Customer Reviews

Ghosts of Hallelujah

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I will start this out by saying that these guys are not the Flecktones. However, they are about as much fun as you can have with bluegrass-tinged Alt-Country. From the first time I heard this album, it became one of my favorites.

They are a bit hard to describe. Definitely some bluegrass influence. At times a little bit of a zydeco feel, although not quite as sweat-soaked as a Clifton Chenier. And some old-style Grand Ol' Opry country roadhouse tunes. Not a bad mix. And these guys pull it off without making any of it sound forced.

What's right with this? How about as heart-felt a religious expression in the title track. How about "Grievin' and Smokin'", the song I heard live that made it a necessity of living to own this disc. How about "County Orange", a rollicking gem? While one or two songs might not be quite as strong, overall this is a great album that is never far from my changer.

this is what happens when very talented musicians get together and make music for the purpose of entertaining themselves. it is evident that these guys enjoy themselves. music that comes from the heart is rarity in today's corporate market, and that is why it is so important for more people to own this album.(not to mention other albums by the gourds) the title track is great, as are ... oh wait. the whole sum' bitchin' thing is gawdam fabulous. buy it, hear it, love it, become a better person.

Dem's Good Beeble is probably still their best selection of songs to date (every song's a gem) but Ghosts of Hallelujah is probably their best album. It has several classics songs (like in Beeble) but the order of the songs make it their most cohesive. The opener "Up On High" (one of Jimmy's best) and the closer "Lowlands" (one of Kevin's best) give it it's shape. The mini WHO like rock opera "Bean Bowl", "My Time, Yer Time" and "Son Of Bum" makes perfect sense and helps cement the feel of this album. (And Grieven' & Smokin' is just a great Gourds tune.)

With their third release, "Ghosts of Hallelujah," the Gourds rightly ascended to the zenith of the Americana genre and for that matter staked a pretty good claim for best American band in any genre.

Chief songwriters Jimmy Smith and Kevin Russell ply their craft by again offering dark, funny, eccentric, odd, and vivid themes and lyrics that collide with some of the best ensemble playing of our times, all fueled by some gonzo muse that is best left unseen and only heard.

This 1999 release saw multi-instrumentalist Max Johnson join the fray and his impact on filling out the band's sound cannot be underemphasized.

It's hard to recommend one Gourds' CD over another, but this one seems a tad darker and biting than the others, is my least favorite of their sessions, and does not serve as the best introduction to the band.

Gourds keep up the good work with this album. This is just as good as their first two efforts and is better than Bolsa de Agua. That's due to 6 absolutely brilliant tunes on this CD: Up on High, Gangsta Lean, Fine Leather Truck, (The New Way Of) Grievin' & Smokin', Rugged Roses, and Lowlands.