Live Shows: Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh, & Melissa Carper, Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation, Waltham, MA 3/2/23

Since I discovered Melissa Carper's excellent 2021 album Daddy's Country Gold and Brennen Leigh's also excellent 2022 album Obsessed with the West, I've wanted to see them but kept seeing separate tours skirting New England. When I saw that the two of them were doing a handful of Northeast dates, and were playing as a trio with alternative country icon Kelly Willis, I knew I couldn't miss out.

The only date that worked out for me was at Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation, which I was excited about. It's a museum dedicated to American industry from the 1800s to today in a converted mill, and performances are held in the old boiler room with forty foot high ceilings. It's an interesting and unique space for a concert, and somehow the sound was perfect in a giant brick room certainly not designed for music.

For their ninety minute set, Willis, Leigh, and Carper rotated songs, starting with Leigh's "Blue Eyed Dog," then "Fool's Paradise" by Willis, and Carper's "Back When." They did this throughout their entire set, telling stories behind the songs and making the type of jokes friends do at each other's expense. It was a fun night of music, and you could tell the three just enjoy playing with each other. There was a great moment after they played "Billy & Beau" that was written by Leigh and Carper where Willis mentioned that her song "What the Heart Doesn't Know" had similar lyrics ("The heart wants to go where the heart wants to go" versus "The heart doesn't know what the heart doesn't know") and joked about how the lawsuit was affecting the tour. There was also a great moment when we all discovered Willis is a Trekkie when Carper's "Makin' Memories" turned up in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. 

The three played a show effortlessly together, with perfect harmonies and all three equally sharing the spotlight. What sticks out the most from the evening is how amazing of a guitar player Brennen Leigh is. She shined with a solo in virtually every song without taking anything away from the vocals. Also, I knew Melissa Carper had an amazing voice, but live it is just mesmerizing.

Melissa Carper Covers Odetta

Photo by Lyza Renee

We're suckers for a good cover here at If It's Too Loud..., and we certainly aren't going to miss Melissa Carper covering the iconic Odetta. Carper takes on Odetta's 1970 song "Hit or Miss." It's a complete reimagining of the song, with Odetta's original being steeped more in blues and soul while Carper's version is more folk and country with the blues roots kept in. The cover version is a little more laid back, too. It's the kind of cover that has an artist making a song in their own style while keeping what's great about the original intact. Plus, if you're not familiar enough with Odetta, it's a great reminder to check out the legend's music.

You can listen to Melissa Carper's version of "Hit or Miss" below. Ramblin' Soul is due out November 18 on Thirty Tigers/Mae Music. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Melissa Carper, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

Melissa Carper · Hit or Miss

11/9 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Red Dragon*

11/10 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Red Dragon*

11/11 - Taylor, TX @ Black Sparrow Music Parlor*

11/12 - Fischer, TX @ Devil’s Backbone Tavern*

11/13 - Galveston, TX @ Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe*

11/17 - Dallas, TX @ Poor David's Pub

11/18 - Little Rock, AR @  White Water Tavern

12/1 - San Antonio, TX @ The Lonesome Rose

12/2 - Austin, TX @ State Theatre 

12/3 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall 

12/4 - New Orleans, LA @ Cafe Istanbul

12/7 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle

12/8 - Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic

12/9 - Nashville, TN @ Station Inn

12/10 - Knoxville, TN @ Boyd’s Jig & Reel

12/11 - Berea, KY @ Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge

 

* w/ Kelly Willis & Brennen Leigh

Melissa Carper - "Ramblin' Soul"

Photo by Lyza Renee

If you're familiar with the classic country sound of Melissa Carper, you already know exactly what a song from her called "Ramblin' Soul" is going to sound like. This is just a pure country song about having the urge to travel around, which is one of the most classic country song tropes out there. Carper nails this with an upbeat yet still laid back song that injects just enough soul in it for "Ramblin' Soul" to still be country. The joy of traveling throughout the country by driving around is palpable in this one. If you love old school country, you won't want to miss this one.

