Punch is one of the most important bluegrass-rooted albums since Bela Fleck's Drive, and a compelling example of the possibilities for a modern bluegrass ensemble. The Punch Brothers, all musicians who mastered their instruments within the bluegrass tradition, break new ground with this record. Led by Nickel Creek's mandolin player Chris Thile, the musicians execute the music with clarity, sensitivity, and life.

Some of the harmony employed on this record, to my knowledge, has never been used by an Americana-rooted band before. Many bluegrass traditionalists would consider the use of bitonality and dissonance outside of common tonal practice to be sacrilegious. Progressive bluegrass, such as Bela Fleck's Acoustic Planet and Tony Trischka, has strong jazz and world music influences. Punch embraces even more diverse musical influences; many of the frequent dissonances recall 20th century Russian composers like Shosticovich and Stravinsky. The band perfoms with changes in texture, move in and out of meter, and other techniques more common to modern classical music and film scoring.

Thile through-composed much of the record--the musicians' parts and don't repeat, such as in a common verse/chorus form. Many of the progressive aspects of the album result from this removal of the ensemble from strophic forms where everyone creates their own part out of a predictable bluegrass vocabulary. But this format does not come across as antithetical to bluegrass; there is a authentic sense that the music developed out of the bluegrass tradition. The band's ability to transition between a driving bluegrass sound and the more contemplative, orchestrated sections is remarkable. Even in the most esoteric sections of the pieces, a wailing pentatonic or a backbeat remains, keeping the listener grounded in the American vernacular.

The recording itself is transparent, without the heavy compression, booming bass, and flat levels found on many modern recordings. Nonesuch records specializes in classical music, so it is no surprise that the sound of the room and comes through clearly and the instrument mics bleed together.

I have listened to this album many times already, and I discover new things with each listen. For myself as a progressive traditional musician, this is an inspiring and thoroughly satisfying album.