Carbon Leaf
(Vanguard)
Nothing Rhymes with Woman, the latest release from Richmond, Virginia born Carbon Leaf, is a sound to which all folk rock musicians should aspire. Yeah, it's really that good. No album is perfect, of course. But this one comes close.
Consider "Miss Hollywood," the weakest track on the album: "Don't you cry on Oscar night/Lifted off from Mother Earth/To find her elusive smile/You can't buy authentic vibe." Ok, the lyrics are a bit corny but that's a minor flaw when you consider the flawless sound and vocal tone - think of how you'd talk to a young girl with broken dreams and you've got it.
The problem with Carbon Leaf is that so many of their songs flow so well with lyrics that are emotionally brilliant, it underscores any that have minor defects. It's why you don't want to stand next to the best looking person at the bar - even if you're as hot as [fill in celeb's name here] you set yourself up for unfavorable comparisons.
That's what we have here. When "Cinnamindy" begins - full of lilting acoustic guitars and poignant lyrics ("She's kids to raise/She's got bills to feed/And her pride is a higher horse/Than some bum of a man upon a steed"), it's clearly Blue Ribbon contender time. The same can be said of most of the other songs including the slow tempo ballad "Mexico" and "Seed" which has a hint of Celtic sound (trust us, it works) in the opening.
True, Nothing Rhymes with Woman, but it does spell success.
Standout Tracks: "Cinnamindy," "Seed" NANCY DUNHAM
