Perhaps it is fitting for a band of their name, but The Greencards have been all over the map since they released their debut cd in 2005. Their first album, Movin' On was a relatively middle of the road, yet still pleasing, contemporary Bluegrass album. Weather and Water was similar, but took the band in a slightly more traditional direction. Viridan was a shining gem of an album that fused their bluegrass sound with a wealth of world music. Fascination was a misstep that seemed almost like a ill-advised attempt to mimic The Duhks. For six years they have been on the front lines of Progressive Bluegrass bands, that build on and redefine the genre. In the past two years they have lost fiddle player Eamon McLoughlin and added fiddler Tyler Andal and guitar player Carl Miner. They also settled in and finally made a truly and completely indie album. That album is The Brick Album, which may well be the best album of their career.

The album opens with its most outward and progressive song, “Make It Out West.” It is a fairly straightforward blend of bluegrass and rock sung by the band in unison. It is not an auspicious start, but it is also not as off putting as some of their previous work. “Faded” find the band returning to their true sweet spot, with Warner's mandolin and Young's voice both high and sweet. “I don't mind, you don't have to follow me” she croons, “even though I want you to run away with me.” “Naked on the River” is a quirky song, whose bright melody and vocal delivery masks the intense sadness behind it. “I want to join a herd of sheep, just follow, eat and bleat,” Young sighs on her way to the titular river. Vince Gill joins the band for “Heart Fixer,” a song that sounds much like his early, mainstream work. Gill has harmonized with most women on Nashville's Music Row, but none has sounded better than young does on this track. Young's voice nearly burbles over with the sheer joy of singing “Mrs. Madness,” a jazzed up song that uses the plucked string of the mandolin to create a slinky rhythm. The Greencards are known for their sprightly instrumentals that play fiddle and mandolin against Carol Young's bass. Here they offer Adelaide, a bright musical tribute to their homeland. Andal's fiddle provides a scratchy, dirty backdrop to “Here Lies John.” Its a pretty, tender song about the loss of a loved one. “I'm looking at you but you can't see me,” Carol sighs on “The Girl in the Telescope,” one of only two tracks she penned for the album. The track aches with unrequited desire as she finishes “its hard to breathe but its a hell of a view.” “Said and Done” is a fairly trite and cliche song, redeemed by clever melodic choices and a superb vocal performance from Young. “Tale of Kangario” is the second instrumental on the album. It is more sparse and more mandolin focused than other instrumental tracks, with a piercing and memorable melody. “These days my best laid plans are built on shifting sand, its not like I don't know you said goodbye,” Young ponders on “Loving You Is the Only Way to Fly. Its a witty track about the joy and luxury of hope in the wake of a break-up. The album briefly breaks off into another interlude of “Tale of Kangario” before ending with an old-school bonus track. The bonus track is a tender cover of Natalie Merchant's deliberately old fashioned “Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow,” from her neo-traditional The House Carpenter's Daughter.

The Greencards have had a long and storied history and have been through quite a personnel change since their last album. Losing one third of their band and swapping labels might have been the death of a lesser band, but The Greencards pressed on. They added two new members, found a creative way to self-fund their album, enlisted a crew of guest stars that include Sam Bush, Vince Gill and Jedd Hughes, and made a new album. The Brick Album brings together the best of their previous albums while showcasing where they want their music to go. It is a reminder of how good progressive bluegrass can be in the hands of those who really know how to make it and have a true commitment to their music. It is one of the best Bluegrass albums of the year.

Buy: Amazon | Amazon CD | iTunes (June 21)