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In this day of specialized labels, specific tastes, and narrow radio play lists, it seems that the number of artists that attempt to break new ground with each CD release is rare. Many artists are practically forced to simply recreate a sound that will keep a fan-base intact and not alienated. There are great acts that are great at doing such “controlled reinvention”. Drive by Truckers, Coldplay, Kathleen Edwards and Ryan Adams are some recent examples of artists that continue to be exciting, by only slightly branching-out without drastically altering their sound (Adam’s Rock & Roll being a bit more than a minor alteration to his previous sound). On the other side of this coin are artists that seem to suffer from an amazingly creative and fruitful form of amnesia. Instead of pulling something out of the back-catalog to remind their fans what makes them great, they simply decide to create something new that may or may not leave folks wondering,”what happened”?? My Morning Jacket displayed that sense of excellent reckless abandon with “Evil Urges”. Another artist who has decided that the ways of the past are not necessarily those of the future is Carrie Rodriguez, with her second solo album, She Aint Me.
Don’t get me wrong, this album isn’t too drastic of a departure from her previous solo album, Seven Angels on a Bicycle. That album was excellently written and beautifully produced, just as this one is. The departure is from her work as the duo partner of Chip Taylor. The collaboration with Taylor is what made her a well-known and respected fiddle player, writer and vocalist. Her twangy vocal style, snappy fiddle and overall fresh perspective was the engine that drove the duo’s albums to the top of Americana charts for several years. With She Aint Me, Rodriguez fully exposes herself as an artist that is far more than a simple fiddle playin’ side-woman.
The first 4 tracks of the album, “Infinite Night”, followed by the title track, then “Rag Doll” and finally, “Absence” are better than many ENTIRE albums I listen to on a weekly basis. I hate comparisons, especially ones that are very likely obvious and over-used, but I dare you to listen to these tracks and not think of Lucinda Williams. Both artists posess voices that are distinctive and instantly recognizable, add to that these first 4 tracks showcase a range of tempo, attitude and vulnerability that should make any singer-songwriter envious, as Williams has been doing for years. With “Rag Doll”, Rodriguez delivers what is likely my favorite vocal performance of the year, if not longer. To say the song is heart-breaking is a severe crime of understatement. During the chorus, as she sings to a lover that likely doesn’t deserve her love, “I feel like a floppy rag doll” and “I make it hard to love me“, Rodriguez’s voice reaches an aching whisper that somehow displays the strength of a cry. That fragility, mixed with her catharsis propels this track from a simple song about troubled love into a story that leaves more questions than answers about how the subjects will end up. Before you ask, if you haven’t already, yes, Rodriguez’s fiddling prowess is featured in various spots on the album. The fiddle’s most prominent role is in the cut, “Absence”. A feeling similar to that of greeting an old friend hits as this song plays out, reminding us that this is a performer who wants us to know that she may be giving other instruments a turn, but her love lies with the fiddle.
Over the length of the disc, we see guitar, piano, and the fiddle employed to a wide array of tempo and production. The cuts that feature mainly acoustic guitar, piano and Rodriguez’s vocal are songs that could be turned into cheesy VH1-ready “girl love songs” if in the hands of someone else. Tracks such as the closing, “Can’t Cry Enough” contain a depth that glossy radio and TV typically have a hard time fully grasping.
Fans of “Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez”, please take note, and save your worries, She Aint Me is an absolute triumph on every level. The same angelic twang, expert musicianship and vivid storytelling are as present here as they ever have been. Creating diversity inside of a body of work for an artist can often times be risky. When someone with this quality of vision and ability looks to try something new, the risk becomes the listeners reward.
i’m not sure which is my favorite album of the year so far, shelby lynne’s just a little lovin’ or she ain’t me. i see jackson browne has a new one coming out & so does rodney crowell and of course little honey will be out this year, great time to be a music fan.
Here’s a review from Philly:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20080811_Rodriguez_blossoms_at_Tin_Angel.htmlPigeonhole Carrie Rodriguez at your peril. Sure, she’s done a lot of duets. She plays a fiddle (a mean one at that.) She’s recorded songs with a pleasing, folksy twang. But don’t think you know what you’re getting.
Not yet 30, and with a critically-acclaimed solo record and several well-received duet records in her wake, the classically trained singer/songwriter has just begun flexing her artistic muscles, still figuring out how far her talents will take her. If you’re looking for someone playing it safe and sticking to tried-and-true ways of music making, as the title of Rodriguez’s daring new album aptly states, SHE AIN’T ME.
Infinite night was a good start to the album, leading to title track She Ain’t Me debuted at Americana Radio last week at 22. Over all itz one fine album i would rate 7/10.
Carrie Rodriguez’s new album, She Ain’t Me has just been release in the U.S. and Canada via Manhattan/Back Porch (EMI).
NOTE: It will be released in other parts of the world in January, February, and March of next year.
CD giveaway contestFor my beloved readers* wait no longer I have 2 copies of Carrie Rodriguez’s newest album for giveaways =) All you have to do is answer a simple question.
Q:What is the title of Carrie Rodriquez’s newest album?
