Lake of Stew

Giddy-up and grab your banjo, folks, it’s time for the hootenanny. On Ain’t Tired of Lovin’, this eight-piece acoustic string band from Montreal serve up a hearty helping of toe-tapping bluegrass tunes complete with engaging melodies and impeccable musicianship. The band sprang out of a regular Wednesday night jam session at a Montreal café where they perform a completely acoustic set that, by all reports, whips the room into a dancing, clapping, stomping fervour. The members take turns with lead vocals but chime in on rousing full-band harmonies on every track of their debut recording. The Stew cover a lot of ground lyrically, with odes to both the Dalai Lama and the noble armadillo, as well as good natured rants on topics ranging from a late bus to the war in Afghanistan. Several tracks stray from the traditional bluegrass sound, notably the spicy, klezmer-inspired fiddles of "Down Down Down,” but regardless of genre, everything on Lake of Stew’s menu is warm, rich and satisfying.