A bluegrass band in New Orleans has to be lonely. There’s a community of pickers, but the dearth of country and bluegrass bands and clubs suggests that it’s a small one. If the High Ground Drifters’ self-titled debut album is representative of the level of talent, we should be paying more attention. They rarely hit that fleet, exhilarating rush of notes that can make bluegrass viscerally exciting, but they cater to their strengths instead. They play clean, emphasize the textural interplay in the instruments, and pay attention to the song, whether it’s a standard or their own solid compositions. The “OZ Breakdown” would be a shameless plea for airplay if the instrumental weren’t so well executed, and the Drifters’ harmonies are refreshingly accurate. The most likeable thing about the High Ground Drifters, though, is that they seem happy to be a bluegrass band. They don’t punk it up, and they’re not in it for the wardrobe. The album suggests that they actually enjoy picking, and the pleasure is contagious.