The Stray Birds/Juniper Dust

From their days as a busking duo (and later a trio, and then a quartet) in Lancaster, Pa., The Stray Birds have come a long way and forged a nice international path. Their most recent album, last year’s Magic Fire, is a throwback to the finest American planes of bluegrass and folk music, what with Oliver Craven’s excellent strings work (dig that mandolin). This is good, woodsy music. Throughout, Maya de Vitry’s voice rings out like a guiding light, and it’s easy enough listening for either an afternoon in the living room or a nighttime drive down I-77. Better yet: Check them out tonight in Cleveland. This is as good a time as any to look backward and forward in our American cultural landscape. (Eric Sandy)