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The Gourds | Bolsa De Agua

Big dollops of tasty Texan-flavoured bliss.
CD, Munich

Tekst: Doug Waterman

Publicatiedatum: 23 maart 2001

If you've heard The Gourds' rambunctious hillbilly rendition of Snoop Doggy Dogg's 'Gin and Juice', you're only scratching the surface of one of America's most underrated bands.
One must realize, however, that the Gourds are of a different breed. Their lyrics reflect the band's boundless ability to create batches upon batches of hilarious masterpieces. The Gourds go above and beyond the songwriting call of duty, writing personal tales about folk mythology, mud, insects, Oregon motels, Spanish poetry, dogs (that turn into ravens), US currency, Curtis Mayfield songs, wet pillows, shaking hands, pickles, the NFL, liquid gold, and Old Testament Bible stories, just to name a few. On their fifth album, 'Bolsa de Agua', The Gourds prove themselves both lyrically and musically to be at the top of their innovative production. The album's 15 tracks employ a range of catchy musical accompaniments, including contributions from the accordion, banjo, uke, mandolin, lap steel, fiddle, resonator slide guitar, and Wurlitzer organ.
Kicking off the album, Max Johnston (on the resonater slide guitar) cuts through 'El Paso' with gripping dexterity among the steady beat of a JJ Cale-like muffled electric guitar. 'Big Santiago Bust' tells a brief memoir of a busted tobacco-sawdust trade with the accompaniment of several catchy funk riffs by bassist Jimmy Smith. In 'Pickle', giving his strict directions to pickle-making, Smith tells it like it is: "It ain't Chinese algebra/It's easily done/Why, you can pickle anything/Pickling is fun." Influences of 'Hallelujah Shine' can undoubtedly be attributed to the syncopated African-American gospel. However, the Gourds put an original twist on the religious content of the song. If you're looking for a band to sing you to sleep with cheesy love songs, the Gourds will have to wait. If you can handle good ole road-trippin', back porch sittin', house partyin' music, we're in business. These guys will be around for a while to entertain the masses.