Jimmy Carpenter

Toiling in Obscurity

2009-10-23

This album feels like an emotional joy-ride; stealing his feelings for an hour or so, just to drive around with them. It's an impressively solid debut album. The liner notes say it's like a "soundtrack to [his] career." I can agree to that, the main thing holding these songs together is guy who wrote them; the songs on this album have a range of styles. I didn't mind. From the danceable bebop of “Upswing”, to the folk-poppy “On the Skids”, to the near-gospel style of “Shine a Light,” to the purely instrumental jazz of “Sinner Street” and “Prisoner of Love”, to the Latin-based sound of “Screeching Halt”, Carpenter pulls off every style of music he tossed on here, with excellent musicianship. Let's hope this first isn't also his last solo effort. Recommends: ( 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 ) ~ Chris Thomas

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Blues

  • reviewed 03/2019

    TOMMY CASTRO AND THE PAINKILLERS
    KILLIN' IT LIVE

  • reviewed 04/2018

    NICK MOSS BAND FEATURING DENNIS GRUENLING
    THE HIGH COST OF LOW LIVING

  • reviewed 12/2017

    JOHNNY NICHOLAS
    TOO MANY BAD HABITS

  • reviewed 09/2015

    Various Artists
    Muddy Waters 100

  • reviewed 08/2008

    KENNY NEAL
    LET LIFE FLOW

  • reviewed 11/2010

    THE STEVE WIGGINS BAND
    Precious Cargo

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.