The Goldebriars - Goldebriars (Bonus Tracks) (CD)

All Music Guide

The Goldebriars' debut album is cleancut folkpop with bright, high femalemale harmonies, sometimes foreshadowing the searing high harmonic blends typical of group member (and arranger) Curt Boettcher's later rock productions. At other times it sounds innocuous in a dated way, and redolent of those musical acts that straddle the line between wholesome school assembly entertainment and choruses for commercial jingles. That's a criticism that could be levied at some of Boettcher's more famous work, too, but it's much more pronounced here. It's nonetheless a little more interesting than the usual generic, commercial majorlabel folkpop albums of the dying days of the folk revival, with more of a rhythmic drive (including bass and a bit of tambourine) than many such period recordings. There's a decent variety of material, from traditional folk standards like "No More Auction Block" and singalong spirituals like "Old Time Religion" to originals and "He Was a Friend of Mine." [The 2007 edition... of the album includes bonus tracks.] - Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide Read more Less