Harmony-rich quartet From the Dirt have released their sophomore album, Colored Edge of Memory, recorded at producer-engineer Jerry Brown’s storied Rubber Room studio in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The ten-song collection—out now on all digital platforms—deepens the band’s signature blend of bluegrass drive, Celtic pulse, and rock-and-roll muscle while foregrounding Daniel Kenny’s evocative songwriting.
Joined by longtime bandmates Jeff Karn (mandolin, vocals), Eddie Dickerson (fiddle), and Megan Leigh (harmony vocals), Kenny threads stories of heartache, addiction, love, and leave-taking through layered wordplay and cinematic imagery. Rubber Room regulars bolster the core lineup: Joseph Terrell of Mipso adds electric and acoustic guitars, Joe MacPhail colors the edges with drums and keys, Rick LaFleur supplies nimble banjo lines, and veteran bassist Robbie Link grounds the record’s low end.
Opening track “Afterwards, on the Greyhound” sets the tone with atmospheric dobro and a mounting string swell that mirrors its tale of strangers searching for solace. “Angeline,” the foot-stomping second cut, channels the group’s bluegrass roots, while “Train Wreck at the Bluegrass Jam” careens through twin-fiddle breaks at break-neck speed. On the haunting “Silver Maple Spinners,” Celtic-tinged rhythms underscore a ghost-touched reverie, and the slow-burning “Quitter” lays bare the cost of addiction. Album centerpiece “Luthier” celebrates the alchemy of wood, wire, and human hands, unfolding into a soaring finale that pays tribute to the makers who keep music’s lineage alive.
Colored Edge of Memory follows the band’s 2022 debut Bright Against the Blue, which introduced From the Dirt’s close harmonies and narrative depth to an audience that has since grown well beyond the mid-Atlantic. With Brown—known for work with Doc Watson, Lucinda Williams, Watchhouse, and Steep Canyon Rangers—at the helm, the new record captures the quartet in vivid, analog-warm detail, balancing studio polish with the spontaneous interplay that fuels their live shows.
Focus tracks “Afterwards, on the Greyhound,” “Angeline,” and “Train Wreck at the Bluegrass Jam” lead the release campaign. Broadcasters should note mild language on “Quitter” and “Trick of the Dark.”
Colored Edge of Memory is available now on streaming and download services worldwide. Physical formats will follow later this summer.
For full album information, tour dates, and more about the band, visit www.FromTheDirtBand.com.
Album credits: Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Jerry Brown at The Rubber Room, Chapel Hill, NC. All songs written by Daniel Kenny.
