Mike Seeger assembled Fresh Oldtime String Band as a way of updating and revitalizing old timey string band music to bring it to a new audience. Throughout the collection, he and his collaborators -- which include Kirk Sutphin, Norman and Nancy Blake, the Horseflies, and James Bryan -- develop, new inventive arrangements, mostly consisting of unsual instrumentation and the revival of old, 19th century instruments such as a fretless banjo. It's an exciting take on some classic songs that afficianados will adore; neophytes, however, won't hear the differences between these versions and more traditional versions of these standards.