The Devil Makes Three

Following a string of indie releases since 2002, the Devil Makes Three have taken a large step forward on I'm A Stranger Here, enlisting producer Buddy Miller, whose masterful touch has brought out the best in this drummer-less acoustic trio. Their blend of bluegrass, blues and ragtime isn't unique within the current old-timey undercurrent of Americana, but frontman Pete Bernhard's songwriting contains enough contemporary flair to provide a solid backbone for the album's ten tracks. It creates plenty of room for Bernhard's cohorts, Cooper McBean and Lucia Turino, to dig some deep grooves and shoot off some instrumental fireworks. Much like Old Crow Medicine Show, the key to the Devil Makes Three's sound is their tightness, and on "Dead Body Moving" and "Hallelu," it's impossible to elude their sonic grip. Even better is when they get slinky on the Stones-ish "Hand Back Down." All of this is right in Miller's wheelhouse, and the space he gives for all of the group's diverse elements to mingle results in irresistible chemistry.