Maurice Hope – April 24, 2016 at 05:51PM
Tags:_AMERICANA
The listener can’t help but be taken by the easy rolling vocals and flow of Mary Chapin Carpenter’s music, it is hard to comprehend the fact The Things That Are Made Of is her umpteenth album, and that she still has the hunger to equal if not better her last effort! Produced for the first time by Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton) Carpenter has a new label in Lambent Light Records not only has him donate his skill on the controls but electric, acoustic, gut-string guitar, percussion, moog and mellotron. Annie Clements, Brian Allen (bass guitar), Chris Powell (drums, percussion), Mike Webb (piano, B3 organ, reed organ, mellotron, Fender Rhodes) and Jimmy Wallace (piano, B3 Organ) are the other players involved as she opens with killer cuts “Something Tamed Something Wild” and “The Middle Ages” and though “What Does It Mean to Travel” isn’t quite as sparkling and “Livingston” a little mellow Carpenter still cuts it as a recording artist.
Bustling as questions are asked on “Map Of My Heart” while the poetic “Hand On My Back” is a little dreamy, like with “The Blue Distance” the song provides the listener with a helping of melancholy. Carpenter’s mastery of lyrics is sure she could just as easily have been one of the outstanding novelists of her day. Such the feelings garnered on her songs. No song more so than the informative “Note On A Windshield” as she surpasses herself with arguably the strongest piece of writing on the record. Which says it all. As for the title-track “The Things That We Are Made Of” I feel it isn’t her best work, and certainly not the best indication of her talent or all-round strength of the record.
As the record progresses the music narrows, and becomes less fluid but still abounds in poignant imagery as she reflects on life as she questions herself of life’s journey through various emotional experiences. As in “Oh Rosetta” (as she draws on blues gospel legend) as she speak of the mysteries that surround us all, some more than others no matter who we are. Drenched in subtle keyboards and piano Carpenter’s unyielding desire to try and figure out some of life’s mysterious quirks and questioning of fate has rarely been stronger or her music more moving.
Maurice Hope
Footnote; July sees her perform at Gateshead’s Summertyne Americana Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival and Bob Harris’ Under The Apple Tree Festival (May 31st).
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