More than three decades ago, fledgling folkie John Gorka shelved a fully completed debut album that he has belatedly decided to release as Before Beginning (out July 22 on Red House). Both decisions were the right ones. There was nothing wrong and plenty right with the version he recorded in Nashville with producer Jim Rooney. It includes 9 of the 12 songs that Gorka and Red House would release two years later as I Know, and it has backing vocals from Shawn Colvin and Lucy Kaplansky. But it also has a studied earnestness in the performance of an artist who seemed more confident in his writing than in his singing. The guy who had performed these songs solo was trying to find a comfort level in the studio and with supporting musicians. So, rather than releasing this as his calling card to the world, he decided to try again. And then he shelved that and tried yet again, with the third effort, the one he released, tempering his vocals with warmer, fuller arrangements that made it sound less like basic troubadour fare. Now that he established himself as an artist with a fan base, listeners can hear his development in its formative stages, with sparer arrangements supporting his already mature songcraft. And enjoy the playful highlight of “Geza’s Wailing Ways,” one of those early efforts that somehow didn’t make the cut for the released version.
