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Alison Krauss’s dedication to keeping her music close to its traditional roots has helped Nashville get over its fixation with new country, so we can thank her in part for the fact that we don’t hear Garth Brooks on a daily basis. She and her band, Union Station, are masters of the bluegrass form, and their latest keeps the organic waters flowing. The rollicking Unionhouse Branch is a particular highlight, an upbeat burner that makes the Smokey Mountains seem within arm’s reach. Letting the Union Station boys sing lead on a few numbers enhances Krauss’s charm, adding fullness and diversity.
