The Calling

by

Mary Chapin Carpenter

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Mary-Chapin Carpenter has always been a troubador in Nashville's clothing but there's no more chart room for her in Country Music now that they're looking for prefabricated pop stars with a twang. Their loss.

Freed from Nashville's constraints Mary-Chapin delivers possibly her best album ever. Eloquent, elegant and elegaic, she is a master of simplifying the most complicated truths and singing them in a melodious, sparse, straightforward manner.

Here she writes politically ("I'm the decider, like some kind of Messiah") on the brilliant "On With The Song" and a song about Hurricane Katrina refugees "Houston", as well as tenderly on "Closer And Closer Apart" about a disintegrating relationship and about just the opposite on "Here I Am." Other fantastic songs are the rocking "It Must Have Happened," "Twilight," "Why Shouldn't We," and the wonderful "Your Life Story" which asks the question "maybe love is all anybody should believe in?"

Something you can believe in is "The Calling" is an exquisite CD that is a must have for anyone who believes in clearheaded, intelligent songs lovingly delivered. Extra points for both the production and engineering which are pristine and flawless.

When you get The Calling - answer. Greatness awaits you.

You can see by my rating that I'm in the minority here. I was so disappointed with 'Between Here and Gone' I swore (and even wrote) I would think twice about purschasing another Chapin disk.

I did not take my own advice when it came to 'The Calling'. I purchased the disk site unheard. It starts off a lot more promising than her last one. The title song (and first cut) is the stand-out track, but for me, after that it just all goes downhill.

She is in fine voice, but the arrangements leave the songs to be bland and sounding mostly all the same.

I miss the MCC who was able able to mix up the introspective with the fun and funny...the country, the folk and the rock(ish). Even the 'controversial cut' of "On With The Song" seems forced. I can't help but think that the MCC of 15 years ago would have handled it better.

I'm all for maturing as an artist, but the last two disks I have been too similar and I have not even been able to play all the way through in one sitting. That's not a good sign.

I expect to get all negative feedback on this review, but I guess it is just something I'll have to live with.