Orchids and Violence Digital FLAC Album

Michael Daves's Orchids and Violence comprises two discs with identical track listings of mostly traditional bluegrass tunes, including songs by bluegrass pioneers Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley. The first disc has acoustic takes with a band of roots-music innovators: bassist Mike Bub, violinist Brittany Haas, mandolinist Sarah Jarosz, and Punch Brothers banjoist Noam Pikelny. The second includes bass, drums, and electric guitar, mostly played by Daves, with an experimental rock take on those tunes. "The identical track listing makes for a good comparison study," says the New York Times, "and to his credit, it can be hard to pick which version of a tune is best."