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Out of the Box Album of the Week--Nickel Creek--Celebrants

Album of the Week: Nickel Creek

Nickel Creek is a band that takes their time. Their new album “Celebrants” is their first in nine years and only their fifth album going back to their 2000 breakthrough. It’s not a reunion album, it’s a continuation of what they started; using string instruments to deliver their artistry. And they’ve never sounded more engaged.

There have been many spin-offs from Nickel Creek, Chris Thilie’s “Punch Brothers”, Sara Watkins “I’m With Her” and Sean Watkins’ “Watkins Family Hour” but in no way have they moved on from the band. In the eighteen track album they stick to a theme of exploring the human connection and eventually the songs affirm their own partnership  and the love they have for each other.

Working with bassist and producer Mike Elizondo, their trade mark sound of delicate and lush songs that rise and fall with the tempo are mixed with some percussive barnburners.

Nickel Creek proves on their new album “Celebrants” that they still have something new to say. Despite almost 30 years together they are still exploring new avenues of expression and even though it’s been nine years since their last album the natural rhythm of their relationship keeps getting stronger.   

Paul Shugrue has been a Virginia radio personality his entire career, working his way up from his "humble" beginnings at the Virginia Tech student station, WUVT in Blacksburg, through Charlottesville, Richmond and finally Hampton Roads. He has been married over thirty five years to his college sweetheart, a Norfolk native and they have two twenty-something boys.