Helena songwriter John Moore recently got some pals together to record his second album, a compilation of his homemade tunes spanning many years and moods.
These folks are veterans of the Queen City music scene, and play in various bands amongst themselves. The laundry list: drums, Jeremy Slead, Tim Lashley, and co-producer Dan Nichols (percussion, too); tenor/alto saxes and harmonica, Michael Kakuk; bass, John Sutton; and lead guitar, John Chart and Mike Killeen. Ann Waickman, Erin Powers, and Lucas Michelson add harmony vocals.
Moore learned piano as a boy but is self-taught otherwise; along with keys, he contributes guitar, lap steel, organ, mandolin, and bass. “Among these songs, some are deeply personal, others are just stories, and the rest are in-between,” he says.
Having such a stellar conglomerate of talent helping out adds spirit and character to the works. His storytelling prowess, coupled with a penchant for writing fine dance music, doesn’t hurt, either.
So, quick, get the dancin’ shoes out. The rockabilly, shuffling “Rambler Classic” hops to it. The kids are “servin’ out high school” and here’s our hero, cruisin’ in a “two-tone four-door wreck.” You could do the Bop to this one! Love it!
“Class Reunion” is a slowly rocking ballad wherein Moore’s supple voice tiptoes into his falsetto range. “The Saga of Sarah Burns,” co-written with Sutton, is an uptempo country-folk number, a tale of infidelity with a twist. Moore picks a mean mando riff along with the guitar; chords dance around in surprising fashion on the chorus. Cool!
“Big C” is bluesy and swampy, with a rockin’ bass and harmonica; it’s a true story in which Moore rhymes biopsy and autopsy (fortunately, it has a happy ending). Who thought a story about cancer could rock!
Moore channels Randy Newman and Dan Hicks at the same time on “Cross Dressin’.” It sports wicked guitar and sax punctuation. There’s so much more here, you’d just better give it a listen.
– Mariss McTucker