Once there was a festival and now there are many. So many that they have become something of a subculture in themselves that needs to be fed with constant musical nourishment. Cynical as that probably sounds, it is nonetheless a plausible explanation for the proliferation of nice roots type bands that are more darling than daring. That leads me on to The Porch Creek Family Jugband who, more likely than not, are already on a tour of festivals and fringes throughout the world. Come to think of it, isn’t it almost ironic that the flipside of this vinyl single is a cover of Money” (That’s What I Want)”?
Sitting on the top side of the vinyl, “Way Down Gone” is a good natured song, right enough, with nicely played banjo leading the song along the yellow brick road. Mellow, soulful female vocals add icing to the cake and that’s about all you can say about this song. Festival friendly (That’s What They Want)?
“Money (That’s What I Want)”, on the aforementioned flipside, is similarly good natured in feel but is, let’s be honest, nothing more than a pedestrian cover. Perhaps The Porch Creek Family Jugband were actually practising irony with their choice of song but I seriously doubt it.