#the infamous stringdusters

Song Review: The Infamous Stringdusters - “Light at the End of the Day”

“Light at the End of the Day” is a search for hope amid hopelessness.

Single No. 3 from the Infamous Stringdusters’ 20/20 (Jan. 23, 2026) has an uptempo, bluegrass soundtrack and an upbeat take on life even when life knocks one down.

When the days seem dark/and the sun hangs like a stone/the crowds of people/make me feel so alone/I find myself on mountain/way up high/trying to forget the way/she said goodbye, Dobro man Andy Hall sings.

That’s where the titular light comes in. And when the ’Dusters collectively sing of it, it seems believable.

And for the doubters, Jeremy Garrett tacks on a solo-fiddle coda that represents that light exquisitely.

A little corny, but ultimately refreshing, “Light at the End of the Day” follows “Dead Man Walking” and “Working Man’s Blues” from the forthcoming LP.

Grade card: The Infamous Stringdusters - “Light at the End of the Day” - B-

Song Review: The Infamous Stringdusters - "Longclaw" (Live, Feb. 11, 2026)

“Longclaw” allows the Infamous Stringdusters to demonstrate reverence for bluegrass tradition and their willingness to turn said tradition on its headstock.

As performed Feb. 11 at the quintet’s 20/20 album-release show in Tennessee and just released on video, the instrumental “Longclaw” blends ensemble playing with quicksilver solos, tempo shifts and short, ethereal interludes that might puzzle bluegrass’ founders.

Bassist Travis Book holds down while banjoist Chris Pandolfi, fiddler Jeremy Garrett, Dobroist Andy Hall and guitarist Andy Falco burn up their respective instruments. It’s loose, but bound up with 20 years of tightness that comes to be fore with every downshift; every pass of the sonic baton.

It could almost be mistaken for a contemporary of any number of old-school reels. Almost. For the ’Dusters bring something fresh to the tradition - keeping it alive and expanding its reach.

Grade card: The Infamous Stringdusters - "Longclaw" (Live - 2/11/26) - A

Read Sound Bites’ 20/20 review here.

Song Review: The Infamous Stringdusters - “Working Man’s Blues”

“Working Man’s Blues” is the happiest blues in the world.

The lead single from Infamous Stringdusters’ 20/20 is less than theee minutes of burning, high-test bluegrass that, while a depressing dose of reality, is underpinned with banjo, guitar, Dobro and fiddle solos, woos, all rights and tight harmonies when the chorus rolls around.

A working man may never be/left alone to live life free/to keep up with the bills to pay/he’ll have to work another day/wrench that nut/clean the floor/fix the hinges on the door/punch out when the day is done/and hit the bar to find some fun, the ’Dusters sing.

Out Jan. 23, 2026, 20/20 has nothing to do with vision. Rather, it’s 20 tracks to celebrate 20 years of infamy.

The party is off to a rollicking start.

Grade card: The Infamous Stringdusters - “Working Man’s Blues” - B+

Song Review: The Infamous Stringdusters - “Once You’re Gone” (Live, Jan. 11, 2025)

The Infamous Stringdusters really should be more famous.

In less that three minutes of “Once You’re Gone,” as captured on professional video Jan. 11 in Colorado, the quintet makes peace with a tough breakup; demonstrates pristine, three-part harmony; packs in guitar, Dobro and banjo solos; and plays ensemble bluegrass music as tight as anyone can.

It’s therefore a mystery why the ’Dusters aren’t mentioned among the Billy Stringes and Molly Tuttles of the world. Sure, they’re Infamous, but the Stringdusters deserve fame alongside the infamy.

Grade card: The Infamous Stringdusters - “Once You’re Gone” (Live - 1/11/25) - A

Song Review: The Infamous Stringdusters - “Possum”

Call it the Infamous Phish-dusters.

Otherwise known as the Stringdusters, the Infamous bluegrass quintet makes Phish’s “Possum” sound even more like the Grateful Dead’s “Cumberland Blues” as it announces its Undercover, Vol. 3 EP.

And it works out quite well - much better than the band’s previously released remake of Harry Styles’ “As it Was” - with strong harmonies and a swirl of banjo, fiddle, Dobro, guitar and bass smoothing out the requisite roadkill silliness.

Out Nov. 13, Undercover 3 also includes the ’Dusters’ takes on the Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey,” Avicii’s “Wake Me Up,” the Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle” and ZZ Top’s “Sharped Dress Man.”

“You are gonna want to hear what these songs sound like bluegrass-style,” the band said in a statement.

Grade card: The Infamous Stringdusters - “Possum” - B

Song Review: The Infamous Stringdusters feat. Anders Osborne - “Those Lonely, Lonely Nights”

The Infamous Stringdusters and Anders Osborne added some ’grass, but took away none of blue on their cover of “Those Lonely, Lonely Nights.”

It’s a slow-roller played on instruments made for fast-pickin’. But incongruities must be damned when these divergent artists cross-pollinate and combine dichotomous genres into something new.

With Osborne on vocals and the ’Dusters popping in with Dobro, fiddle, acoustic guitar and banjo solos, the track honors Earl King’s original, Osborne’s iconoclastic roots and the band’s string tradition.

Covering all the bases is one thing. Doing it without leaving home is another. And the way Osborne smacks the song out of the park with the mic stand is yet another.

Grade card: The Infamous Stringdusters feat. Anders Osborne - “Those Lonely, Lonely Nights” - A

Song Review: Andy Hall - “Up in Bigfoot County”

Getting lost “Up in Bigfoot Country” sounds really good.

And how could it not? The new instrumental single from Infamous Stringdusters Dobro dude Andy Hall features contributions from Sierra Hull on mandolin, Bryan Sutton on guitar, Wes Corbett on banjo and Hall’s fellow ’Duster Travis Book on bass.

“Bigfoot Country” is a brisk track, with plenty of full-throttled solos that seem to depict the speed at which one would run to get the fuck away from the titular apeman.

The track announces the June 23 arrival of Hall’s Squareneck Soul, which will feature 10 “bluegrass-pickin’ tunes played by some of the best in the biz,” Hall said in a statement.

Grade card: Andy Hall - “Up in Bigfoot County” - A