Between Five and Seven

Between Five and Seven is (as the name suggests) the sixth studio album by folk singer-songwriter John Gorka. It was released in August 1996. It is the last of the five albums Gorka recorded for Windham Hill/High Street Records before returning to the smaller, Red House label. Gorka produced the album with John Jennings who also produced Gorka's previous record, Out of the Valley. Unlike the previous record made in Nashville, Tennessee, the recording was done at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, Minnesota and the instrumentation has been described as "more acoustic, less pop-oriented." Paisley Park is southwest of Minneapolis and is the studio designed and owned by the artist, Prince.

The album includes several lyrical portraits of Gorka's misfit characters, love songs, and philosophical musings. The songs are also full of the wordplay for which Gorka has become known.

The album features an impressive array of supporting musicians. Lucy Kaplansky and Jennifer Kimball add carefully placed harmony vocals to many tracks. John Jennings also brings along several other musicians who had worked with Mary Chapin Carpenter including drummer Robbie Magruder, guitarist Dean Magraw, and pianist Jonathan Carroll. Gorka's fellow Minnesotan Peter Ostroushko sits in on mandolin. As with many of Gorkas recordings Michael Manring plays fretless bass on nearly half of the songs. The tracks alternate between two different sets of instrumentalists which varies the pace of the music. The two bass players styles are distinct enough for the listener to recognize the difference.

Track listing
All songs written by John Gorka.


 * 1) "Lightning's Blues" – 3:54
 * 2) "Blue Chalk" – 4:41
 * 3) "Can't Make Up My Mind" – 4:10
 * 4) "The Mortal Groove" – 3:25
 * 5) "My Invisible Gun" – 2:58
 * 6) "Part of Your Own" – 3:29
 * 7) "Two Good Reasons" – 4:07
 * 8) "Airstream Bohemians" – 5:20
 * 9) "Paradise, Once" – 3:09
 * 10) "Campaign Trail" – 4:05
 * 11) "Edgar the Party Man" – 3:27
 * 12) "Scraping Dixie" – 6:27

Songs
This is one of few John Gorka albums without explanatory liner notes which leaves Gorka's source of inspiration for these songs unknown or up to speculation.



Lightning's Blues
"Lightning's Blues" appears to be a love song written from the unusual perspective of lightning—complete with references to forest fires, Benjamin Franklin, pressure systems, and weather fronts.

Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * J. T. Brown – bass
 * Jonathan Carroll – piano
 * Duke Levine – electric guitar
 * John Jennings – percussion and noises
 * Jennifer Kimball and Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
 * John Gorka – vocal and acoustic guitar



Blue Chalk
The title of "Blue Chalk" refers to the chalk used in billiards. The song introduces a pair of Gorka's characters a woman and a man. Gorka describes the male character's addiction:

"Blue Chalk" was first recorded by Irish singer Maura O'Connell for her 1995 album, Stories. More recently it has also been recorded by the New England–based bluegrass band, Northern Lights for their 2005 album, New Moon. It has also been covered in concert performances by Lucy Kaplansky.

Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * Michael Manring – bass
 * Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
 * Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
 * John Jennings – percussion
 * Jennifer Kimball and Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
 * John Gorka – vocal and rhythm guitar

Can't Make Up My Mind
In "Can't Make Up My Mind" Gorka creates a song about indecision through a series of paradoxical statements. Some of these are humorous in nature. For example:

Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * J. T. Brown – bass
 * Jonathan Carroll – piano, organ, and vocals (Ooh Baby Now)
 * John Jennings – the ubiquitous backpacker guitar,

tambourine & vocals
 * John Gorka – 12-string guitar and vocals

The Mortal Groove
"The Mortal Groove" is one of only two tracks not to include drums. Michael Manring's fretless bass is featured as a lead instrument and is even given a solo. The late winter mood of the song is like the classic "brooding" often used to describe Gorka's earlier work. The lyrics also revisit the urban themes of blue-collar jobs and gentrification found in writing for his earlier albums such as Land of the Bottom Line and Jack's Crows.

