Artist Yonder Mountain String Band

Colorado quartet Yonder Mountain String Band is popular among the jam-band set, but the group’s sound is ultimately born from traditional bluegrass rather than awakened from the Dead. The “string band” label is literal: YMSB has no drummer, just a bassist, guitarist, banjo player, and mandolin player. All four sing, but the real attraction is their fingerpicking wizardry. The band’s self-titled disc from 2006 enhanced its rock-solid bluegrass base with help from Beck producer Tom Rothrock, who dropped an occasional drum into the mix without wrecking the vibe. 2009’s The Show continued that forward trajectory with plenty of mainstay bluegrass tunes alongside rock-influenced tracks like “Complicated” and “Fingerprint.”

Updated 02/09/2011