Americana singer-songwriter Mike McGuire travels a land of heavy weather, echoing church bells, sad tales and long memories.  But he never lets go of the one thing that binds us together:  Faith, in ourselves, in our future paths, in our country.  It’s something that adds a sustaining power to Beyond the Ark, even as the Louisville Kentucky resident deals with a number of damaging emotions.

That starts with a creeping dread on the opening “Cumberland River Blues,” as McGuire crafts a series of devastating images in the wake of Tennessee’s recent flooding disaster.  He sings with the weary acceptance of early Bruce Springsteen -- even as Phil Stirgwolt answers, phrase for phrase, with a plaintive guitar.  “Twelve inches of rain in 48 hours; Mama light a candle, we ain’t got no power,” McGuire sings, with every word sounding like a requiem. “Wrap the baby in a blanket, we’ll climb in this canoe. The Cumberland River’s angry and there ain’t nothing  we can do."   

Scott Kiper matches McGuire lick for rueful lick on the subsequent Katrina-themed “Leaving New Orleans” which, instead of the expected happy-go-lucky Acadian stomp, returns to the sweeping portent of McGuire’s initial track.  Dashing out ahead of the gathering hurricane-force winds, the Crescent City quickly becomes nothing but a fading rearview speck.  Just then, though, as McGuire surveys a truck filled to the point of tipping with all of his earthly belongings, he hedges a bit:  “I’m leaving New Orleans … but I’ll be back … I hope!” He can’t, he won’t, give up.

A glint of empathy, and hope, shoots through even the quietest, saddest moments on Beyond the Ark, and that’s what makes it special.
 

Nick DeRiso

SOMETHING ELSE!.... 

No Depression

Beyond The Ark:

Cumberland River Blues

Charlie Poole

Nobody Says Nothing{Quite Like You}

Twilight

Military Time

Roses For The Moon

Leaving New Orleans

The Streets Are Quiet On Christmas Day

I Count The Days