Melissa Carper says of her new song:

“I had just spent time with some musician friends and was feeling re-energized. On this trip, I realized just how much that free, ramblin’ life I’ve lived over the years has stimulated my creative process.  Arkansas, Texas, and Tennessee have been states I just keep making the rounds to, as well as New Mexico and Minnesota, so these places made their way into the song. I say 'you can't keep me in a hole, 'cause Lord I'm a ramblin' soul.' By that I mean, if something isn't working for me and making me happy or it seems I've gotten in a rut somewhere, then I move on to whatever the next thing is that feels right, or I get out of town for a bit to find some new inspiration and fresh perspective.  That is really the gist of it, trying to go with the flow of life wherever it seems the Universe is guiding me."

You can watch the video for "Ramblin' Soul" below. Ramblin' Soul, the album, is due out November 18 on Mae Music/Thirty Tigers. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Melissa Carper, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates can be found below the video.

11/9 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Red Dragon*

11/10 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Red Dragon*

11/11 - Taylor, TX @ Black Sparrow Music Parlor*

11/12 - Fischer, TX @ Devil’s Backbone Tavern*

11/13 - Galveston, TX @ Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe*

11/18 - Little Rock, AR @  White Water Tavern

12/1 - San Antonio, TX @ The Lonesome Rose

12/2 - Austin, TX @ State Theatre 

12/3 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall 

12/4 - New Orleans, LA @ Cafe Istanbul

12/7 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle

12/8 - Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic

12/9 - Nashville, TN @ Station Inn

12/10 - Knoxville, TN @ Boyd’s Jig & Reel

 

* w/ Kelly Willis & Brennen Leigh

Melissa Carper - "Ain't a Day Goes By"

Photo by Aisha Golliher

I personally loved Melissa Carper's 2021 album Daddy's Country Gold to the point that it was my #9 album of last year. Now she's back with a new song and upcoming album. "Ain't a Day Goes By" is that pure classic country sound that we all love from Carper. This just sounds like something that could have been recorded in the 1970's, but somehow it still sounds modern. It's a vintage sound, but it sounds like a lost country classic from fifty years ago that was recently discovered and re-recorded. "Ain't a Day Goes By" even has elements of soul and gospel just to hammer home that vintage country sound.

"Ain't a Day Goes By" was originally written in 2014 following the death of Melissa Carper's dog Betty. Carper explains:

“This song is very emotional for me. It was difficult to go through my Dad's death, then my Mom's death only a year later, and really, in a sense, losing my younger brother to severe mental health issues that have changed his personality completely. Betty's death crushed me because she had been through it all with me. The grief just started pouring out at that point. I wrote ‘Ain't A Day Goes By’ within a year of her death, but could not sing it without crying until recently, so I haven’t performed it much in my shows. Now, it gets its rightful debut on Ramblin' Soul because it is a true soul song.”

You can watch the video for "Ain't a Day Goes By" below. Ramblin' Soul is due out November 18 on Mae Music/Thirty Tigers. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Melissa Carper, check out the artist's website.

Sad Daddy - "Arkansas Bound"

Photo by Melissa Brawner

Sad Daddy are the kind of country band that can record in a cabin in Arkansas and sound like they did without it being cutesy at all. Their latest single is the Melissa Carper written and sung "Arkansas Bound." This song is just pure down home country and folk. It's the kind of song that could very easily have been a throwback or referred to as old timey, but Sad Daddy make it sound modern despite the fact that it is timeless. Although it could have been recorded any time over the last seventy or so years, something about "Arkansas Bound" feels modern.

Melissa Carper says of the new song:

“‘Arkansas Bound’ was inspired by living in the big city and longing to go back to a slower pace of life in the country, surrounded by nature. I was making a lot of trips from Austin, Texas, back to Arkansas at the time and once I would hit those winding country roads in the Ozark Mountains, a sense of relief would come over me. I’ve been drawn to cities to find the inspiration of various music communities but I really have never loved living in a city. I have spent a good deal of time in and around Eureka Springs, Arkansas, which is a tiny town in Northwest Arkansas, in the Ozarks. There is something about the country there that keeps drawing me back in.”

You can listen to "Arkansas Bound" below. Way Up in the Hills is due out January 28 and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. For more on Sad Daddy, check out the band's website.