Musicians:
 * Michael Manring – bass
 * Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
 * Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
 * John Jennings – piano
 * John Gorka – acoustic guitar and vocals

My Invisible Gun
Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * J. T. Brown – bass
 * Jonathan Carroll – piano
 * Duke Levine – electric guitar
 * John Jennings – backpacker guitar and percussion
 * Jennifer Kimball and Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
 * John Gorka – acoustic guitar and vocals

Part of Your Own
Apparently a song written for Gorka's mother.

Soloist:
 * John Gorka – vocal and guitar

Two Good Reasons
"Two Good Reasons" is a love song.

Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * Michael Manring – bass
 * Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
 * Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
 * John Jennings – piano and percussion
 * Jennifer Kimball and Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
 * John Gorka – vocal and acoustic guitar



Airstream Bohemians
"Airstream Bohemians" introduces another pair of Gorka's characters apparently living in an Airstream, recreational vehicle.

Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * J. T. Brown – bass
 * Jonathan Carroll – piano
 * Duke Levine – electric guitar
 * John Jennings – baritone electric guitar and percussion
 * John Gorka – vocal & guitar

Paradise, Once
Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * Michael Manring – bass
 * Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
 * Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
 * John Jennings – baritone acoustic guitar, and percussion
 * Jennifer Kimball and Lucy Kaplansky – vocals
 * John Gorka – vocal & acoustic guitar

Campaign Trail
Between Five and Seven was released just months prior to the 1996 U.S. presidential election, this song, however, appears to be several years older. "Campaign Trail" is spoken from the point of view of a candidate who is apologetic, but still seemingly insincere:

At times the message appears to be of a more personal nature. Perhaps as a touring and performing songwriter, Gorka sees parallels between himself and the politician on the trial:

Unlike the other songs, the basic tracks of this one were recorded by Eric Paul at Imagine Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. An earlier mix of the song appeared on the EP, Motor Folkin' (Windham Hill/High Street Records, 1994).

Musicians:
 * Dave Mattacks – drums
 * J. T. Brown – bass
 * John Jennings – electric guitar, lap steel, organ, and percussion
 * John Gorka – vocal & guitar

Edgar the Party Man
Following his own forty-sixth birthday (nearly eight years after this album's release) Gorka proclaimed on his web site, "I am now officially older than Edgar The Party Man." "Edgar" is one of Gorka's characters, a middle-aged divorcé looking for a good time.

Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * Michael Manring – bass
 * Dean McGraw – acoustic guitar
 * Peter Ostroushko – mandolin
 * John Gorka – vocal and guitar

Scraping Dixie
"Scraping Dixie" is by far the album's longest track. The song profiles yet another of Gorka's misfits, this time a war veteran working various jobs throughout the south to avoid winter's cold. The imagery in the lyrics include lines such as, "I'll be fighting 'till they put that tree suit on."

Musicians:
 * Robbie Magruder – drums
 * J. T. Brown – bass
 * Jonathan Carroll – piano
 * Duke Levine – electric guitar
 * John Jennings – acoustic guitar, backpacker guitar,

percussion, and vocal
 * John Gorka – vocal and guitar

Credits

 * Produced by John Gorka and John Jennings
 * Bob Dawson – Engineer, Mixing
 * David Glasser – Mastering
 * Fred Harrington – Engineer, Second Engineer
 * Shane T. Keller – Engineer, Second Engineer
 * Laura Levy – Layout Design
 * Ann Marsden – Photography
 * Eric Paul – Engineer
 * Chuck Peters – Production Assistant
 * Jim Robeson – Engineer
 * Tommy Tucker, Jr. – Engineer
 * Candace Upman – Art Direction
 * Rudy T. Zasloff – Design