CD Review: Carlene Carter "Stronger" (Yep Roc)
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It's hard to believe it's been 13 years since Carter released her last
album ("Little Acts of Treason"), and over 25 since she burst forward
with 1980's Nick Lowe-produced "Musical Shape." But eight years after
her last album, Carter was knocked flat by a year that could drain
anyone's artistic batteries: 2003 brought the passing of her partner
(Heartbreakers bassist, Howie Epstein), mother (June Carter Cash),
step-father (Johnny Cash), and sister (Rosey Carter Adams). Her
subsequent slip off the sobriety wagon dug the hole deeper, but also
provided a path to recovery, a new marriage and, finally, the focus to
turn a decade's worth of life material and personal growth into new
songs.
The album's first take was produced by John Carter Cash and sold at
live shows. Carter subsequently returned to the studio with John McFee
(Clover, Doobie Brothers) to kick the rework the songs and basic
tracks. The result is fuller and more refined, but still crackles with
the artistic renewal of a career reclaimed and the life force of a
spirit renewed. Carter sounds stronger in every sense, and opens
herself up to remember, grieve and rediscover the sunny side of life.
Her ten new songs (along with a remake of 1980's "I'm So Cool") range
from the country-rock opener, to the Carter Family sound of "To Change
Your Heart," and the rich guitars, pedal steel and waltz time of
"Spider Lace."
Carter addresses her troubles head-on with the title song's elegy for
her sister, revealing that recovery and newly found strength can be
found as the flip-side of tragedy and loss. It's tremendously sweet,
sad, sorrowful and hopeful. The heartaches pile up in "The Bitter End"
and "Break My Little Heart in Two," but the former affects the sort of
country tinged rock Dave Edmunds plied with Rockpile, while the latter
swirls around the dancefloor in a surprisingly non-chalant two step of
twangy pedal steel.
There are moments of pain here, but at mid-age they seem more
controlled rather than controlling, and balanced by awakenings of
happiness. Hope fuels perseverance on "To Change Your Heart," and the
optimistic attitude of "Why Be Blue" is highlighted by banjo and
twangy guitar. Carter's new husband, Broadway veteran Joseph Breen,
was both an instigator of and inspiration for her renewed interest in
songwriting, and duets on the tribute to Johnny Cash, "It Takes One to
Know Me." And lest you think that Carter's lost her youthful
rowdiness, she still sounds at home with the sassy lyrics of "I'm So
Cool," though McFee's modern production isn't as earthy and sleek as
Nick Lowe's original.
A hiatus as long as Carter's often suggests a creative dry well that
leaves an artist devoid of musical inspiration. But her time on the
sideline not only brought life experience that begat the emotional
material of great songwriting, but also the itch and drive to produce
a vital album of original music. Her voice shows no signs of rust
(only the deepening of age), and though many of her new songs are
rooted in the country-pop-rock of her early career, they still sound
contemporary. There's a lot to love here, whether you were a Carlene
Carter fan back in the day, latched onto country with the surge of
country-hybrids like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lucinda Williams or Deana
Carter, trace your tastes back to the original Carter Family, or
simply like honest country music with a kick. [(c)2008 redtunictroll at
hotmail dot com]