From: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org (good-noise-digest) To: good-noise-digest@smoe.org Subject: good-noise-digest V4 #58 Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org Sender: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-good-noise-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk good-noise-digest Tuesday, March 20 2001 Volume 04 : Number 058 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: BOTH new CD's! [ThePsyche@aol.com] Re: BOTH new CD's! [Matthew Bester ] Ben Demerath/Jennifer Kimball [Matthew Bester ] Re: BOTH new CD's! [SMOKEY596@aol.com] Re: Got the CD ["Dan Lins" ] Reviews in The Washington Times ["jvotel" ] Re: Ben Demerath/Jennifer Kimball ["Sean Palen" ] RE: BOTH new CD's! ["Sean Palen" ] Between One and Eight [Smithfinn@aol.com] Yahoo! Auto Response [phegger@yahoo.com] Clunkers???? [ThePsyche@aol.com] Re: Between One and Eight ["Sean Palen" ] Re: Clunkers???? [SMOKEY596@aol.com] Re: Clunkers???? ["cycle12345" ] Re: Between One and Eight ["Shelley DePaul" ] Re: Clunkers???? [SMOKEY596@aol.com] Re: Clunkers???? ["cycle12345" ] RE: Clunkers???? ["samsara" ] Re: Clunkers???? [SMOKEY596@aol.com] the Gorka Web Site [ThePsyche@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 07:16:37 EST From: ThePsyche@aol.com Subject: Re: BOTH new CD's! Sean, So far, Wisheries is holding it's own as the single song on this CD that is my fav. I use music a lot through my day, while working on Mom stuff or work stuff, it is always there in the background. Two songs on this CD always make me stop and listen....take those three or four minutes to focus on a feeling instead of the task at hand. One is When I Lost My Faith....it reminds me of myself in a bunch of ways. But Wisheries does to me what John Gorka is the expert at. He mixes images together that make me chuckle right out loud. It is one of those songs like Raven In The Storm, where I just shake my head at the genius of this writer. Thanks Sean and Mark, for trying to get us going on this conversation. Any others out there with a fav Gorka song or words about the new CD? And SMOKEY......maybe you do have a clinker CD because I find this one to be his best ever, and I did not say that about After Yesterday (which I like a lot) Missed seeing you this weekend, it was a blast!!! Someday soon! Have a good week friends. P Bryn, music junkie ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 07:44:30 -0800 (PST) From: Matthew Bester Subject: Re: BOTH new CD's! After the release of the last couple JG cds, my experience has been that I latch onto one or two songs on the cd during the first listen or two that blow me away. Here, What Was That brought tears to my eyes as I listened to it. It has such a perfect cadence and groove to it. I heard David Wilcox's version of Let Them In before I heard JG's, and I don't know which I like better. Those lyrics are some of the most powerful I've heard in any song anywhere. But then as I listen to the cd a couple more times through, the cd starts to sound as one piece of work, not 14 separate pieces. The songs start to get familiar and I develop a taste for each one. It's another outstanding body of work from an amazing songwriter. Thank you. Does anyone else have this experience? - ------------------------------------------------- Created by Zkey.com - http://www.zkey.com Awarded PCMagazine's Editors' Choice ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 07:57:31 -0800 (PST) From: Matthew Bester Subject: Ben Demerath/Jennifer Kimball I spent both Friday and Saturday nights at a folk club in Bridgeport, CT, seeing two shows that are worth seeing if they come to your area. I saw Ben Demerath on Friday night. He is a New England songwriter just getting started. He released a cd called Jack of Fools, which is great. His voice has a great range, and he comes across as so down to earth in his stage presence. His songs have a real earnestness, and a nice low-key production found on JG's cds. He appeared with Beth Amsel, who also had a cd released. The two played for about 2.5 hours, ending with a big sing along on Neil Young's Helpless. I saw Jennifer Kimball on Saturday. She was the other half of The Story. Wow! Her voice was angelic. She said she was still learning how to play her guitar, but you'd never know it. She was great. Accompanying her was Mark Shulman, who played with her on her cd, Veering from the Wave. She played for about 2 hours, and mixed songs from her cd with some random songs. Both of these people are worth checking out! - ------------------------------------------------- Created by Zkey.com - http://www.zkey.com Awarded PCMagazine's Editors' Choice ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 11:25:27 EST From: SMOKEY596@aol.com Subject: Re: BOTH new CD's! I heard one of John's new songs on the radio this morning. Can't think of the name, but it was him! Bryn, so sad I didn't get to see Vance. :-( I got email from Mary-Margaret that morning saying I could come, but it was too late at that point. Going to see Ellis and John this weekend tho! SMOKEY (I still say there are clunkers on the CD!) :-) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 10:31:22 -0600 From: "Dan Lins" Subject: Re: Got the