Goose Creek Symphony - Words of Earnest

Released in'72, Words of Earnest was the band's third album in as many years. It would arguably be their most successful and also their last on Capitol Records. The band would take a couple of years before signing with Columbia who would distribute their last album to be released in the '70s, Do Your Thing But Don't Touch Mine.

It wasn't long after writing about their debut that I found their four albums in really great shape for a pretty skookum price. Words of Earnest was the album I was most excited to hear as contained "Mercedes Benz" and "Guitars Pickin, Fiddles Playing" the two songs my Aunt Jeanne introduced to me.

I'm glad I started with the debut before listening to this one. I know I skipped ahead by not playing Welcome to Goose Creek, but not everything in life follows a logical order. Whereas the debut was definitely a hodgepodge of eclectic hippy dippy psychedelic country, Words of Earnest settled into a groove early on, and while this was still very much an organic granola fed batch of songs the blending of horns, rock and tradition folk and country gave the band their own sound. The comparisons to The Band that felt overshadowing on the debut were practically gone. Not to say you couldn't hear it, but The Band didn't hold an exclusive license over incorporating rock and folk. If anything the boys were likely listening to The Grateful Dead - particularly Working Man's Dead and American Beauty both from 1970 (I'm likely blowing smoke out my ass too, but it's possible). Honestly the band I hear is more akin to The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and frankly those guys sound like the Goose Creek Symphony not the other way round.

Country Rock was starting to be a thing, these guys were more traditional in their approach than some of their early contemporaries. This isn't to say them boys couldn't strap on and lay it down when they had a mind to. Probably my favourite in this vein is "Speakin' Of" with the rich harmonies, driving guitars and twin fiddles. However, there aren't any songs here that I'd want to skip.

Of course some things should just be enjoyed rather than being picked apart into their component pieces fifty years after the fact. So that's what I'm going to do. I'll go and start the record over and just sit back and enjoy myself.

There's a lot to enjoy and I may as well take it all in.

Earnestly.

Comments

6 Cylinder

As a kid we had one radio station, not counting CBC, and generally there was very little that was worth listening to, although there were times something would come on that would make you pay attention. It was 1979 and on a couple of occasions I heard "There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" and it cracked me up, and I always wanted to get a copy for myself. A few years ago when my niece was dancing, they did a performance to this song, and now I can't separate my niece from a bunch of dancing chicks in chicken suits. Such is life. When I found this in the dollar bin I actually let out a little chirp, my goodness could it be? It was, and it was in great shape - including the inner sleeve. Score. I had no idea what to expect, for all I knew there was only one song worth listening to, and if that was the case it was still a dollar well spent. If I could buy an album by Showdown and enjoy it, odds are I'll find something to enjoy here to. Before I put this on I...

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