DISClosure: Guy Clark • Michael Carpenter

DISClosure
CD Reviews Of A National Scale

Guy Clark
Cold Dog Soup

by Leslie B. Green

Guy Clark Songs can be defined as stories or poems set to music. Some are hard to decipher because the lyrics are hard to understand — either because they are difficult to hear, or because they are so cryptic, long discussions are held trying to interpret the artist’s meaning. (Maybe Michael Stipe really did just want a soda, “Orange Crush”.)
Neither challenge proves to be the case with Guy Clark’s latest release. Not only can you hear the words clearly, they actually tell stories — requiring no lengthy debate. Although, being from the Northeast and unfamiliar with Southern lingo, what exactly a pork pie hat or cold dog soup is remains a mystery.
The acoustic accompaniment is just that — accompaniment. The real attraction is Clark’s vocals. It’s as if it were recorded at a private performance rather than a Nashville studio. Most songs are written or co-written by Clark, borrowing others from Steve Earle (“Fort Worth Blues”), Richard Dobson (“Forever, For Always, For Certain”), and Keith Sykes and Anna McGarrigle (“Be Gone Forever.”)
Some may recognize the previously recorded “Men Will Be Boys,” a single for Billy Dean. Also familiar will be Emmylou Harris’s harmony vocals on “Be Gone Forever,” and “Fort Worth Blues.” Her familiar sound requires no confirmation by liner notes.

“Die Tryin’” is thought-provoking with “What’s the use in dyin’ if you don’t die tryin’.” A brief nudge to those who drift through life, not taking any chances.
With 12 tracks averaging three minutes each, the entire CD is relatively short. But that means more time to listen to all the tracks. (Sugar Hill Records, P.O. Box 55300, Durham, NC, 27717-5300, sugarhillrecords.com)

Michael Carpenter
Baby

by Mark A. Santanna

Michael Carpenter’s debut album Baby is the first attempt by this Aussie producer/engineer to jump the fence from technician to artist. This brainchild was born after Carpenter had a recording session cancelled on him — which compelled him to use that time to write the song “Love is Like” that appears on the album. Life served Carpenter lemons with the cancelled session but rather than fret, the artist decided to make lemonade. He chose to make the refreshing beverage when writing the song, and also got some very talented friends to help open up an entire stand by appearing on the album. Carpenter plays nearly all of the instruments on the album with a little help on background vocals from Paul Hakim, Eddie Owen, and Lachlan Williams.

The influences in many of the songs are easily discernable. Throughout the recording there are subtle nuances that constitute a Beatlesque feel. A classic rock influence can also be heard on the song “Changes” which opens with a riff that is very much like “Jumping Jack Flash” by the Rolling Stones.

That is not to imply that Carpenter is a song pirate, because music, by its nature, can never truly be new, it is just borrowed from its predecessors and regenerated. Carpenter may have broken up with his girlfriend prior to writing this material or experienced many lost loves, because he tends to get a little soppy and “I need you baby” on many of the songs. This effect can get quite nauseating to the faint hearted or those who are prone to severe allergic reactions to Velveeta (that’s cheesy songs for the slow ones).

The album while not a masterpiece is definitely worth some consideration, if for no other reason then to experience the sheer musicianship exhibited by Michael Carpenter. His talent to write, perform and produce an album is still apparent even if his girlfriend dumped him. After all, it probably wasn’t his fault. (Not Lame Recordings, P.O. Box 2266, Fort Collins, CO, 80522)