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Stones in the Road was an eagerly awaited album from Mary Chapin Carpenter; the runaway success of Come On Come On established her as a bona star in the country and up-and-coming AAA radio formats. For this offering, she tipped her sound down to its basics and returned to the core of her music -- namely, her folkier singer/songwriter roots. Although the lyrics are among her best and the songs thoroughly memorable and beautifully literate, Carpenter cut back on the number of hooks in her melodies, creating a palette that required closer listening to appreciate. There were no immediately radio-friendly hits to be found here -- though radio did indeed pick up on it and the album did exceptionally well. Previously, she found a balance between the lyrical and musical aspects of her writing, walking a tightrope between words and hooks. Here, she concentrates on lyrics, giving the listener something that might require working a bit to appreciate -- but also something to hold on to. And craft never leaves Carpenter's songs; these are as finely wrought as anything she's ever done and better than most. There are uptempo tracks here, such as "House of Cards," the dreamy "A Keeper for Every Flame," the retro pop/rock sound of "Tender When I Want to Be" (a song Bruce Springsteen could have written and most likely deeply influenced), the single "Outside Looking In," and the barroom rocker "Shut Up and Kiss Me." But even these are lyrically more involved than those on earlier records. The moodier pieces here include the title track, the transcendent "John Doe No. 24," and the brilliant "The End of My Pirate Days." Carpenter and producer John Jennings hired a crack band that included drummer Kenny Aronoff, keyboardist Benmont Tench, guitarists Lee Roy Parnell and Steuart Smith, and backing vocalists Trisha Yearwood, Linda Williams, and Shawn Colvin. The sound of Stones in the Road is moody and very introspective at times, but it is never less than engaging and even pleasant. This is a worthy if startling entry in Mary Chapin Carpenter's catalog.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
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Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Background Vocal - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Linda Williams, Background Vocal - John Jennings, Producer - John Jennings, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Jon Carroll, Piano - Jon Carroll, Acordeon - Alan O'Bryant, Background Vocal - J.T. Brown, Fretless Bass - Stuart Duncan, Mandolin - Stuart Duncan, Fiddle - Robin Williams, Background Vocal - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Robbie Magruder, Drums - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Matt Rollings, Piano
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Background Vocal - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Background Vocal - John Jennings, Producer - John Jennings, Electric Guitar - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Don Dixon, Bass - Steuart Smith, Electric Guitar - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Kenny Aranoff, Drums
1994 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - James Saez, Recording Engineer - John Jennigns, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Don Dixon, Bass - Didier Deutsch, Mastering Engineer - Steuart Smith, Electric Guitar - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Benmont Tench, Piano - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Darcy Proper, Mastering Engineer - Kenny Aranoff, Drums
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Background Vocal - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - John Jennings, Background Vocal - John Jennings, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Electric Guitar - John Jennings, Percussion - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Stewart Smith, Electric Guitar - J.T. Brown, Bass - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Robbie Magruder, Drums - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Matt Rollings, Piano
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - John Jennings, Guitar - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Don Dixon, Bass - Steuart Smith, Electric Guitar - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Trisha Yearwood, Background Vocal - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Kenny Aranoff, Drums
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - John Jennings, Background Vocal - John Jennings, Guitar - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Don Dixon, Bass - Steuart Smith, Electric Guitar - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Trisha Yearwood, Background Vocal - Benmont Tench, Piano - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Kenny Aranoff, Drums - Lee Roy Parnell, Electric Guitar
(P) 1994 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - John Jennings, Electric Guitar - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Jon Carroll, Piano - J.T. Brown, Bass - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Robbie Magruder, Drums - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - John Jennings, Piano - John Jennings, Bass - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Jon Carroll, Piano - J.T. Brown, Fretless Bass - Steuart Smith, Electric Guitar - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Robbie Magruder, Drums - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
James Saez, Recording Engineer - Branford Marsalis, Soprano Saxophone - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - John Jennings, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Background Vocal - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - John Jennings, Guitar - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Don Dixon, Bass - Shawn Colvin, Background Vocal - Steuart Smith, Electric Guitar - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Paul Brady, Background Vocal - Benmont Tench, Piano - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Kenny Aranoff, Drums
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Don Dixon, Bass - Steuart Smith, Electric Guitar - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Benmont Tench, Piano - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Kenny Aranoff, Percussion - Kenny Aranoff, Drums
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
James Saez, Recording Engineer - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - John Jennings, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Matt Rollings, Piano - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Producer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Composer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lyricist - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Performer - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Acoustic Baritone Guitar - John Jennings, Guitar - John Jennings, Producer - James Saez, Recording Engineer - Don Dixon, Bass - Steuart Smith, Electric Guitar - Denny Purcell, Mastering Engineer - Dave Chavez, 2nd Engineer - Benmont Tench, Piano - Bob Dawson, Recording Engineer - Kenny Aranoff, Percussion - Kenny Aranoff, Drums - Lee Roy Parnell, Electric Guitar - Matt Rollings, Piano
(P) 1994 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Album review
Stones in the Road was an eagerly awaited album from Mary Chapin Carpenter; the runaway success of Come On Come On established her as a bona star in the country and up-and-coming AAA radio formats. For this offering, she tipped her sound down to its basics and returned to the core of her music -- namely, her folkier singer/songwriter roots. Although the lyrics are among her best and the songs thoroughly memorable and beautifully literate, Carpenter cut back on the number of hooks in her melodies, creating a palette that required closer listening to appreciate. There were no immediately radio-friendly hits to be found here -- though radio did indeed pick up on it and the album did exceptionally well. Previously, she found a balance between the lyrical and musical aspects of her writing, walking a tightrope between words and hooks. Here, she concentrates on lyrics, giving the listener something that might require working a bit to appreciate -- but also something to hold on to. And craft never leaves Carpenter's songs; these are as finely wrought as anything she's ever done and better than most. There are uptempo tracks here, such as "House of Cards," the dreamy "A Keeper for Every Flame," the retro pop/rock sound of "Tender When I Want to Be" (a song Bruce Springsteen could have written and most likely deeply influenced), the single "Outside Looking In," and the barroom rocker "Shut Up and Kiss Me." But even these are lyrically more involved than those on earlier records. The moodier pieces here include the title track, the transcendent "John Doe No. 24," and the brilliant "The End of My Pirate Days." Carpenter and producer John Jennings hired a crack band that included drummer Kenny Aronoff, keyboardist Benmont Tench, guitarists Lee Roy Parnell and Steuart Smith, and backing vocalists Trisha Yearwood, Linda Williams, and Shawn Colvin. The sound of Stones in the Road is moody and very introspective at times, but it is never less than engaging and even pleasant. This is a worthy if startling entry in Mary Chapin Carpenter's catalog.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:55:30
- Main artists: Mary Chapin Carpenter
- Composer: Mary Chapin Carpenter
- Label: Columbia
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
(P) 1994 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
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