A six piece “country folk” band from New York City, The Good Morning Nags have honed their skills over the past couple of years busking in the Big Apple with Central Park, Greenwich village and various subway platforms regular venues. Presumably in an effort to catch the attention of passers by they are a raucous lot, kicking up a veritable storm for what is essentially a string band (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo, bass and skiffle like percussion).
Drawing from Appalachian music and its associated Celtic roots they fairly whizz through the opening ‘Sugar Baby’ tackling this traditional song like as if they were hopped up on amphetamines. ‘Blackberry Bush’ opens with tremendous banjo and mandolin dancing around each other before the tune evolves into an Irish sounding quickstep. At times they remind one of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band circa ‘Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy’ especially on ‘Cripple Creek’ while ‘Good Morning Girl’ actually approaches Nashville territory despite its traditional trappings with guest singer Allegra Edwards joining in on its infectious chorus from which the band draw their name.
Despite having only seven short songs the EP is varied with the band delivering a field holler of sorts on ‘I Wish My Baby Was Born,‘ another song with a Celtic lilt, in this case suggesting that The Dubliners might have been at home in the deep south. ‘Love Like No Other’ meanwhile is a relatively straightforward love song although the band continue to saw away as if they were The Dillards. It’s all great fun and bodes well for a proposed full length album from these stand up guys. If you’re heading off to New York anytime soon look out for them when you’re on the subway.
Summary
An infectious string band jaunt from a bunch of seasoned buskers
