Carbon Leaf
Indian Summer

(Vanguard)

T.J. Simon's #5 album for 2004

First Appeared in The Music Box, August 2004, Volume 11, #8

Written by T.J. Simon

Great Celtic rock can be found in the most unlikely locations. In this case, Richmond, Virginia has been the hiding place for a largely undiscovered band called Carbon Leaf. While R.E.M. is the most obvious influence pervading the songs on the band’s new album Indian Summer, it’s clear that the ensemble has an appreciation of mid-’80s U.K. power pop groups, such as Tears For Fears, Crowded House, and Dream Academy. This crisp, yet familiar, musical approach can be attributed to the flawless production by Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker bossman David Lowery.

Carbon Leaf’s lead singer Barry Privitt has a vibrantly strong voice that soars through the most relentlessly optimistic lyrics this side of The Proclaimers. The album delivers so many magnificent moments that it’s a difficult task to put a finger on any one favorite selection. An obvious choice is Let Your Troubles Roll By, an audio antidepressant with fiddles, drum loops, and acoustic guitars that easily qualifies as one of the year’s best tunes. With its unbridled lyrical buoyancy, This Is My Song! is another catchy contender, and although it takes a few minutes, even Paloma, the collection’s weakest cut, kicks into gear when Privitt’s Irish pennywhistle joins the jam. While Indian Summer may be the first non-self-released album in Carbon Leaf’s dozen year history, it won’t take long for the band to become well-known, thanks to both the wider distribution offered by a professional label as well as the high quality of the music crafted by the ensemble. ½

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Ratings

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2004 The Music Box