Sad Daddy - "Charlie Pickle"

Photo by Annemarie Sundell

We first discovered Sad Daddy because one of their members is Melissa Carper, but turns out they've been a band since 2010. All four members (which also include Brian Martin, Joe Sundell, and Rebecca Patek) met up in Martin's cabin in Greers Ferry, Arkansas during the 2020 lockdown and started working on a new album. Eventually they brought in recording equipment and recorded in the cabin live in a circle. The first single from the forthcoming album, "Charlie Pickle," sounds exactly like it was recorded this way. This is pure downhome country. It's a sound that predates what we think of as classic country. It just sounds like a group of friends hanging out and playing music. Despite being as rootsy as it could possibly be, there isn't a shred of that hokey or winking you get sometimes with this type of music. "Charlie Pickle" is classic American roots music that you're simply going to love.

You can watch the video for "Charlie Pickle" below. Way Up in the Hills is due out January 28. The album can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. For more on Sad Daddy, check out the band's website.

Ken's Best of 2021 - #9: Melissa Carper - Daddy's Country Gold

While most artists on my top 10 of 2021 are ones we have covered previously, Melissa Carper came out of seemingly nowhere for me. Her album Daddy's Country Music sounds (and the cover kinda looks like) one of those cassettes you would have seen in truck stops and convenience stores with a "Nice Price" sticker. This album is filled with perfect classic country songs. If anything, it sounds like it could have been a legacy artist's greatest hits album since songs sound like they could be from different decades. Plus, Carper injects more than a little jazz into her classic country sound. Besides just killer classic country songs, Carper also has a little subtle sense of humor that pops up here and there. This is obvious with a song title like "Would You Like to Get Some Goats?" (although the song itself is quite heartfelt), but also pops up in "Makin' Memories" when she tries to remember someone's name. Daddy's Country Gold is the kind of album for people that complain that they just don't make music like that anymore.

Songs of note: "Makin' Memories," "I Almost Forgot About You," "Back When," and "Many Moons Ago"

First Listen: New Releases for 19 March

Artist: Melissa Carper
Album: Daddy's Country Gold
Quick Thoughts: That this came out the same week as a Loretta Lynn album is amusing, because this is some great throwback country. The retro feel from presentation to the actual music feels pure and honest, which isn't always the case with country acts that seem to keep their tongues in cheek. But when you have a song like "Would You Like to Get Some Goats?" how can you resist?
Songs of Note: "Back When," "Old Fashioned Gal," "Would You Like to Get Some Goats?"

Artist: Friedberg
Album: YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH
Quick Thoughts: This is only a five-song, 16-minute EP, but my goodness, it is all killer no filler. The first four songs are all addictive poppy bangers, and the closing track, "Your Hollywood," cools things down perfectly. This is probably my favorite overall release this week.
Songs of Note: "Pass Me On," "Lizzy"

Artist: Lana Del Rey
Album: Chemtrails Over the Country Club
Quick Thoughts: I know that Lana Del Rey can be polarizing, but I think there's a feeling that her aesthetic trumps her ability, and that's probably unfair. Yeah, she's a unique voice with a singular look and feel, but these are damn good songs, and if they're not getting stuck in your head, why? I recommend giving this one a shot - it's not really much of a change from her previous fare, but it's good for a reason.
Songs of Note: "Chemtrails Over the Country Club," "Dance Till We Die"

Artist: A.A. Williams
Album: Songs from Isolation
Quick Thoughts: More pandemic tunes, but these are excellent cover songs. I can't resist interesting reinterpretations, and A.A. Williams's style of quiet, introspective folk-style music serves many of these songs quite well. It doesn't hurt that she picks a number of interesting songs to provide the reinterpretation treatment.
Songs of Note: "Lovesong," "Every Day is Exactly the Same," "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans"

Artist: Ghost of Vroom
Album: Ghost of Vroom 1
Quick Thoughts: This is a new Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing) project, and it's pretty great. I was hot and cold on Soul Coughing, but when it worked, wow did it work. This mostly works as well, and it's got a sort of modern twist to it that doesn't feel like an old retread. If you like Soul Coughing or any particular Doughty projects, this is worth your time.
Songs of Note: "More Bacon Than the Pan Can Handle," "Revelator"

b>Artist: Beebe Gallini
Album: Pandemos
Quick Thoughts: Just wanted to highlight this one. Beebe Gallini is not a name I'm familiar with, but this is a fun retro pop/garage-rock record that just works. It's super catchy, has a little grit to it, and is an album I'm excited to go back to this week,
Songs of Note: "To Love Somebody," "My Way of Thinking," "Little Sister"

