Writes Bob: A lot of people have asked me, "Why did you do a bluegrass album?" (Others have argued that it's not really bluegrass, but country or newgrass.) Well, the answer is pretty simple: I like this style of music. Like many, I heard the "O Brother" soundtrack and loved it, and then started listening to the other artists that were on the disc. As I was doing stuff with Backyard Galaxy, I'd drive away from the gig and listen to Alison Krauss. I usually end up writing the kind of music I listen to, but it wasn't until I moved to the Ohio Valley that I met some musicians that could make this disc happen.

Making this album was a great experience, but also pretty stressful. I think I've put more time into this recording than any other album I've done. Part of that is due to the number of musicians that played on the disc: bass, drums, guitar, dobro, mandolin, banjo, violin, piano, and washboard. I didn't know many of the folks who played with me on the disc before the recording began, which was also a bit intimidating (what if they thought it was stupid?). But they were very cool, and very supportive. Fr. Edward Richard flew in from St. Louis (twice!) to play the banjo. Katie Rose and her brother Stephen came in from Chicago to do the vocals. Mike Ofca and I produced it, using other musicians from the Ohio Valley area. It all came together wonderfully.

Currently in the recording world there was only one known “Catholic Bluegrass” artist--Fr Edward Richard. Rice has added him and Catholic singer Katie Rose as additions to this CD and the combination is incredible. The CD starts off with a perfect blend of acapella vocals by Rice and Rose on the song “On That Great And Terrible Day” and segues nicely in “Come All Ye Sinners.” It’s on this song that we first hear Fr. Richard’s great banjo playing. The whole sequence is brilliantly done. The song is based on Acts 2 where Peter tells the people to “Repent and be baptized.” The title track, “Nowhere Else To Go,” stays in that same mood with a reminder that if you have Christ you have nowhere else you need to go, since you have it all now. It’s kind of like the disciples who left Jesus when they heard His teaching on the Eucharist in John 6. Many left Him, but those that were true stayed. We must remain like the ones who stayed. Looking ahead to what our reward will be is the idea behind the song “In The Land Of My Exile.” Rice wrote this tune about his grandmother and you can hear the love he has for her and how she was an example of faith. She gave it her all everyday. Giving it all to God and giving it continually is what the song “It Would Be Enough” echoes. “My Things Need More Things” is an intelligent yet comedic view of how materialism can take over your life and push God aside. (Chris Padgett makes an appearance in this song.) I can’t help but remember an old George Carlin joke about how your house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and buy more stuff. God has to be number one. God is enough. We hear this in the song “Let Nothing Trouble You,“ which is based on a prayer by St. Teresa of Avila.

Referring to Nowhere Else to Go, Bob Rice has said, “The album is a very, very subtle concept album. I don’t think most people would pick up on it right away and that’s cool. I’d rather have them just enjoy the music.”

Blue Grass Music (NOT ROCK) 9/12/2006 -

Reviewer: Peter Bruley - Duluth, MN