Carpenter, Mary Chapin / Ashes And Roses
Album: Ashes And Roses   Collection:General
Artist:Carpenter, Mary Chapin   Added:Oct 2012
Label:Zoe Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2013-01-12 Pull Date: 2013-03-17

Recent Airplay
1. Mar 29, 2022: Music Genealogy
Chasing What's Already Gone
4. Jan 06, 2015: funk to folk
Soul Companion
2. Nov 29, 2019: Traditions
Transcendental Reunion
5. Dec 31, 2012: Mixed Up Class
New Years Day
3. Oct 26, 2018: Traditions
What To Keep And What To Throw Away, Transcendental Reunion

Album Review
Be Sharp
Reviewed 2013-01-05
LIGHT COUNTRY POP. What’s to say? It’s Mary Chapin Carpenter: a 25-year career, millions of albums sold, multiple Grammy awards… an archetype of the pleasant sounding, folkie or slightly countryish, singer-songwriter. Good songs, good singing, good accompaniment by first-rate session players, but nothing especially innovative or exciting.

No FCC issues.

1 ** Mid-tempo. Nice melody; particularly good, deep, full-voiced singing. Airport arrival as metaphor for life is stretched a bit far, but a very good song nonetheless. (4:48)
2 ** Mid-tempo. Low, rich voice. Nice layered guitars, a touch of synth, steady bass & drums. Cleaning out her closet & straightening out her life. (4:35)
3 Slow. Wistful, sad, reflective. Mainly acoustic, with a piano bridge. A bit dreary. (4:07)
4 Mid-slow. Dreamy, folkie ballad. Mellow acoustic & elec guitars, piano, organ. (4:30)
5 * Mid-tempo. Americana (slightly country) ballad. A hint of pedal steel, nice piano. (5:00)
6 * Mid-slow. A good folk ballad. Pretty acoustic guitar. Low, smoky singing. (4:30)
7 Mid-tempo, 3/4 sway. An “on the road” song. Produced bigger & grander than the rest with electric guitars, accordion, etc. Sounds like it was meant to be the radio hit. (4:17)
8 * Mid-tempo. Classic singer-songwriter folk. Stripped down almost to just voice and acoustic guitar with just a hint of the electric instruments. Very good vocal. (4:24)
9 Mid-tempo. Peppy duet w James Taylor whose singing, as always, is perfect. But the song is trite, predictable, and over produced. Like something on a PBS oldies program. (4:02)
10 Mid-slow. Folkie. Mainly acoustic guitar & deep, smoky voice, with gentle accompaniment by the band. I liked #8 more. (4:46)
11 Mid-tempo. Another bit of Americana story telling. Good singing. Not a bad song. (4:55)
12 Mid-slow. A sad, mellow, folkish ballad. Good, but it doesn’t stand out. (4:21)
13 * Slow love song. Exceptional vocal accompanied only by piano and bass. (4:04)

Track Listing
1. Transcendental Reunion   7. I Tried Going West
2. What To Keep And What To Throw Away   8. Don't Need Much To Be Happy
3. The Swords We Carried   9. Soul Companion
4. Another Home   10. Old Love
5. Chasing What's Already Gone   11. New Years Day
6. Learning The World   12. Fading Away
  13. Jericho