| Artist | John Gorka |
|---|---|
| Cover | Jack's Crows.jpg |
| Released | 1991 |
| Genre | Folk |
| Label | High Street[1] |
| Producer | Dawn Atkinson, Will Ackerman |
| Prev year | 1990 |
| Next year | 1992 |
Jack's Crows is an album by the American musician John Gorka.[2][3] It was released in 1991.[4][5] The album's title was supplied by Jack Hardy.[6] "House in the Fields", for which a video was produced, was marketed to country music outlets.[7]
Production
The album was produced by Dawn Atkinson and Will Ackerman.[8] Its songs are set mostly in the small towns near the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.[9][10] Unlike during the recording sessions for his previous albums, Gorka recorded most of Jack's Crows with all the musicians present in the studio at one time.[6] It was Gorka's intention to move on from the love songs of previous albums to songs about places and people.[11] Shawn Colvin sang on two of Jack's Crows' tracks.[12]
Critical reception
The Washington Post wrote that "Gorka matches his subtle, intelligent and original songwriting with a deep, thrilling baritone ripe with masculine melancholy, that makes whatever he's singing fairly unforgettable."[13] The Ottawa Citizen stated that Gorka "conjures up characters and landscapes that share an unpretentious dignity and grandeur."[14]
The Republican determined that, "though ballads dominate, there is sizzle here, particularly on the bleak urban landscape Gorka paints on 'Where the Bottles Break'."[12] The State-Times concluded that, "though his calmly academic baritone on Jack's Crows tends to put the lyrics at arm's length, the lyrics themselves are so intelligently written that they manage to transcend their aloof presentation."[15]
AllMusic noted that "Where the Bottles Break" "is a rockin' song about personal convictions and the real-estate business."[16]
References
- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (24 Apr 1991). "He's Putting on a New Jersey". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 44.
- ^ "John Gorka Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived 2013-08-27 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Tearson, Michael (Nov 1991). "Rock/Pop Recordings — Jack's Crows by John Gorka". Audio. Vol. 75, no. 11. p. 103.
- ^ "Windham Hill Artists Shifting from Mellow to Folk, Jazz". Deseret News. June 19, 1991. Archived 2022-02-12 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Gehman, Geoff (19 July 1991). "Gorka Is Moving Beyond His Neighborhoods". The Morning Call. p. D1.
- ^ Jarvey, Paul (13 June 1991). "Gorka practicing to be perfect". Telegram & Gazette. p. D1.
- ^ Kestler, Lisa (August 27, 1991). "Move over, Bruce. John Gorka also has a few songs to sing about – Jersey". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 1.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 494.
- ^ Gluck, Robert P. (January 20, 1991). "A Poetic Touch in Folk Songs". The New York Times. Archived 2022-02-12 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Allan, Marc D. (15 Feb 1992). "Folk singer's neighborhood is inspiration for music". The Indianapolis Star. p. C2.
- ^ Blackstock, Peter (29 Aug 1991). "Movement or not, Gorka's on the move". Austin American-Statesman. p. 9.
- ^ O'Hare, Kevin (April 28, 1991). "Gorka proves a growing talent". The Republican. p. D10.
- ^ "New Wave of Folk Rolling into Town". The Washington Post. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ Parisien, Roch (16 Jan 1992). "Folk". Ottawa Citizen. p. F3.
- ^ Heitman, Danny (May 8, 1991). "Warmth, energy lost on Gorka's album". The State-Times. p. 2C.
- ^ "Jack's Crows". AllMusic. Archived 2012-11-29 at the Wayback Machine.