I received “Good Would” yesterday on the way to rehearsal, so I took it along and slapped it in the CD player at the studio. We LOVED IT! In fact we listened to it twice. Has anyone ever told you guys that you have this sort of “Frank Zappa” thing going? Anyway, we thoroughly enjoyed it and thanks again for shooting us a copy.

Review of Good Would? Good Would? is Walnut Grove Band’s latest recording. Tracks may be heard at the band's ghost website. It features Mark “Walnutt” Stewart, Casey “Helgamite Jones” Firkin, and Josh “Chuckles” Papreck (now succeeded on bass by Emil Cardiel). Generalizing as a whole, the collection’s upbeat, peppy and quirky, not unlike a demented children’s album. I say “demented” only because of a slightly greater than the norm consciousness of a dark side that although never directly mentioned, seems just out of sight of the storyteller in most songs. The light seems to win, but there’s always an air of mystery, as in old-fashioned fairy tales. At first we hear only a tribal-sounding beat, then, Lucky begins the album like a story, with what sounds like a magical recipe: I’ve got nine lives, five I haven’t used yet, I’ve got four songs, one for each season. I’ve got three dreams, three magic wishes, just enough food to soil my dishes. The rhythm changes. The hypnotic words and mysterious melody pull the listener deeper in. It feels like a story that shows the value of contentment as well as the need to steadily and clearly move forward and upward. Uplifting in the winter-time, is how I think of Lucky. Strangest Feeling starts off as a slow, strange-sounding song with cryptic lyrics making oblique societal critiques (slams maybe, even?), then the focus moves to the inside, confessing, “I’ve got the strangest feeling inside”. Musically, this change is reflected with changes in tempo and expression. The tempo picks up when we go “inside” and become more restless. The listener travels from a musical mood of mystery to a modern country-style sound of reflection. As the tempo increases, harmonies build and it becomes easy to imagine layers upon layers, orchestras, angel choirs heard from lofty cloud tops… when the music soars. Themes and variations successfully wrap together the slow, strange feeling with a restless mood. Washing Machine’s a whole lot more grounded. It sounds like a celebration of what’s here and now and loving where you are. It boogies steadily along at a nice pace, like a good machine should and gets you going, too! Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. Soft & Chewy pretends to be really hard-driving, taking no prisoners, aggressively challenging…grrrrrr!!!!! So…macho! But listen to the words. Or, don’t listen at all to the words, and just feel the undeniable rhythm pull you like an undertow out to sea. Like everything Helgamite’s touched since he joined WGB a few years ago, this recording of Earth (recorded first on Assorta Nutz) has sped up a good bit, to good effect. A bit of frenzied urgency is good in this song. The beat’s a good match for the spirit. Deanne’s vocal harmonies give a new depth to this song, too, in several areas. It’s evolved. Raindancer’s in an acoustic form, played by Walnutt and his guitar, and is by far the simplest piece on this recording. It moves along with zip and zest. The mood is so sunny and upbeat, it’s hard to remember it’s talking so much about rain! Infectious. Meltdown starts off as an answering machine’s message. It’s truly collage, glued together with Walnutt and Helgamite’s musical genius. As well as some very strange-sounding music instruments (a ratchet, for one) in the background, the listener hears some very twisted sounding (and some incomprehensible) answering machine messages. The recordings are blended well with the instrumental sounds to make a twisting, turning path through time, space, and the answering machine. The listener is engrossed, and glad to be strapped in tightly on this roller coaster of sound!