Ramblin’ Soul
Thirty Tigers, 2022
8/10
An aptly titled record from an artist who has had the good fortune to tour around the country and perform, Melissa Carper adds more grooves and an emphasis on an upbeat demeanor across her R&B, jazz and country influences.
The title track opens the listen with Carper’s inimitable old time feel amid soulful backing vocals, warm guitar, playful piano and frisky drums, and “Zen Buddha” follows with an upbeat rhythm that sounds like should soundtrack a dance at a saloon with its lively guitar work.
Arriving near the middle, “That’s My Only Regret” finds itself in intimate territory with aching pedal steel guitar and stirring fiddle, while “Hit Or Miss” strums an acoustic guitar with folk friendly ideas that are as timeless as they are memorable.
Close to the end, the agile clarinet and charming piano of “Holding All The Cards” helps make this one of the album’s best, and “Hanging On To You” exits the listen with strategic organ, crisp drums, and, of course, Carper’s very distinct and alluring pipes.
A record that often seems like it could have been penned in the ‘40s, Carper also flirts with western swing, soul and bluegrass, and the covers of Brennen Leigh and Odetta only further solidify this as her best work yet.
Travels well with: Sad Daddy- Way Up In The Hills; The Local Honeys- The Local Honeys