CD SMOKEY596@aol.com writes: . . . quite frankly most of the music sounded familiar. And, I hate to complain, I really do...but, it just seems that his singing is "off" quite a bit. Does it sound that way to anyone else? mbester@zkey.com writes: . . . my experience has been that I latch onto one or two songs on the cd during the first listen or two. . . . But then as I listen to the cd a couple more times through. . . . The songs start to get familiar and I develop a taste for each one. . . . Does anyone else have this experience? In contrast to previously-posted opinions, I agree with Smokey. Some songs on this album *do* sound a little off. (This is most noticeable in songs sung in his lower register, namely When You Walk In, Morningside, and When I Lost My Faith.) And yes, this album is tried and true Gorka. Though amazing--as par for the course--he doesn't break new ground as he did with his last two albums. Some songs sound very familiar. So, after such long anticipation, I was initially disappointed with "Company." Like Matthew, only a few songs really stuck out to me: What Was That, Oh Abraham, and Wisheries. Hearing him live at the Old Town School, though, really enhanced my appreciation of the album as a whole--as have diligent listenings. I, too, find that the more familiar I get with one of his albums, the more I appreciate it. (Out of the Valley is another album in which my first impressions were soon reversed--I now consider it among his best.) As an artist, John has my full trust. I know that even if I don't "get it" at first, his songs inevitably prove their worth. Oh, how I look forward to the proving! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dan Lins Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. cdl@tyndale.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 12:46:02 -0500 From: "jvotel" Subject: Reviews in The Washington Times Hi everyone. I wanted to share these reviews from Saturday's Washington Times arts section. You can find them at www.washtimes.com, under the arts section. Click on "Now Hear This." JOHN GORKA The Company You Keep (Red House Records) To live up to being tagged the pre-eminent voice of modern folk by Rolling Stone must be hard, but John Gorka has managed to keep producing meaningful work for the past decade and a half. His eighth recording (third on Red House), which came out this week, has all the wit and edge Mr. Gorka is known for in his songs. Among these 14 tracks are two that regularly appeared on his concert playlist the past couple of years -- "Let Them In," adapted from an anonymous poem found in a military hospital in the Philippines in World War II, and "People My Age," a humorous look at the effects of aging. A couple of newer songs in this collection take shots at our reliance on technology. In "When I Lost My Faith," Mr. Gorka finds a deeper meaning to life than collecting possessions. "Surrounded by my stuff/All I found were limitations/I could not rise above." Later in the same song, he sings, "There are gadgets and contraptions/Immaculate machines/There's a program you can download now/That will even dream your dreams." In "Oh Abraham," arguably the most socially conscious tune, Mr. Gorka observes "Work is not the same as before/More soft wear hands in the hardware store." But the song explores scandalous politics and longing for honest leadership. The singer, inspired by picking up a penny bearing the likeness of Abraham Lincoln, wonders, "Was it all about the money then? . . . All moneyed up and charmed with might, so we are right, we're always right." This album is the second of Mr. Gorka's to feature Canadian percussionist Andy Stochansky, who launches the CD in a rocking groove on "What Was That." Bassist Michael Manring, formerly of the Washington area and a regular on Mr. Gorka's recordings through the years, also makes an appearance. Backed by the delightful harmony vocals of Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lucy Kaplansky and Ani DeFranco, as well as Minneapolis-based singer Kathleen Johnson, Mr. Gorka has put together a recording that is easy to listen to, again and again. But upon concentrated listening, his songs open to deeper, more satisfying and provocative meanings. -- Jay Votel VARIOUS ARTISTS A Nod to Bob: An Artists' Tribute to Bob Dylan on His 60th Birthday (Red House Records) Tribute records are a risky venture because there is no preventing comparison to the original. The greater the artist, the greater the risk. But no recent Dylan tribute does better service than Red House Records' "A Nod to Bob," available in stores beginning in May, just in time for Mr. Dylan's 60th birthday (May 24, 1941). The Minnesota-based recording company put its considerable stable of talent into the studio for this celebration of a native son, credited with kick-starting the singer-songwriter movement and expanding folk and rock music into the realm of true literature. The covers range from oblique and obscure to sublime and supernal. Suzzy and Maggie Roche perform "The Clothesline Saga" from Mr. Dylan's "The Basement Tapes" in perhaps the least well-known track. Hart-Rouge does a French version of "With God On Our Side," and Ramblin' Jack Elliott closes the disc with