Andrew Dansby of the Houston Chronicle calls the MilkDrive repertoire “a virtuosic blast of bluegrassy string-band music.” With labels that range from jamgrass and nu-folk to redneck gypsy jazz, this Texas band has built a following that’s as funky and friendly as they are. MilkDrive features award-winning instrumentalists Brian Beken on fiddle and lead vocals, Noah Jeffries on guitar and harmony vocals, Dennis Ludiker on mandolin and harmony vocals, and Matt Mefford on double bass. But awards reveal nothing about the Austin string band’s exhilarating sound. Fueled by equal parts tradition and innovation, MilkDrive delivers a distinctive acoustic experience that crosses genres, geographies, and generations. The band’s much-anticipated sophomore studio album WAVES, produced by Bil VornDick, has just appeared. Capturing the band’s sophisticated arrangements and fierce musicianship, the album features guests Noam Pikelny (of the Punch Brothers) and Futureman (of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones).
