"Common Grond" review in August 2020 Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine

THREE QUARTER NORTH—COMMON GROUND—No Label, No Number. This is the third project from this Albany, New York-based sextet which features mainly the songwriting of bassist Dave Rhodes and guitarist Mark Smith. The group also includes Bob Altschuler (banjo), Mark Bagdon (fiddle), Nelson Gage (mandolin), and Joe Pasco (percussion). Rhodes also plays the kazoo, piano, and ukulele. Smith also adds kazoo as well as harmonica. The opening song by Rhodes, “The One I’m With,” has a couple of kazoo solos, giving the tune an old jug band feel. Other Rhodes selections include “Inside Walls,” “Summer Song,” and “Some Rivers.” Rhodes and Smith collaborate on “Common Ground” and Smith writes “My Baby Ain’t My Baby Anymore.” Banjo player Altschuler offers the instrumental “Rosebud,” and the band covers The Byrds’ “Mr. Spaceman” and Hot Rize’s “Nellie Kane,” both from live performances. Both Rhodes and Smith have delightful voices backed by good harmonies from other members, as well as some mighty-fine picking by all. (www.threequarternorth.com)

Albany Times Union Blog May 1, 2020

The 518 Spotlight

We were featured in an article in the 518 Spotlight paper.

Schenectady Gazette

"Back Home" was reviewed in the November 2013 edition of Bluegrass Unlimited

THREE QUARTER NORTH—BACK HOME—No Label No Number. This group from the Albany, N.Y., area includes Mark Smith (guitar), Jim Atkins (banjo), Mark Bagdon (fiddle), Joe Pasko (percussion), David Rhodes (bass), Nelson Gage (mandolin), and also their soundman, Pete Houghton. This project consists of all original material, with the exception of the traditional Irish reel “Star Of Munster.” Songwriting is split mostly between David Rhodes and Mark Smith, with Atkins contributing “Pony Express.” Rhodes’ tunes include “Old Boys,” “Wolf At The Door,” “Judgment Day,” and “Sarah Light The Candle.” Smith’s compositions include the title cut “Back Home,” “Another Year,” “Dirty Old Rag,” and “Too Big To Fail.” The songs are arranged around Smith’s strong guitar work and the instrumentation and vocals blends augment the sound. Recording quality is good, but the package has minimal liner notes. (Three Quarter North, 11 Pineview Ave., Delmar, NY 12054, www.threequarternorth.com.

The Alternative Root Magazine

Our CD, "Back Home,"  was reviewed in The Alternative Root magazine in August 2013.  Here's the text of that review.


THREE QUARTER NORTH - BACK HOME

Three Quarter North offer an introduction without directly pointing at themselves on the opening track for their most recent release, Back Home. “Old Boys” may not be the men in Three Quarter North, but they will fit the bill until the real ones come along. The tune references “old boys making grown-up noise”, their likes are simple, Tom Petty on the radio, songs about hobos and trains, and their needs few so, working for the tip jar is fine, thanks. The men behind the instruments, and those in the song, have one common goal “They’re gonna rock on Saturday night, gonna sleep in Sunday all right”.Three Quarter North are a five-piece band from upstate New York. The bands found a mutual love of bluegrass, folk and roots music and they let each style weave together as one pattern in their songs. “Sarah Light the Candle” whispers a fast paced prayer, the desperation in the request is not reflected immediately in the easy vocals but the force of the playing underscores the plea. As “Another Year” saunters into a song it walks on a solid rhythm with fiddle strings flying around the story line, “Star of Munster” dances to a traditional Irish reel and “Dirty Old Rag” scurries and scampers on a scratchy strummed bounce with fast-flying riffs. Three Quarter North deserve that Sunday rest if Back Home is any indicator of what they boys get up to on Saturday night.

 

The Schenectady Gazette wrote about Three Quarter North way back in in 2011before the invention of large print