Common Railers are a
mostly-acoustic five-piece band from Ithaca NY. Their sound ranges from more
traditional folk and bluegrass, to singer-songwriter and pop. Songwriting
is shared by guitarist Peter Glanville and mandolin, banjo and accordion
player Gordon Rowland, who often collaborate on the band's original
material. Acoustic upright bassist Mike Costello and drummer Shane Hartman
create the foundation, while adding intricate grooves to the band's original
material. You can often hear Chad Crumm's soaring fiddle lines or funky
banjo solos adding the finishing touches to the songs. Peter and Gordon
share most of the vocals and harmonies, while Chad's off-kilter vocals
show a contrasting side of the band. Covers from Townes Van Zandt, Hank
Williams, Tom Waits and the Bob Dylan often make their way into longer set
lists. The band has been playing since summer 2006 and plays a wide
variety of venues from bars and eateries, to outdoor concert series.