It's a commonplace that crises create opportunities, but this principle has been successfully test by the Alaska-to-Nashville bluegrass band Bearfoot. Original members Angela Oudean and Jason Norris found themselves presiding over a prolonged period of shifting personnl but have recruited Todd Grebe, rising singer-songwriter Nora Jane Struthers, and her bandmate P.J. George to create a renewed ensemble full of energy and creativity. The group members claim that they're still settling into their new sound, but one listen to their new release, "American Story" offers compelling evidence that they're being more modest than accurate. This album mixes hardcore bluegrass sounds with insightful compositions by Struthers (working in one case with bluegrass veteran Claire Lynch, who's an infallible judge of Nashville talent) and other songwriters.