John Guliak

“I’ve been running out of stories/I’ve been stealing Tom Waits songs,” sings Canadian John Guliak on the title track of this thoughtful, funny and rootsy effort. With a voice recalling fellow countryman Leonard Cohen, Guliak fronts a large folk ensemble as his deep, gravelly tone expresses quiet, rural concerns. “I’ll have plenty of time for the day,” he sings on “High,” and you can see him on the front porch of a cabin believing and living every word. Revealing covers of Richard Thompson (the gem “Shaky Nancy”) and Fred Rose show Guliak to be a troubadour with a key understanding of a song’s dynamics. Occasionally dark and somber, Guliak is the rare combination of songwriter and singer at home within the song–be that folk, country or a good combination of the two.