I have reviewed so many CDs from this fine band, Hog-Eyed Man, that I’ve lost count of the number. The basic band is Jason Cade on fiddle and vocals and Rob McMaken on lap dulcimer, mandolin, and vocals. On this CD, scheduled for release on July 4, 2025, they are joined by Paddy “Otis” League on guitar, bouzouki, and bodhran and Michael Starkey on banjo to play a baker’s dozen of 13 tracks. As usual, the tune selection is great and the execution is powerful and rhythmic.

The first tune, which the liner notes describe as a “burner,” is “40 Weight of Gingerbread” which comes from Florida fiddler Arthur “Cush” Holston via Rafe Stefanini and David Bragger. “Georgia Belles,” which they describe as having an Irish feel, is from North Carolina Cherokee fiddler Manco Sneed, born in 1885, who, in turn learned it from J. D. Harris, born in 1859. The classic tune “Wolves a Howling” has many sources, but they cite Rayna Gellert and John Herrmann as their inspiration for this tune. The answer to the question “Can’t you hear the wolves a howling?” is obviously yes. “Ways of the World” is from the great Kentucky fiddler, W. H. Stepp, who was recorded by Alan Lomax. This tune is usually played in cross A tuning on the fiddle (AEAE), but Jason finds new sounds in it in ADAD. “Barlow Knife” also has lots of sources, but this unusual version comes from another legendary Kentucky fiddler, John Salyer.  West Virginia fiddler Edden Hammons is the source of “Washington’s March,” which is medleyed here with “Yell in the Shoats,” which the late Garry Harrison collected from Illinois fiddler Cecil Seeley. I always hear the fiddle emulating the pipes on the B part of “Washington’s March.” Starkey’s banjo takes the lead at the beginning of “Yell in the Shoats.” The bodhran ties the two tunes together. “The Galway Reel (Redican’s)” is a reworking of a tune written by Irish-American fiddler Larry Redican. The lyrical “Wading the Cheat” is from another great West Virginia fiddler, Mose Coffman, via Scott Prouty and Jimmy Triplett.

This is an earlier version of the “Polly Put the Kettle On:”

“Polly Put the Kettle On” is from Byard Ray who learned it from Manco Sneed. There are a number of tunes with this title, but this compellingly different version belongs in its own niche. Rob’s lap dulcimer kicks off “Sarah’s Ashes,” which is from the Irish fiddler Tommy Peoples who wrote it about his aunt. The lovely and hard-driving song “Across the Sea” comes from the late Art Rosenbaum with some extra bits from Tennessee African-American musicians Murph Gribble, Albert York, and John Lusk. North Carolina musician and festival organizer Bascom Lamar Lunsford is the source of “Ten Steps” which he, in turn, learned from his uncle Os Deaver. They describe it as moody and unusual, and I would not quarrel with that description. “Wabash Hornpipe” comes from Kentucky fiddler Noble Page via fiddler and tune collector Bruce Greene. As they note, like many American tunes with hornpipe in the title, it is actually a rollicking reel.

You could get this recording to learn the tunes or you could just enjoy listening to it. Either way, I give it my highest recommendation.

You can hear some pre-release tracks or order this as a CD, as an LP, or as a digital download on their Bandcamp Channel.

Check out their website.