John Kraus and the Goers - Derelict “Damn, this album took a long time to make!” said fellow Goer, long time collaborator and drummer friend, David Dutton. Yes, you’re right David, it did. But it is worth it. And John has been busy, very busy with Los Angeles’ Americana darlings Rose’s Pawn Shop, for whom he plays Banjo and Guitar. But He has their support too. They all played on the record after all. “So, are these like Pirate songs or something?” Ahh that smirk on your face tells me you must be clever. Are you patronizing me? You clever devil you… No, not Exactly, Mr. Clever. There are some traditional songs from centuries past, some from just decades past and some John wrote all on his own. Nicely blended though, so distinguishing which is which may be a challenge. The traditional songs are anything but your grandfather’s shanties. The originals could have been sung on the deck of clipper ship in the mid 1800’s. And the whole album skips merrily along with similarities with the contemporary indie likes of Conner Oberst and M. Ward, without abandoning the original folkies like Stan Hugil and Ewan MacColl. “It’s an eclectic, Lobscow Stew!” Why, yes, Chef Ramsey, I guess it is. Probably the only band with guitar, drums, fiddle and tuba as the primary instruments, with a smattering of banjo, ukulele and lots of sea salt for taste. There is a theme beneath the theme. Derelict is not always celebrating the sea. There are more moments when fists are shook in the sea’s general direction. Pleas and promises are made. A warning to other sea-farers starts and finishes the album and an outright challenge or two to the sea can be heard. Why the anguish? There is a longing for the “sweetheart ashore” peppering every song. When a loved one is left behind, the ship can be nothing more than a prison surrounded by the cold, cold ocean. “Wait, is this a concept album?” Oh, I wish it were, Mr. Jethro Tull fan, I wish it were.