With 12 albums under his belt, John Gorka is no newcomer to the folk scene, but this is his first offering in four years, and well worth the wait. Bright Side of Down is everything a folk recording should be, with thoughtful lyrics nestled into well-crafted songs and simple arrangements that put the song first.
Gorka's gentle storytelling is a series of snapshots of the everyday, interpreted, in "More than One" and "Don't Judge a Life," with the benefit of hindsight. "Honeybee," a sweet tribute to Gorka's daughter, serves as an intimately silly interlude before delving back into the Dire Straits-esque "Procrastination Blues." The one cover song, "She's That Kind of Mystery," by the late Bill Morrissey, adds a welcome taste of darker, more melancholic reminiscence to this introspective album.
(Blue Chalk Records/Red House Records)Gorka's gentle storytelling is a series of snapshots of the everyday, interpreted, in "More than One" and "Don't Judge a Life," with the benefit of hindsight. "Honeybee," a sweet tribute to Gorka's daughter, serves as an intimately silly interlude before delving back into the Dire Straits-esque "Procrastination Blues." The one cover song, "She's That Kind of Mystery," by the late Bill Morrissey, adds a welcome taste of darker, more melancholic reminiscence to this introspective album.