a live version of "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." Hardly a weak moment mars any of the 14 tracks that span Mr. Dylan's career from 1963 -- John Gorka's ethereal "Girl From the North Country" from that period -- to 1993 with Spider John Koerner's version of "Delia" from Mr. Dylan's "World Gone Wrong." In between are some true delights and not a single clunker. Lucy Kaplansky serves up a heart-stopping "It Ain't Me, Babe," probably the ultimate kiss-off song ever written. The Paperboys do a double tribute with "All Along the Watchtower," reeling through a Celtic version that captures, as well, the energy Jimi Hendrix put into his cover of the song. Cliff Eberhardt takes Mr. Dylan's jangly pop and almost deranged delivery of "I Want You," and turns out a deserving soulful ballad. With any luck, these artists will keep these songs in their repertoires and pull them out again when they tour the area. -- J.V. - --Jay Votel jvotel@megapipe.net/703-421-6252 votel@twtmail.com/202-636-3288 - ----------------------------------------------- "I have the body of a god. Unfortunately, it is Buddha." - -- slogan seen on a T-shirt in a gymnasium, 2001 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 17:58:35 From: "Sean Palen" Subject: Re: Ben Demerath/Jennifer Kimball Hey JGers, I am not one for analysis, though i am always curious as to what others think, but one thing that might be striking people as different is the addition of less serious songs, and his departure from slower "pure" acoustic ballad based albums, not saying two or three from the new album aren't but just throwing some discussion topics your way. Take care Sean >From: Matthew Bester >Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org >To: good-noise@smoe.org >Subject: Ben Demerath/Jennifer Kimball >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 07:57:31 -0800 (PST) > >I spent both Friday and Saturday nights at a folk club in Bridgeport, >CT, seeing two shows that are worth seeing if they come to your area. > >I saw Ben Demerath on Friday night. He is a New England songwriter >just getting started. He released a cd called Jack of Fools, which >is great. His voice has a great range, and he comes across as so down >to earth in his stage presence. His songs have a real earnestness, >and a nice low-key production found on JG's cds. He appeared with >Beth Amsel, who also had a cd released. The two played for about 2.5 >hours, ending with a big sing along on Neil Young's Helpless. > >I saw Jennifer Kimball on Saturday. She was the other half of The >Story. Wow! Her voice was angelic. She said she was still learning >how to play her guitar, but you'd never know it. She was great. >Accompanying her was Mark Shulman, who played with her on her cd, >Veering from the Wave. She played for about 2 hours, and mixed songs >from her cd with some random songs. Both of these people are worth >checking out! >------------------------------------------------- >Created by Zkey.com - http://www.zkey.com >Awarded PCMagazine's Editors' Choice _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 18:01:38 From: "Sean Palen" Subject: RE: BOTH new CD's! Hey JGers, Sorry to be a bother, and please send to my personal email, and I should check the awesome JG sight, but if there is a contact to whom I could send a check, or please inform me if the cd was halted, either way I appreciate it, thanks Sean >From: "Sean Palen" >Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org >To: good-noise@smoe.org >Subject: RE: BOTH new CD's! >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 02:29:07 > >HI all, > >Got the new cd, favorite of the moment (FOM) is track #1. Anyone else? >Also, how again do I go about gotting the between five and eight? >Thanks again, > >Sean > > >From: "Mark Brown" >Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org >To: >Subject: RE: >BOTH new CD's! >Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 06:32:30 -0500 > >I picked up the >new one yesterday as well -- it's fantastic! I agree that >the writing, >production, arrangement and musicianship are first-rate. This >one's a >classic. > >Also had a nice surprise in my mailbox when I got home: Jos's >limited >edition bootleg CD "Between One and Eight" arrived from Holland! >What more >could I ask for? I can't remember ever getting two brand new >CD's by the >same artist within the same MONTH, let alone the same day! >Jos, my >compliments on a professional, high-quality production! > >I'm >off to listen some more... > >Mark Brown >Atlanta, GA > >MABrown@atlonline.com > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:41:11 EST From: Smithfinn@aol.com Subject: Between One and Eight Dear Sean, "Between One and Eight" was a CD made of various recordings off several compilation CD's personally owned Jos van Vliet in Holland. He makes these for fun, not for profit and only made and sold ten copies of this CD, plus one for John and his manager as a gift. I was able to give John his copy last week in Chicago and he chuckled with delight at receiving this new "bootleg" of his work. Jos is very insistent on not making more than these 12 copies. We are working on updating the page of our web site (with much appreciated help