Customer Reviews

Red Horse

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Red Horse CD was just released, and thanks to Amazon's speedy delivery, arrived quickly. I have not been able to stop listening to it. Hearing John Gorka, Lucy Kaplansky, and Eliza Gilkyson sing together is wonderful. There are 12 songs on this CD - three written by John, three by Lucy, three by Eliza, and three covers. They take turns singing lead on each other's songs, as well as their own, and breathe new life into many of these songs. They do an amazing job on Neil Young's "I Am a Child. Hearing Lucy on her song "Scorpion", with the two singing backup, just adds more zest to a powerful song. Hearing Eliza sing lead on Lucy's "Promise Me" just makes me play it over & over again. It's soulful and romantic, and reminds me to listen to my "Ten Year Night" CD again. I'd never heard the song "Coshieville" before, and John's voice and presentation just captivated me, and makes me want to discover more songs by Stuart McGregor. All twelve songs are beautifully presented and sung, and ending with a beautiful version of "Wayfaring Stranger" is like enjoying a delicious dessert after a great meal. I hope the three of you will tour in the Boston area because the collaboration is outstanding on CD, and will only sound better live! Thanks for this great recording.

"Red Horse" is by far the best CD I have heard this year - - a true gem. Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, and Lucy Kaplansky are some of the best songwriters on this planet. On this CD, they are at the top of their game, and they bring out the best in each other. The production is spartan and spot-on, calling attention to the songwriting and the vocals. Some of the highlights...
(1) Gorka on his new "If These Walls Could Talk." It is one of Gorka's best songs ever. It is haunting, with Gorka's banjo providing just the right backdrop. Gorka has never sounded better.
(2) Gilkyson on her lovely "Walk Away From Love," with the most gorgeous background vocals you may ever hear.
(3) Kaplansky on Gorka's "Blue Chalk" - - one of the finest songs in the new folk canon.
(4) Gorka on Kaplansky's playful "Don't Mind Me", with its first-rate bridge.
(5) Gilkyson breathing new life into Gorka's "Forget to Breathe".
(6) Kaplansky on Gilkyson's reverent "Sanctuary."
One can only hope for a "Red Horse II".

In a culture that seems to be slowly going crazy and that is consumed with just about everything except what really matters there are holdouts. Red Horse brings three such holdouts together to play their own songs (with two lovely exceptions, Neil Young's "I am a Child" and the traditional "Wayfaring Stranger") and the result is music that will last for the long run and will also linger in your head throughout the day. I am grateful for these songs, these musicians, and this album.

I first heard about Red Horse on NPR while I was driving to work. Loved the interview with John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky and what I heard of the music. The harmonies are tightly knit and their voices blend beautifully. The whole CD is in my voice range, so Bonus!
My favorites are in no particular order: Blue Chalk (I take turns singing with each person - great harmonies), Promise Me, Sanctuary (this one is my favorite) Wild Horse, If These Walls Could Talk, Forget to Breathe and I Am a Child.
The arrangement of Wayfaring Stranger is my favorite I have ever heard. Very Beautiful.
I listen to this CD at least once a day...
I hope they decide to collaborate again, it would be a loss for all of us if they don't.

One of the best CDs of the year, in my opinion. All three are energized by their working together as Red Horse. Eliza, John, and Lucy shine with songwriting, harmony, and verve. Check out "if these Walls Could Talk" -- John Gorka has never sounded so good, and let's be honest, we can't say that about many aging folkies. From Tom Russell's cover art, to the cover of Neil Young's If I were a Child, to the final song, all good. Thanks to the three of them.

Kaplansky, Gorka and Gilkyson three great songwriters combined voices to make a very pleasant and well crafted alblum. The song choices from eachs own catalogs I feel could have been better! I think there were many better suited tunes for them to perform, Overall the CD is very nice listening without thinking too much about each song and it's words and meaning. When you take into account each performers great portfolios and capabilities this should have been outstanding, it's not. VERY GOOD

This is an outstanding album, made so by the sheer lyricism of so many of the songs. The interpretations are simple - pure folk - but the quality of the lyrics and the simple but excellent harmonies make this a listener's joy. There are so many great tracks but the lyrics of "Wild Horse" are simply unforgettable - musical poetry.

As a long time fan of John Gorka it was a little hard to get in the groove of him sharing "the stage" and his songs with others but Lucy and Eliza are wonderful musicians too and with each listen I like this album more and more.

I came to this album much later than other reviewers here. Though I've heard all three performers perform live and have been a big John Gorka fan for years, I just learned about this project.

The album is the result of both independent recordings of the lead vocals in each artists home tome and later overdubs and harmony tracks being recorded together. As other reviewers here have said, there are three songs composed by each of these Red House Records artists and 3 covers. The standout for me - performance wise - is the lead off track - Neil Young's "I Am a child". Great harmonies here with Eliza on lead. My next favorite is John Gorka singing lead on his own new song "If Walls Could Talk".. I guess I'm not as big a fan of Lucy Kaplansky's song writing or singing as I am of John and Eliza, and while the closing track - the standard "Wayfaring Stranger" is nicely arranged (and nice mandolin playing by Duke Levine) - I think I'd prefer to have heard Eliza on lead here.

This is a great intro to three talented singer/songwriters on the Red House label - and may lead first-time listeners to their own projects. I gave this project 4 stars because of the final track. I like the album but not as much as I LOVE some of the artists' solo projects.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

As a long-time John Gorka fan, I eagerly anticipated this album. I own every John Gorka album, and find him to be truly unique in his style of musicianship and brilliant song-writing skills. I had enjoyed Eliza Gilkyson's cover of "Love Minus Zero" on the "Nod To Bob" compilation. "Redhorse" starts off strong, with a beautiful rendition of Neil Young's "I Am A Child". Things deteriorate from there, however, as Lucy Kaplansky's juvenile song-writing is showcased in the majority of the next half dozen songs. The three take turns singing each other's songs, which is a great idea conceptually, but fails miserably in execution. It is painful listening to John Gorka - whose song-writing is truly ethereal - singing the amateuristic lyrics written by Kaplansky. The album reminds me of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young's "American Dream", where Young's songs astound and the remainder of the artists' songs bore. If you are a John Gorka fan, I suggest you save your money for his next solo project and not waste it on this one.