Old Man Markley
Down Side Up 
Fat Wreck Chords 
Street: 03.05
Old Man Markley = Cactus Attack + The Vandals + Larry and His Flask 
OMM play fast-paced bluegrass that they approach like people living in the present day. I guess that makes them the new punks on the scene, but I just hear well-crafted, original music that happens to have bluegrass elements. Down Side Up is not a huge departure from their first record, Guts n’ Teeth, even with Fat Mike sitting in the producer’s chair this time. There’s no filler on this record, but the little ditty of a tune “Beyond the Moon” stands out because of its humor with lyrics like, “Don’t want to lose my mind like Gary Busey did, once upon a time he was the same as you and me.” Autoharp player Annie Detemple gives the record an interesting dynamic with backing vocals and is very impressive when she takes the lead on “Up Side Down.” Old Man Markley is going to make people genuinely love bluegrass. –James Orme