from Jos who has sent me all the cover images of these various Cd's) that lists the many compilations that carry these tunes and others. See www.geocities.com/thegypsylife/moregoodnoise. I have bought several of these CD's myself and the music of the other artists is always excellent. Susan ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 11:00:15 -0800 (PST) From: phegger@yahoo.com Subject: Yahoo! Auto Response OOOOoooohhh.....thanks for writing, but I am afraid you have missed me...I'll be out of town until March 27 (or slightly thereafter). If the godessess of email are smiling on me, I will be checking my messages sporadically. Otherwise, you'll have to wait, if you can stand it, until I return...though, those of you who know me well realize I never do anything in a timely fashion, so the wait should come as no surprise...bye, now. Paula - -------------------- Original Message: X-Track: 1-1: 40 Received: from jane.smoe.org (EHLO smoe.org) (216.200.102.14) by mta538.mail.yahoo.com with SMTP; 19 Mar 2001 11:00:14 -0800 (PST) Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost) by smoe.org (8.8.7/8.8.7/listq-jane) with SMTP id NAA09525; Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:48:07 -0500 (EST) Received: by smoe.org (bulk_mailer v1.10); Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:48:04 -0500 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by smoe.org (8.8.7/8.8.7/listq-jane) id NAA09187 for good-noise-outgoing; Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:43:38 -0500 (EST) Received: from imo-m01.mx.aol.com (imo-m01.mx.aol.com [64.12.136.4]) by smoe.org (8.8.7/8.8.7/daemon-mode-jane) with ESMTP id NAA09092 for ; Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:42:31 -0500 (EST) From: Smithfinn@aol.com Received: from Smithfinn@aol.com by imo-m01.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v29.5.) id p.a7.ca787be (5711) for ; Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:41:12 -0500 (EST) Received: from web33.aolmail.aol.com (web33.aolmail.aol.com [205.188.222.9]) by air- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 14:30:44 EST From: ThePsyche@aol.com Subject: Clunkers???? SMOKEY dares to write: > SMOKEY (I still say there are clunkers on the CD!) :-) > > > Which ones...lets get specific my good woman. Bryn, fingertips poised at the ready to respond to your blasphemy! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 23:54:09 From: "Sean Palen" Subject: Re: Between One and Eight Susan, Thanks for the info, I already have a couple myself. Enjoying the latest thread, Sean >From: Smithfinn@aol.com >Reply-To: good-noise@smoe.org >To: >Subject: Between One and Eight >Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 13:41:11 EST > >Dear Sean, > >"Between One and Eight" was a CD made of various recordings off several compilation CD's personally owned Jos van Vliet in Holland. He makes these for fun, not for profit and only made and sold ten copies of this CD, plus one for John and his manager as a gift. I was able to give John his copy last week in Chicago and he chuckled with delight at receiving this new "bootleg" of his work. Jos is very insistent on not making more than these 12 copies. > >We are working on updating the page of our web site (with much appreciated help from Jos who has sent me all the cover images of these various Cd's) that lists the many compilations that carry these tunes and others. See www.geocities.com/thegypsylife/moregoodnoise. I have bought several of these CD's myself and the music of the other artists is always excellent. > >Susan - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 19:46:27 EST From: SMOKEY596@aol.com Subject: Re: Clunkers???? Ah! The great and powerful Bryn challenges me to a Clunkerfest! :-) Okay, I'm listening for the second time, and it's a little easier on the ears this time. And you know, I probably don't really mean "clunker". It just seems that there are places where the music seems to be going a certain way and all of a sudden his voice goes the opposite way from what you expected. First up for examination, Track 4 at approximately 33 seconds. :-) It just doesn't sound "right" to me old ears. SMOKEY "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"bG.W. Bush Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000B ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 20:28:13 -0500 From: "cycle12345" Subject: Re: Clunkers???? Hi, SMOKER! I just listened several times to track 4 at approximately 33 seconds, and I really don't hear what you're talking about. Now I'm wondering if there truly may be something wrong with your CD. Regardless, I love those "W" quotations! Steve > Ah! The great and powerful Bryn challenges me to a Clunkerfest! :-) > > Okay, I'm listening for the second time, and it's a little easier on the ears > this time. And you know, I probably don't really mean "clunker". It just > seems that there are places where the music seems to be going a certain way > and all of a sudden his voice goes the opposite way from what you expected. > First up for examination, Track 4 at approximately 33 seconds. :-) It just > doesn't sound "right" to me old ears. > > SMOKEY > "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"bG.W. Bush > Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000B ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 21:20:48 -0500 From: "Shelley DePaul" Subject: Re: Between One and Eight Susan I noticed that the Jay Ansill CD "A Lost World" (Poetry of Robert Graves) Which has two songs by John (Down Wanton Down and Song For New Year's Eve) is not on your website. Did Jos send this one to you ? If not I have it.Let me know if you want me to send it. I also have the Kate Wolf Tribute, Southside Saturday Nights from Godfreys, The Pete Seeger Tribute, and the Winter Solstice III if you need them. Shelley - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 1:41 PM Subject: Between One and Eight > Dear Sean, > > "Between One and Eight" was a CD made of various recordings off several compilation CD's personally owned Jos van Vliet in Holland. He makes these for fun, not for profit and only made and sold ten copies of this CD, plus one for John and his manager as a gift. I was able to give John his copy last week in Chicago and he chuckled with delight at receiving this new "bootleg" of his work. Jos is very insistent on not making more than these 12 copies. > > We are working on updating the page of our web site (with much appreciated help from Jos who has sent me all the cover images of these various Cd's) that lists the many compilations that carry these tunes and others. See www.geocities.com/thegypsylife/moregoodnoise. I have bought several of these CD's myself and the music of the other artists is always excellent. > > Susan ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 21:41:03 EST From: SMOKEY596@aol.com Subject: Re: Clunkers???? >>>Now I'm wondering if there truly may be something wrong with your CD.<<< Nope. Sounds that way on two different CD players. :-) How about the chorus on "Over There"? I know someone else posted about it today, and I've had more than one person say the same thing in private email. But, I must reiterate, I LOVE the CD and I'm not complaining! Just that every once and a while, something doesn't sound right. But like I said, maybe my brain and ears are both going. You'll hear no more from me about this. I like the CD. :-) Well, okay, one more thing. One of these songs sounds like an old 1960's John Denver song! Not that there's anything wrong with that.... :-) SMOKEY "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"bG.W. Bush Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000B ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 21:54:17 -0500 From: "cycle12345" Subject: Re: Clunkers???? This is hilarious, SMOKE! I haven't heard any problems with the chorus on "Over There", and which one sounds to you like an old Denver tune? I almost couldn't stop laughing long enough to type this . . . Thanks! Steve - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 9:41 PM Subject: Re: Clunkers???? > >>>Now I'm wondering if there truly may be something wrong with your CD.<<< > > Nope. Sounds that way on two different CD players. :-) How about the chorus > on "Over There"? I know someone else posted about it today, and I've had > more than one person say the same thing in private email. But, I must > reiterate, I LOVE the CD and I'm not complaining! Just that every once and a > while, something doesn't sound right. But like I said, maybe my brain and > ears are both going. You'll hear no more from me about this. I like the CD. > :-) > > Well, okay, one more thing. One of these songs sounds like an old 1960's > John Denver song! Not that there's anything wrong with that.... :-) > > SMOKEY > "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"bG.W. Bush > Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000B ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 21:06:47 -0600 From: "samsara" Subject: RE: Clunkers???? Four minutes and nineteen seconds (that's 259 seconds) into 'Wisheries' JG brings in Gregorian chants. It's a beyond belief insertion to the production of a creation. I dare anyone to say I'm reaching!.. And I'm not. For the rest of my life, when I vacuum, I will always hear 'Around the House'.... Smokey, it simply has got to be your CD player... [demime 0.97c removed an attachment of type application/ms-tnef which had a name of winmail.dat] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:08:44 EST From: SMOKEY596@aol.com Subject: Re: Clunkers???? LOL! I'm not trying to be funny!! The one that sounds like John Denver (not the voice, just the music) is "When I Lost My Faith". Now don't make me drag out the JD stuff and tell you *which* song it sounds like! Okay, it's "Isabel". SMOKEY "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"bG.W. Bush Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000B ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 22:54:03 EST From: ThePsyche@aol.com Subject: the Gorka Web Site Hey friends. Susan has added a very cool discussion board/guestbook. We both hated the geocities guestbook, so this gives you an opportunity to respond to us, and one another. Stop by and check it out, leave a message, start a discussion...say about.... um............. clunkers? Good Night, Bryn ------------------------------ End of good-noise-digest V4 #58 *******************************