Shipwrecked Whisky by Gopher Baroque

Each song begs a further listen!"

J and M. Moenck:

"WE LOVE IT! What a wonderful and varied collection of songs. Can't choose a favourite -not ever- but there are dozens of fabulous moments that stand out and echo - use of flute and whistle in amazing places, like Selkirk Settler's Lullaby and Quand j'etais chez mon pere, the unbelievable percussion (including vocal effects) on Fuller Brush, huge multi-voiced vocal chorale sound on Hershel Island... I sang Walking with Sarah in the shower this morning!

The title ("Shipwrecked Whisky")track opens and showcases what I might call “the basics of Gopher Baroque,” with great story, solid vocal harmonies, guitars, and mandolin. The lyrics are fulsome and fun, while telling of an engaging and true historical oddity, a song writing coup d'état. "Herschel Island Shanty" Su belts out the lusty lead on this whaling shanty, with a wonderfully full a cappella chorus, with open chords delivered by what seems like more than three voices. Dawn has a poetic ear that can’t be beat for fitting melody to her words. Let’s all sing along! "Songwriter" Listen for the strengths of the harmony vocal and Dawn’s clear, clean mandolin accompaniments on this one. The story takes us on a meandering fantasy for a life that reaches for depth, accepts what cannot be, and yet finds satisfaction. With its catchy chorus, "Songwriter" makes a fine anthem to restless contentment. "Fuller Brush" This just might be the smartest musical arrangement in all of my listening experience. Synchronized with drum, percussion, harmonica, and three voices, this old-timey fun song makes me want to don a flapper dress and dance! Joe’s harmonica work is bouncy and brilliant, and the vocals delivered with verve. What fun! "Donald and the Phantom Piper" We should be so lucky as to always hear that phantom piper that can guide us safely when we feel lost at sea. I love this dreamy song with its floating guitar notes and ethereal harmony, all rounded off with the sweet breath of Su’s flute.

"Somewhere in France" Su sings a gorgeous lead on this new arrangement of a Gopher Baroque signature song. The harmonica accompaniment calls up the essence of a village “Somewhere in France” during WWI. Beautifully felt and sung. "Quand j’étais chez mon père" While I have no idea what this lovely French traditional song means, I am easily lifted back 400 years, as if on the flight of a magic carpet. The balance and movement of the rhythm is entrancing. There’s a single verse with Su and Dawn in vocal duet that soars as sweetly as you’ll ever hear!

"Burn Ye Fiddles Burn" Frightfully fun! Again, huge music comes from deceptively simple (but masterful), arrangement, the story of a priest who decides to burn all the evil violins in the parish. The punch line comes at the end, with a rousing round of the traditional Canadian fiddle tune “Cock of the North.” "Roll Down the Logs" This deep-toned song is a great balancing piece for the CD, dark and tragic, with the reminder of the hazards of the working life. In the end, it’s the woman in this song who lives with the consequences of the men’s dangerous work.

"Hold Your Fiddle Low, Joe" Back-woodsy and droll, and, if you know Joe’s fiddling style, out-rightly endearing, the lyrics offer a manifesto from the grandfather who taught him to play the fiddle held low. Picture the possibility of a square dance followed by a howling original fiddle tune. "Smuggler’s Song" Dawn delivers this Rudyard Kipling poem with perfect melodious inflection. Fabulous effects in drumming and (clip-clop of horses' hooves, - by mouth?) percussion, and the vocal harmony are fine. "Selkirk Settler’s Lullaby" Tender lullaby painted with the lightest of lovely flute-whistle duet. This new vocal harmony arrangement is perfection, and Joe’s lead vocal is appropriately plain and sweet. "Walking with Sarah" I found myself singing this one in the shower. This tribute to the courage of travelers on the Underground Railroad just asks for a sing-along, and is open for endless harmonic variations, gorgeously rounded out here by the Sarah chorus. A perfect ending!

Gopher Baroque features three seasoned performers who have grown together in music and friendship. They simply love to share their tunes and good times entertaining adults and families. From main stage at the festival to intimate coffee houses they are at home in a variety of show formats. Original/Contemporary/Historical ... and always entertaining music! Gopher Baroque is now entering its 16th year and has become known as an excellent acoustic blend trio which features Canadian, original and traditional works framed in three part harmony! Their original music and arrangements combine roots (Celtic and others) with contemporary sounds, wisdom, wit, style and fun. All performances incorporate a variety of tempos, styles and topics. From the humorous to the thought provoking, Gopher Baroque is always entertaining and unique.

What A Proud Bunch!

Gopher Baroque has been pleased to accept several honours over the years: We won the "Morbid song of the month" contest so many times the event was cancelled and we were presented with mini caskets; We are honoured to have a North American Folk Alliance award for education through folk music; In 2003, we were chosen to showcase at the North East Region of the North American Folk Alliance; Factor has awarded Dawn Callan with four new songwriters’ grants for compositions featured on our CD “Holdin’ Down the Fort”. "It's Colder Tonight" has been selected as both the lead poem in "Twilight Musings" 2005 International Library of Poetry and published in the Canadian contemporary poetry compilation "Surfacing" as an example of a Canadian ballad.

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