This is one of those albums that is a treasure to own.

Sweetwater Passage celebrates the songs and traditions of the Hudson Valley region, from back in the days when the inland waterways there were a major transit system for the nation. The Barefoot Boys are Rich Bala on vocals and guitar, Rick Hill on vocals, bass, guitars and bowed psaltery, and Tom White on vocals, banjos, bones, concertina, fiddle, mandolin, pennywhistle and hammered dulcimer.

The songs focus on the canals ("Erie Canal," "Simon Slick"), steamboats ("Mary Powell Waltz," "Lifeline to the Heartland") and chanteys ("Rio Grande," "New York Gals"). There are also a handful of instrumentals ("Staten Island Hornpipe/Cuckoo's Nest," "Midnight on the Water," "Fisher's Hornpipe"). Sixteen tracks in all, totaling nearly an hour of music.

The music is good without being exceptional. The band is talented enough, and I'm sure they'd be a hoot at a live performance. Most importantly, though, is the preservation of a musical culture from a time when music was among the most important of entertainments -- a much-needed distraction from the hard labors of the day. Sweetwater Passage is a time capsule that I'm glad to have in my collection.