Eclectically speaking, the Bourgeois Gypsies are quite a find. The oddly enticing "Gypsy Girl" creates a superb entrance into the world of Bourgeois (which takes on a whole different meaning) and reminds all listeners why they love folk music (even if they don't). "Sugarplum" is the first of many (ok, the whole disk is full of them) fireside songs complete with an indispensable harmonica and sing-along chorus of "oh yeah, oh no". Following suit, "Slide" displays a catchy head-bobbing, finger-picking guitar beneath Kaisa MacDonald's tastefully twanging vocals. It's obvious in "Pink Clouds" that Arnold Mitchem and Kaisa MacDonald have undoubtedly mastered the art of meshing their melancholy vocals with a unique music and atmospheric tone. The sensual, slow "Skin" offers sweet lyrics with a sunny-day backing track which seems to promote long walks on the beach and cold lemonade while "Middle of Nowhere" (think B-52's with "Love Shack"), a swamp-romp of a song, encourages country road driving singing "middle of nowhere is fine with me!" at the top of your lungs. As far as the first few songs are concerned, Blue Morning says that an alternative folk/blues style is for everyone.

Perhaps the only songs worth skipping, "Blue Morning" and "Laredo Holiday", lack the seemingly signature eccentricity the rest of the album reveals. "Blue Morning" drags on for over six minutes without a harmonica or quirky guitars, both of which seem necessary, and "Laredo Holiday", after a disk full of fun tunes, proves dismal. However, the pair redeems themselves in the slow song category with "Conversation", with its pretty guitars and charming lyrics ("the graceless state/ That I was in, Well it's just history/ But it comes back to me in conversation"). Otherwise, Bourgeois Gypsies stick to what they're fantastic at: curiously artistic, oddly inspiring music.

Thinking of moving down towards the swamplands, creating your own instruments … and loving it? Buy Blue Morning and save yourself with trip (or maybe take the CD with you). The Bourgeois Gypsies will attract anyone living south of the Mason Dixon Line, or more seriously, anyone interested in classic folk.

Bourgeois Gypsies - Blue Morning

Label:Indie
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