What the critics are saying about

Leftover Salmon's self-titled release:

"This self-titled studio effort is evenly divided between the veteran jam band's main musical inspirations: banjo-based mountain-folk-Cajun forms and Grateful Deadheaded natural mysticism . . . (a) soaring sampling of the outfit's diverse interests.”- LA Daily News

“Bluegrass remains the backbone, but the band continues to enrich its always diverse palette. ‘Delta Queen’ recalls the Band, circa 1970 . . . it’s unforced, lazy-day Southern groove and humble, heartfelt vocals make it irresistible. The panoramic ‘Lincoln At Nevada’ is a surging slice of newgrass that’ll make your jaunt cross-town (or cross-country) zip right by. And the bluesy smolder of ‘Just Keep Walkin’ ‘ has a cool, Albert-King-meets-Allman Brothers majesty.” – Paste

“With four ‘brand new Leftovers’ added to the Colorado group since the last proper studio album, Salmon's lineup isn't just revived. It's respawned. These songs are more mature, more rounded . . . gifted mandolinist-fiddler-guitarist Emmitt remains the key to Leftover Salmon's rockin' bluegrass, from his mountain-valley cry on ‘Down in the Hollow’ to his tender, floating vocals on ’Delta Queen.’ Acoustic guitarist Herman sings the comforting, upbeat ‘Everything Is Round,’ a philosophy-of-life tune sure to delight hippie kids. And although Emmitt and Herman handle most of the vocals, every piece of Salmon gets a chance to shine: Pianist Bill McKay sings the gritty blues-rocker "Just Keep Walkin'  and banjo player Noam Pikelny leads a Bela Fleck-like instrumental, ‘Lincoln at Nevada.’ “– Washington Post

“With the self titled Leftover Salmon, their first studio release in five years, the obvious change and maturity are representative of a band in transition and evolution . . . New banjo player, Noam Pikelny, lets his nimble talents shine from the onset on ‘Down In The Hollow,’ and later in the rich instrumental ‘Lincoln at Nevada.’ that nicely redefines the essential banjo ingredient. The rich organ work of relative newcomer Bill McKay offers the entire collection an added hint of soul, depth and maturity . . . there is no denying that the band’s musicianship is top notch and more focused than ever.” – Glide Magazine

“Produced by frequent collaborator and Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne, the band delivers 13 tracks of solid newgrass that occasionally cross over into folk and blues. Twenty-one-year-old newcomer and Béla Fleck protégé Noam Pikelny adds some serious heat to the mix, especially on the instrumental ‘Lincoln at Nevada.’ Like the early work of John McEuen and Martin Simpson, he's technically sharp as well as creative, and his enthusiasm carries much of the record, providing ‘one-man band,’ multi-talented Drew Emmitt with a little less to worry about. They sound more like Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder now than they do any of their grassroots contemporaries, and that bodes well for their future . . .Leftover Salmon remain one of the more talented acts associated with the jam band scene.” — All Music Guide

“For the past decade, Colorado's Leftover Salmon has combined bluegrass, Cajun music and a jam-rock mentality to garner a huge grass-roots fan base through constant touring. Its self-described ‘polyethnic Cajun slamgrass,’ featuring the passionate vocals of Vince Herman, elevates the quintet above the slew of rootsy jam bands. Leftover Salmon's self-titled 2004 album finds the group coping with the loss of original banjo picker Mark Vann, who died of cancer in 2002. With new banjo player Noam Pikelney and producer Bill Payne (Little Feat), the band's first studio album in five years finds Leftover Salmon recovering nicely”– San Diego Union Tribune

“Riding the momentum of a band that has remained intact the past two years, LOS slipped into the studio with famed Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne. With the exception of a cameo vocal by Uncle Earl guitarist K.C. Groves and some deft keyboard work from Payne, this self-titled album is all Salmon; just the pink meat without any outside tenderizer or marinade. . . (this) new album that might just be their strongest yet. “– Fort Collins Weekly (CO)

“This multiracial music machine continues to take modern bluegrass to the next level, blending traditional string band music with the experimental spirit of jam bands. . . Throughout the album, the band stays true to the improvisational philosophy of bluegrass and jam bands alike, and its members take turns soloing on each and every song with various traditional and modern instruments. From mandolin, banjo and fiddle to the raunchy sounds of the electric guitar and Hammond B-3, Leftover Salmon's innovation is matched only by the skill of the musicians. There's no way around it -- this album is tasty and satisfying all the way through. If you're hungry for real progressive bluegrass, stop starving and go get yourself some Salmon.” -  Iowa State Daily

“Recycled hippie-jams this album ain't. Leftover Salmon has moved forward from the success of their last studio album Nashville Sessions, and continues to forge new songs out of that ever-pliable bluegrass. Leftover Salmon is a slick, many layered experience in wholesome-feeling music - yes, there are chimes - and should validate Leftover Salmon's reputation as the hardest working jam-band in the business. . . So soulful and calculated are co-founders Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman as songsmiths and musicians, they can have you recalling that shin-dig in the high-country that you never made it to.

Moods range from the typically festive "Down in the Hollow," to the wistful "Delta Queen" to folk-country in "Woody Guthrie." Most songs are around four minutes long, one is eight - this recording helpfully avoids dipping into everlasting-jam-land. This studio recordings sound very much like listenable country, fused with the trademark mandolin of bluegrass lore. Plug it in, feel like Dorothy, and head for the other side of the rainbow.” – The Advocate (UofCO/Denver)

 “With jam-bands, often studio records are merely excuses to be used later as concert fodder, (but) this is a fine record that shouldn't be looked at as merely a pretext for jamming . . . It will be interesting to hear what this album spawns in concert, but for now there is no reason to wait for a live version to enjoy these new songs.” - Goldmine

“Simply put, (Leftover Salmon’s) new album eclipses everything else within its catalog. The songs are polished to perfection, and each offers a different slice of the band’s genre-jumping pie, featuring numerous pathways along which one’s mind can wander.

Where most bands seeking to diversify and widen their audience tend to abandon that which made them unique, Leftover Salmon sought to embrace, enhance, and sculpt its strengths to form something better. In essence, with the help of producer Bill Payne, the band triumphantly utilized its progressive bluegrass tendencies as a foundation upon which to fuse the Grateful Dead’s American Beauty with Little Feat’s Sailin’ Shoes, and the result, while not quite on par with those masterpieces, is still utterly spectacular.

From the verifiable folk-rock hit Woody Guthrie to the roaring bluegrass instrumental Lincoln at Nevada, from the sprawling jam-fueled reworking of Jim Messina’s Whispering Waters to the burbling, Southern-fried boogie of Just Keep Walkin’, Leftover Salmon delivers a little something for everyone while unleashing what is unquestionably its finest outing to date.” – Music Box Online