That Jim & Jennie and The Pinetops are often referred to as being bluegrass "punks" has nothing to do with wallet-chains or directionless "rebellion" or anything else that marketeers and a million whiteboy Descendent-wannabes have taken such a term to mean. Rather, they're bluegrass punks in the way that they play: with an emphasis on soul and spirit and artistry and expression, rather than a smug sense of safety and tendencies toward muso-like musicianship. Of course, that's not to say that they burn their bridges back to bluegrass's past. Rather, much to the contrary, their openly emotional, brightly artistic, and totally joyous music speaks of a great love for it. Through their relationship with sad-and-lonely songsmith type Songs: Ohia (upon whose Didn't It Rain record J&J provided some golden b/vocal harmonies), Jim & Jennie came across Edan Cohen, a disciple of Muscle Shoals recording techniques whose collection of authentic vintage mics'd make Steve Albini blush. And, with such warm, old-timey tone on hand to make their music sound old-fashioned and handmade, Jim & Jennie and their banjo/fiddle/upright-bass backing band — with a spirit similar to Chicago's cowgirl sweethearts Freakwater — belt out a whole bunch of heartbroken ballads and bluegrass barn-burners that show just as much reverence for tradition as they do punk spirit. Songs like Mourning Dove and Who's Your Daddy, Little Girl? sound totally like traditionals, showing Jim & Jennie to be as much respectful students as they are post-modernist progressives.
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