“Without any doubt, John has established himself in the modern folk tradition on both sides of the Atlantic... (Fluke or Flounder is) a comeback album by an Alberta troubadour that puts a marker down for his place in folk affinity. 8/10”
John Guliak is a Canadian singer-songwriter who has been performing roots music in Canada for over 20 years. His music contrasts the isolation of his prairie upbringing with his later experiences in the urban landscapes of Glasgow, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto. The songs that result from this perspective have been compared to those of other uniquely Canadian voices such as Gordon Lightfoot and Leonard Cohen. His whiskey and cigarettes baritone, described in Nerve Magazine as, "one of those character voices that should almost be trademarked," places him in the company of such singers as Merle Haggard, The Handsome Family's Brent Sparks and Rufus Wainwright. In 2004, he released 7 Stories and 13 Songs, the second CD for Mint Records that followed his 2002 début, The Black Monk. In 2016 he self-released Fluke or Flounder which was produced by Paul Rigby. In 2020 - 2022 John released three 3 song EPs - Fisherman, Farmer, Fool - each exploring different genres with the support of musicians from Edmonton, Vancouver, and Glasgow. John's live shows have been applauded for their honesty and intensity whether he performs solo or with his band Prairie Flounder that at any time will likely include some of your favourite local artists. In 2015 and 2016 he attended the Musician in Residence Program at The Banff Arts Centre, he also attended a 3 week residency at Rest For the Wicked in Brussels, Belgium in 2018 and a 10 day Residency with Linda McRae in Nashville, Tennessee in 2019. In 2022 John will be off for new adventures in Nova Scotia.
Press Photos
Photo by Eric Newby
Artwork by Betty-Ann Lampman