Mike Goudreau Band – Just Wanna Have Fun
Independent Release
12 Tracks – 44 minutes
Mike was born in Newport, Vermont in 1965 to a French-Canadian father and an English mother and with a history of music in his family. He was subsequently raised in Stanstead, Quebec and explains that it was common for births in that small community occurred across the border in Vermont hospitals. He started playing the guitar at age 14 and now releases his 23rd album. His diverse interests and influences include The Beatles, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash and later Albert King, Freddie King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan among others. His work varies from jazz to blues, noting that he gets bored playing in only one genre, but says “no matter what I play it has to swing”. Some of his albums feature songs performed solely in French.
He has been equally in demand to produce music for movies and television. Movies with his songs include Dark Waters and Samuel Jackson starrer The Banker. He has been heard on TV shows The Flash, Gotham, NCIS Los Angeles, Chicago PD, Let’s Make a Deal, Justified, and many others.
In addition to Mike on guitar and vocals, the band consists of Dany Roy on tenor sax, trumpet and flute, Norman Lachapelle on bass, Richard Irwin on drums, Guy Belanger on harmonica, and Paul Shrofel on keyboards.
Mike composed all twelve original songs on the album and starts with the proclamation that I “Don’t Want to Go to Work”. but notes that “the kids need new clothes, and the roof needs to get fixin'”, but ties into the album title noting that “I just wanna have fun”. Mike’s guitar rips through the song with Dany’s trumpet paralleling alongside. “Mr. Foolish”, is a 60’s style soul song with a jazzy trumpet and sax centerpiece. Mike then asks, “How Can I Change Your Mind” in a bit of rock and roll as he begs her “to please don’t go away / I thought we had a good thing going / but I came to realize it wasn’t love that you were showing/ I didn’t see it in your eyes/ Hear my plea, no one will love you like me”.
He says she “does not need a four-leaf clover” as “She Found Me”. Guy’s harmonica is featured on “Can’t Quit You” as “your sweet love brings out the best in me”. “Big Black Dog” is another rocker.
He then shifts to a jazz instrumental “Junk in the Trunk” with Dany’s bouncy flute leading the way into a smokey guitar solo. The jazz feel jumps back in time with “Happy Since You’ve Gone”, noting how things have changed for the better since she is gone. “Country Cabin Hideaway” adds Frank Young on some bouncy guitar with a slight New Orleans feel.
He then begs her to “Come Home Baby”, “I can’t stand the thought of losing you” and “all i can do is pray that you will come back to me some day” as Dany’s harmonica again slides along in the song. On “Au Revoir Not Goodbye”, he asks that she “send him a postcard when she gets there”. He closes with “Hoppin’ The Blues”, another jazz instrumental providing each of the players an opportunity to have a lead.
Mike’s strong vocals and punctuating guitar work are always pleasant. The horns are part of the dominant instruments on most songs on the album, so those who prefer non-driven horn music might want to avoid this album.
