Too, is the second release from Good Luck Mountain led by ex Tandy singer-songwriter Mike Ferrio. After a highly prolific period with Tandy which resulted in over a thousand live performances and eight albums, the eponymous debut album by his new project Good Luck Mountain came in 2011. The follow-up ‘Too‘ is a collection of melodic, tender poetic songs with Ferrio’s warm vocals at the centre. Whether he whispers or talks, the melodic quality is always there.
The album opens as it ends with an instrumental piece called Morning Moon, an ambient, relaxed piece that immediately sets the atmosphere. White Calico Flower is one of those songs that could go on for a lot longer than the allocated 5 minutes and still charm. The instrumental section before each verse is melodically captivating, with a piano line that really pulls you into this landscape of reflection on nature and memories.
A connection to nature is prevalent in many of the tracks. Bird sounds are used in World Turns. Once more there is great respect and celebration for life on this earth – ‘world turns for this kind of love’. Things get more playful in The Seawall as tremolo electric guitar, slide guitar, drums and handclaps raise things up a notch on the longest song of the album. Lyrically things are more serious ‘Don’t look down from the seawall / feel we might die on the rocks below’ but there is still a playfulness here as despite this Ferrio sings about staying one more day at the border town. A game of taunting is being played here between a couple whose ‘love is symbolised by the crashing of the waves’.
Angels is more sombre but again the force of nature is strong. There is a strong sense of adventure and escape, ‘We head north to Good Luck Mountain, we find beauty waiting there’, imagination is set free with images of riding horses in a wild terrain in a time long since past. The Blue is another instrumental track with guitar and violin combining wonderfully to create a beautifully atmospheric track, which seems to once again glorify the beauty of natural surroundings. The penultimate track is called Out Of The Blue – no doubt a reference to the title of the previous song. This song seems to be a goodbye, a poignant way to end what is generally a celebration of life. The Morning Moon (reprise) is a perfect bookend to conclude a beautiful record.
Too was recorded with Jason Mercer of Ron Sexmith’s band, Malcolm Holcombe, Ana Egge, Matt Mys and The Mastersons (Eleanor Whitmore and Chris Masterson also of Steve Earles’s band). It was recorded at Atomic Studios by Merle Chornuk (Ryan Adams and Jesse Malin) and is recommended for those who appreciate melody, poetic lyrics and a kind of beauty which celebrates life but is also touched by a sense of sadness.
Review by: Philip Soanes
Out Now via At The Helm Records.
https://soundcloud.com/at-the-helm-records/good-luck-mountain-apollo
Order via: Artist Direct | Amazon