Yuri Gohen – Who Killed Cock Robin?
Yuri Gohen is a folk musician singer-songwriter with a new album that’s a balance of four traditional and eight original folk songs, each of which has an equal measure of storytelling depth and integrity: Who Killed Cock Robin? Yuri hails from Pensylvania and has a distinctive style that’s all the richness of traditional folk played on a dark foundation that feels like touches of folk punk are twisted into the mix just under the surface. It’s a compelling listen as the style winds its way through timeless songs and into the confessional originals and back again.
The title track is a traditional song that asks the question “Who killed cock robin?” and then details everything that happens after the murder too. Yuri sings fluid high alto on the refrain with his slightly macabre personal touch and immediately the listener will be intrigued.
Traditional folk songs that endure typically feature layers of sophistication, and Yuri has chosen among them well for a meaningful listening experience, and incidentally the video for the title track is also studied and historically enlightening. “Sowing on the Mountain” is another intriguing traditional selection where Yuri plays in a loose and dirty bluesy sound: “you’re gonna reap just what you sow,” and then heterophonic gang vocals: “God gave Noah that rainbow sign, won’t be water, but fire next time.”
Then we get to a Yuri original “New Tattoo,” which is a song about the pain in a relationship: “I won’t be here much longer, since I’ve already shown that I’m no good, but if I took your hand would I make you understand? If you give me one more chance, I would.” Here the harmonica takes a power turn.
Another original “Billy Goat” pulls down the same sophistication as the traditional selections with vulnerable and quaking vocals, slide laying down some weight, and: “it was all a mistake, death is just a step along the highway.” “I’m So Bad” (“that I’ll take you with me when I fall”) is a confessional number where the highlight is a touch of appealing eerie vocal – that’s Yuri’s signature style. “Big Fall” is a bit more shuffly with melodic acoustic guitar and there’s restraint “I’m getting ready for great big fall, it’s a long way coming and a long way to go, there is something going on below.” “On My Journey Home” is a traditional crafted in the heavier folk punk-borderline style with tambourine, hums, and harmonica reaching in and messing with your head.
The instruments are warm and live sounding in a way that’s rich and timeless, echoing a classic vision that is also contemporary in depth and in the manner in which the darkness is revealed. At times you sense a Violent Femmes energy pulsing beneath the surface of these folk songs as Yuri Gohen crafts them, if you listen with your head tilted the right way.
Check our his page on BandCamp here: https://yurigohen.bandcamp.com/album/who-killed-cock-robin
Musicians on Who Killed Cock Robin are Yuri Gohen on vocals, dobro, guitar, and kazoo; RJ Gilligan on drums, percussion, harmonica, guitar, and vocals; and Caleb Gohen on bass, guitar, and vocals.
The album was recorded and mixed by RJ Gilligan and mastered by Sweet Creek Studio, with cover art by Adelyne Rizzo.