Cadillac Sky 'Gravity's Our Enemy' album

Bluegrass iconoclasts Cadillac Sky return with their second record, ‘Gravity’s Our Enemy,’ due out August 19th on Skaggs Family Records and produced by Mike Marshall and Cadillac Sky. Cadillac Sky is Bryan Simpson, Matt Menefee, Mike Jump, Ross Holmes, Andy “Panda” Mortiz.

‘Blind Man Walking’ introduced Cadillac Sky as one of bluegrass music’s bands to watch. Back with their stellar sophomore release on Skaggs Family Records, ‘Gravity’s Our Enemy,’ Cadillac Sky takes one creative leap after another, proving that they are not only an impressive bluegrass band, but also true innovators of the genre.

“U Stay Gone,” the album’s energetic kick-off, has the soulful mountain sound (complete with organ) fans have come to expect from Cadillac Sky, with a haunting “call and answer” chorus featuring expert harmony vocals that remain a staple throughout the project. Their definitive bluegrass sound is echoed in songs like “Wouldn’t Put It Past Love” (a song about what love will make one do) and “It Won’t Be Over You” (which the band calls “the ultimate denial song”), each one demonstrating Cadillac Sky’s unique ability to bridge the gap between traditional and progressive bluegrass musical styles.

Humorous, yet not afraid to tackle deeper issues, Cadillac Sky delves into the topic of domestic abuse with “Bible By The Bed”, their instruments signifying the subject’s intense emotion with a lyrical twist at the end. “The Wreck”, “Carousel”, and “2 Good 2 Last” are somewhat pensive tunes with similar themes about humanity’s short journey through life. “Baby Don’t Cry” (a husband’s apology to his wife after a moment of insensitivity) and “Everybody’s Favorite” (about a girl destined for stardom with dreams of anonymity) further prove Cadillac Sky’s dynamic storytelling strength, while instrumentals “Thank You Esteban” and “The Majestic Swan” exhibit their virtuosic musicianship. Gravity’s Our Enemy validates Cadillac Sky’s position in modern bluegrass as a band to watch.

Cadillac Sky first came together in Texas in 2002 when burgeoning country songwriter Bryan Simpson (mandolin, vocals) teamed up with banjo prodigy Matt Menefee. They soon began collaborating with Mike Jump, Ross Holmes (fiddle, vocals), and Houston native Andy "Panda" Moritz (bass, vocals). Combining hearts and hooks, the traditional and the revolutionary, and pulling sounds from all genres, Cadillac Sky sound is the fruition of bandleader Bryan Simpson's groundbreaking vision to create a bluegrass band built for the 21st Century.

biography
Cadillac Sky’s propulsive brand of music is the perfect marriage of tradition and innovation. This original approach comes from a deep-seated respect for tradition wrapped around an unbridled musical curiosity. There's no dichotomy in the band's sound, just a synthesis of the band's eclectic influences.

The band first came together in 2002 in Texas when Simpson (mandolin, vocals) teamed up with young banjo whiz Matt Menefee. The timing was perfect because Simpson was beginning to have success as a mainstream country songwriter but was burdened by a deep well of more personal material that he felt deserved a forum but had no vehicle for. Menefee's colorful and rhythmic banjo playing combined with a similar musical vision, was the launching pad that Simpson had hoped for but not expected to find. They soon added a veteran influence in Mike Jump who had found success playing with regional favorites. And shortly after, on the word of Menefee, added the virtuoistic, Ross Holmes (fiddle, vocals), and, more recently, the talents of Houston native, Andy "Panda" Moritz (bass, vocals).

When the band began rehearsing, they quickly realized the diverse, but complimentary musical backgrounds they could pull from. They blended the traditional sounds of Bill Monroe and the colorful stylings of The Beatles with free form jazz to develop their signature sound.
"Everybody in this band comes from such different backgrounds musically, that we all bring our own element to the group," explains Holmes about the band's original sound. "You can hear a lot of the classical and jazz influences that Andy and I have and Bryan's more bluegrass style. Mike grew up with the '70s rock and a lot of his harmony singing and rhythm playing reflect that. And Matt, he's simply one of the best banjo players on the planet and everything he does is just amazing."

Simpson believes building the band's sound on the traditions of bluegrass has given Cadillac Sky a solid foundation—one strong enough to support their unique musical perspective. "We definitely have progressive leanings, but we are trying to find our own voice and not be flimsy retreads of New Grass Revival or Nickel Creek; even though we LOVE that stuff. What I like about acoustic music is that there is such an honest energy to it. We try to keep that and combine in it with the innovation of rock music. Then we take some of the country music sensibilities in the lyric and melody and put all that together. Probably not consciously, but it seems to sort of work out that way."

Simpson has always had that rare ability to create songs with substance and heart that have hooks a mile wide. It's a skill that's made him one of Music City's hottest young songwriters. As the band began making a name for itself in Texas, Simpson's songwriting career was kicking into high gear. He had a cut by former DreamWorks artist Joanna Janet that became a single. Three months later Epic/Sony artist Brad Martin took "Before I Knew Better," into the Top 15 of the country charts. It went on to become one of 50 most played songs in 2002. George Strait, Terri Clark, and the Lonesome River Band have all recorded Simpson's songs. He's also had cuts by Kenny Rogers, Jason Aldean, Mark Wills, Neal McCoy, and a host of newer acts. He can now add international hit songwriter to his resume as George Canyon and Brad Johner have recently taken two of his songs to No. 3 and No. 8 respectively on the Canadian country charts.

In many ways, Simpson is Cadillac Sky's secret weapon. Not many bands, acoustic or otherwise, have a songwriter of his talent penning songs for them. It gave the band a distinct advantage when it came time to write songs for their latest release. The disc is a showcase for Simpson's songwriting and also serves as a celebration for the band's other secret weapon—banjo player Matt Menefee. His bandmates consider him to be one of the best banjo players on the planet and they're not alone in that estimation. Menefee became a Winfield national banjo champion at age 17.

While they'd be reluctant to sing their own praises, Mike Jump, Ross Holmes and Andy Moritz are also world-class musicians. Ricky Skaggs recently claimed Mike Jump's soaring dead-on harmony vocals, "could sing tenor to a train whistle" while Ross Holmes' vibrant fiddle work has landed him on stages as diverse as Carnegie Hall, and the Grand Ole Opry, and catapulted him into the spotlight as a sideman with hit country artist, Josh Turner, and as a soloist with several symphonies across Europe. The most recent addition, Andy Moritz, is a highly accomplished upright bass player whose skills are favorable to the iconic Edgar Meyer and whose arco abilities are nearly unmatched in the world of acoustic music. One of the most compelling things about Cadillac Sky is how these five individuals come together to create something bigger than their individual accomplishments. The depth and breadth of emotion they've created on stage and in the studio is breathtaking.

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Cadillac Sky - Gravity's Our Enemy