For over five decades, the Seldom Scene have been a movement disguised as a bluegrass band. Since their inception in 1971, the group has made it their mission to stretch the limits of what people expect from bluegrass, fusing conventional Appalachian sounds with modern songwriting in a way that remains vital and absolutely unconventional. Their latest album, Remains To Be Scene, continues that trajectory, bringing a mix of bluegrass standards and inspired takes on deep cuts of everyone from Bob Dylan and the Kinks to Jim Croce.

Remains To Be Scene is the band’s first release since the passing of founding banjoist Ben Eldridge, a true innovator whose influence on progressive bluegrass cannot be overstated. While Eldridge is no longer with us, his presence is deeply felt, both in the band’s commitment to reinvention and in the impassioned liner notes he contributed to the album before his passing. It’s a gratifying tribute to a musician who helped redefine what bluegrass could be. The band, now comprised of Lou Reid (mandolin), Ronnie Simpkins (bass), Ron Stewart (banjo, fiddle), Fred Travers (dobro), and the recently joined Grammy-winning guitarist Clay Hess, brings a renewed energy to this collection of songs.

Among the standout tracks is their take on Croce’s “A Good Time Man Like Me Ain’t Got No Business (Singin’ The Blues),” and in their hands the song is transformed into a barnburner. Meanwhile, Dylan’s “Walking Down The Line” and “Farewell Angelina” (made famous by Joan Baez) are also given the Scene treatment, with their rich harmonies and nimble playing breathing new life into these folk classics. They also revisit a fan-favorite, “White Line,” from their own Live At The Cellar Door album, and tip their hats to bluegrass royalty with a fiery rendition of Flatt & Scruggs’ “Hard Travelin’.”

At a time when bluegrass is more popular than ever, it’s worth remembering that bands like the Seldom Scene helped pave the way for this new generation to flourish. Their willingness to selflessly bridge the gap between past and future remains one of their greatest contributions. After more than 50 years, on Remains To Be Scene they’re still proving that bluegrass can go anywhere, as long as there are artists willing to take it there.