In his liner notes. John Kruth admits the songs on Forever Ago, his 10th album, came from a mix of orphan songs and others written for this album. But you wouldn’t know it. The recording and performances by his collaborators La Società dei Musici sound like a band that has been playing together for a long time.
Recording with an Italian musical group in a studio in landlocked Umbria, Italy, Kruth faced challenges including the need to overcome language barriers. But if you have followed the one-time Milwaukee resident’s recording and writing career you already know he is always up for an adventure.
Unafraid to veer from silly to wistful, the songs range from a stripped down vocal/harmonica blues to an arrangement including a full-blown choir. He gets points for tasteful use of flute and harmonica, and the band is empathetic in serving the songs. Travel, religion, birds and out-of-doors are the obvious themes.
“Christmas Eve” adds the Bisse Choir to the true story of Milwaukeean Paul Finger who made a delivery of toys, fruit and candy “to some folks who lived across the river”; in “Old Communist” Kruth again relates the true story of Croation churches filled with former Communists with accordion and mandolin evoking memories. “Vacation” uses a delicate, droning melody to evoke the story of a nun suffering heatstroke at roadside that includes stop enough imagery to be a novel or a movie—heat, temptation, slow burning drama, metaphors, allusions, tragedy, hope. It is poetry in motion.
