-moving traffic and marathon shopping, right?

No. I gave the “Blind Leaving The Blind” tracks another go a few days later while writing this and literally had to go to White Hen for a sugar free Red Bull to avoid falling face first onto the computer keyboard. If only the band had just stayed at the punch bowl.

— Trevor Fisher

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly