''Renewal'' is the fifth studio album by American bluegrass musician

Billy Strings Billy Strings (born William Lee Apostol, October 3, 1992) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and Bluegrass music, bluegrass musician. He has released four studio albums, with his album Home (Billy Strings album), ''Home'' winning the ...

, following ''

Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be p ...

''. Released on September 24, 2021, the album peaked at number one on the ''

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'' Bluegrass Albums chart, making ''Renewal'' the second consecutive studio album by Billy Strings to do so. The song "Red Daisy", one of the tracks on the album, was performed on ''

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'' on 25 October 2021.

Overview and meaning

The last track on the album, "Leaders", tackles the subject of human rights. Other tracks on the album, such as "In the Morning Light" and "Love and Regret", focus on the subject of love and relationships. The lengthiest track on the album, "Hide and Seek", features a chorus with the last text messages one of Billy Strings’ friends sent to him before committing suicide.

Reception

Matt Ruppert of '' No Depression'' stated "Though the musicality is the most automatically familiar part of ''Renewal'', the songs themselves, built around Strings’ yearning vocals, stand up to and even match the exploratory music." It was nominated for the

Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album The Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works (songs or albums) in the bluegrass mu ...

Track listing

Personnel

;The Band * Billy Strings – guitar, vocals, mandolin, piano, synth, guitjo (guitar banjo), bass drum, bells, chimes * Billy Failing – banjo, vocals, piano * Jarrod Walker – mandolin, vocals, guitar * Royal Masat – bass, vocals ;Additional musicians * John Mailander – violin * Spencer Cullum Jr. – pedal steel * Grant Milliken – synth * Jonathan Wilson – celesta, percussion, harpsichord, group vocals * Ally Dale, Nate Flores, Steve York, Bill Orner – group vocals ;Technical * Jonathan Wilson – producer * Gary Paczosa – engineer (Sound Emporium), mixing * Skyler Chuckry – assistant engineer (Sound Emporium) * Grant Milliken – engineer (FiveStarStudios) * Paul Blakemore – mastering * Tyler Franz – cover photo * Bill Orner – design concept and layout * Jesse Faatz – photography

References

{{portal, music 2021 albums Billy Strings albums Bluegrass albums