Artist: Janet Simpson
Album: Safe Distance
Quick Thoughts: Janet Simpson is quickly becoming a favorite for both of us here, and for good reason. This is excellent roots-rooted music that also feels a little fun and subversive. It's always great to trip up on these records, and this one is one of those gems that shouldn't stay hidden.
Songs of Note: "Nashville Girls," "Reno"

Artist: Middle Kids
Album: Today We're the Greatest
Quick Thoughts: Another album that I don't have a ton to say about, but holy crap when it's on it's on. There is no dearth of poppy, melodic stuff throughout the album, but some of the songs in here are some of my favorites of the week. Definitely worth a spin in your rotation.
Songs of Note: "Questions," "Golden Star," "I Don't Care"

Artist: Alex Somers
Album: Siblings/Siblings 2
Quick Thoughts: More a performance piece of experimental art than anything else, this is still a really wonderful soundscape of beautiful music. It's exactly what I'd expect some high-quality ambiest-leaning music to sound like on a whole. While these aren't albums that you pick and choose some songs for a mix, this is one you just need to immerse yourself in.

Artist: Jenn Champion
Album: The Blue Album
Quick Thoughts: This is surely going to annoy some Weezer diehards. It shouldn't, because this is a fun little minimalist cover album from an artist doing some highly overlooked work as is. It's mostly just a synth and a drum machine, and might just be a single Casio for all I know, but it's still a pleasant listen and a unique-yet-faithful interpretation of Weezer's debut. A true highlight is "Surf Wax America," which is a near-perfect song when Weezer performs it, but Jenn Champion's overall aesthetic turns it into a song that wouldn't seem out of place on a 1980s synthpop record.
Songs of Note: "Undone," "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here," "Surf Wax America"

Artist: Boise Cover Band
Album: Unoriginal Artists
Quick Thoughts: This is basically a reissue of a 2002-ish collaboration from Built to Spill's Doug Martch, a series of songs and covers developed through some casual sessions with friends during a BTS hiatus. It's an interesting listen, especially their take on "Back on the Chain Gang," and BTS fanatics will find this endearing.
Songs of Note: "Ashes to Ashes," "Strange," "Back on the Chain Gang"

Of note:

* Mint Julep - In a Deep and Dreamless Sleep
* Jane Inc. - Number One
* Alice Phoebe Lou - Glow
* Indonesian Junk - Living in a Nightmare
* Palm Ghosts - Lifeboat Candidate
* Meemo Comma - Neon Genesis: Soul Into Matter
* Triptides - Alter Echoes
* Too Much Joy - Mistakes Were Made
* Loretta Lynn - Still Woman Enough
* New Pagans - The Seed, The Vessel, The Roots, and All
* Leah Callahan - Simple Folk

EPs:

* Joe Pug - The Diving Sun (Side A)
* Becca Mancari - Juniata
* Serj Tankian - Elasticity
* Show Me the Body - Survive
* Maria DeHart - Quarantunes

Also out:

* Chad VanGaalen - World's Most Stressed Out Gardener
* Sunburned Hand of the Man - Pick a Day to Due
* Arcade Fire and Owenn Pallett - Her (Original Score)

Melissa Carper featuring Sierra Ferrell - "Back When"

Photo by Aisha Golliher

When you call your upcoming album Daddy's Country Gold, you're opening yourself up to comparisons. The title just sounds like a cassette of country classics you'd buy at a convenience store or truck stop. Melissa Carper backs that sound up. Her latest single, "Back When," is indeed country gold. Except for the modern recording, it sounds like a song that could have come out any time between the 1950's and 1970's. It's going to immediately make you think of artists like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, and Hank Williams. Carper does inject a little more jazz and soul into her voice, giving songs like "Back When" such a classic and timeless vibe. Plus, another newfound blog favorite, Sierra Ferrell, joins her on this one for some additional vocals, and it's just as perfect as it sounds!

Melissa Carper says of the new song:

 "A lot of my songs are based on my real life experiences and with 'Back When' every single word of that was lived and true. I started writing it a bit after a breakup while longing for the relationship I once had with someone--that is, the beginning of the relationship when we were in love and everything was wonderful.  It was written with a hopeful desire that things could be as they once were, and though that never happened, I feel like this song does have that hopeful air that maybe 'back when' could happen again, for any relationship that has lost that spark.”

You can listen to "Back When" below. Daddy's Country Gold is due out March 19. For more on Melissa Carper, check out the artist's website.