Nick Chandler and Delivered “Look For Me” (LP)

If you’ve spent any time on the bluegrass festival circuit over the past few years, you already know that Nick Chandler and Delivered don’t mess around. They bring that high-octane, real-deal mountain bluegrass that gets folks out of their lawn chairs and down to the stage. Their album Look For Me captures every bit of that live, electric energy and packs it into ten killer tracks that hit hard from the very first strum.

URL: https://nickchandleranddelivered.com/

Right out of the gate, “Hazel Creek” sets the vibe. It’s got that classic Tom T. and Dixie Hall story-song magic, but Delivered kicks it into gear with crisp picking and high-lonesome vocals that immediately tell you what this band is all about. Before you can even catch your breath, they slide straight into “Why I Love You,” where Jake Burrows just tears it up on the banjo. The speed is relentless, the timing is tight, and Nick Chandler’s mandolin chops act like a heartbeat keeping the whole train right on the tracks.

What makes this record such a blast to listen to is how seamlessly the band mixes original tunes with timeless classics. Gary Trivette’s original song “Swept” is an absolute powerhouse of a track with a groove so driving you can’t help but tap your feet. Then you’ve got “Maria,” written by Chandler himself, which is a two-minute freight train of fiery pickin’ that is bound to cause a scene in the best way possible at their next live show. Spencer Atkinson’s rhythm guitar work keeps everything grounded, while his soaring tenor vocals give every chorus an extra punch.

It’s not all full-throttle speed, though—the band knows exactly when to lean into the soul. Their take on “Blue Ridge Mountains Turnin’ Green” slows things down just enough to let you soak in those gorgeous, layered vocal harmonies. And when it comes to gospel, these guys hit another level entirely. The title track, “Look For Me And I’ll Be There,” takes a legendary Doyle Lawson tune and treats it with total respect while pumping fresh blood into the arrangement. The harmonies on that track alone are worth the price of the album. Combine that with Dottie Rambo’s “Follow The Leader,” and you’ve got a spiritual powerhouse in the middle of the record.

They even leave you with a smile at the end, closing out the album with “Never Did No Wanderin’,” a fun, bouncy tune that proves these guys know how to have a good time while playing top-tier music.

At the end of the day, Look For Me is just a damn good bluegrass record. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel or play around with trendy genres; it just gives you pure, unadulterated, hard-driving traditional bluegrass played by guys who live and breathe it. Grab a copy, turn it up loud in the car, or spin it around the campfire—Nick Chandler and Delivered came to play, and they absolutely nailed it.

Mark Druery