Send in your entry to enquiries@lost-nomad.ws in the format: (name, age, Your Answer, address) and who knows you might just be one of lucky winners.
http://lost-nomad-rulez.blogspot.com/2008/08/cd-review-carrie-rodriguez-she-aint-me.html
August 18, 2008
Carrie Rodriguez – ‘She Ain’t Me’ (review)
For those who’ve followed the short career of Carrie Rodriguez, her new album She Ain’t Me will sound like a change in direction. As duet partner to Chip Taylor and on her debut solo record Seven Angels On A Bicycle, Rodriguez not only established herself not only as Taylor’s apprentice of sorts (he wrote the lion’s share of the songs on Seven Angels) but as a notable fiddle player as well. That second aspect no doubt drew the attention of folk music fans – those most likely to be alienated by Carrie Rodriguez version 2.0.She Ain’t Me finds Rodriguez leaning more heavily on her own songwriting – albeit with help from Gary Louris, Dan Wilson and Mary Gauthier – and letting her fiddle play, er, second fiddle to her singing. The performances are notably tighter, eschewing the cool, laid back vibe of Seven Angels. Malcolm Burn’s production gives each tune a sparkling sheen, and it’s fairly obvious that the artist or the label (or both) thought it was necessary for Rodriguez to extend her base. That’s likely to put off some fans, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Whereas Seven Angels took its time and incorporated quite a few jazzy elements (Bill Frisell’s guitar work, sax solos), She Ain’t Me feels tighter and more immediate. On the album opener “Infinite Night,” Rodriguez wraps her smoky voice around a pulsing guitar strum, heavier than probably anything on her debut. The title track is probably the flattest production number on the album (hello, obvious-first-single!), but Rodriguez goes a long way in salvaging it with an impressive vocal. “Rag Doll,” however, has a gorgeous acoustic shimmer, joined in the second verse by an equally lovely arrangement. “El Salvador” is perhaps the only track that would not have sounded out of place on the comparatively more upbeat Seven Angels. The back half of the album slows down just a bit, highlighted by the slow burn of “Let Me In” and the ache of “Can’t Cry Enough.”
Burn’s production work will sound familiar to those who have previously heard his work (think of Emmylou Harris’s Red Dirt Girl as a point of reference). For the first time in her career, however, Rodriguez allows her voice to be the star attraction (cynics might complain that the label is pushing her youthful good looks as the star attraction, but hey…). Certainly some will argue that without her fiddle, Rodriguez sounds diminished, but she makes up plenty of ground with some remarkable vocals. Though Bill Frisell is nowhere in sight, the excellent Greg Leisz returns to play a number of stringed instruments throughout the album. Rodriguez also contributes electric mandolin and tenor guitar.
Truthfully, I never listened that much to Seven Angels On A Bicycle, but I always seemed to recall that liked it. However, She Ain’t Me has sent me back to that album, and I obviously missed some of its considerable merits. Without a doubt, some of the charms of Rodriguez’s debut are missed on her new one (there is nothing quite as sexy and cool as “50’s French Movie,” for instance). But She Ain’t Me reveals Rodriguez to be a truly remarkable vocalist and a quickly evolving songwriter. This new album may not be better than its predecessor, but it definitely provides a more complete picture of Rodriguez’s talents. Whatever expectations fans had about She Ain’t Me, it’s clear that Carrie Rodriguez has taken a large step into the league of great female singer-songwriters like Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin.
http://houstonramblings.typepad.com/ramblings/2008/08/carrie-rodriguez—she-aint-me-review.html
Thank you for the links to Charlie & Carrie, Lefty. I heard a 45 minute interview with Carrie this weekend on the radio. She’s certainly having a great time working on the road. She’s pretty much been touring steady the last two years and I can tell you that it has paid off. She’s also playing fiddle in Alejandro Escovedo’s band when she can.
She mentioned working with Lucinda Williams earlier this year. She flew out to LA to have Lucinda sing on one of her songs. When Carrie got out there Lucinda said, “Oh, you have to have The Mama’s on this song, too”. The Mama’s are what she calls her backup singers. (Gia Ciambotti, Susan Marshall & Kristin Mooney). Carrie said that she also got to play fiddle on one of Lu’s new songs. She said that she hadn’t heard the whole record, but from what she heard, she thinks it’ll be a great one.i’m still loving carrie’s newest too……..she’s opening for / playing with alejandro tonight and i couldn’t make it……but hopefully paul will go and give us a report.
a friend said (who saw them last night in san diego)
no greg leisz or don heffington and less carrie songs made her show the month earlier, much better shows.
lisaI am a little late to the Carrie party, but I see she is coming to Minneapolis in November and she has been writing with two of our proud native sons: Dan Wilson and Gary Louris. Will have to check her out.
caught carrie last night at the beautiful lobero theater in santa barbara and she was brlliant as usual.
i gave her some shows to listen to on their way to joshua tree which made her very happy.
i gave her lucinda at the catalyst, dave alvin w/chris gaffney at the belly up in 06, and an amy winehouse show from the paradiso.
the opening band blew EVERYONE away…the south austin jug band/catch them if you can.
lisaI caught Carrie last night at the Redstone Room in Davenport Ia. I was initially a little bummed when she told us her drummer had to leave the tour. But the trio adjusted well by inserting a heavy dose of “roots appeal” that gave the songs a different sheen. Her singing was stronger than her appearance on ACL and her string work was stellar. She played one song solo on this (4) string acoustic that was one of several highlights of the night. Another was when she was joined on stage for an encore by the leader of the superb opening act “Romantica” for an absolutely beautiful rendition of “Danny Boy”. Great great show, my brother who didn’t know what to expect was blown away. Scott
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