It’s been awhile since the last album by CarbonWorks, but that 2017 caught my ear with its surfeit of creative ideas.
Guitarist/keyboardist/composer Neal Barnard hasn’t run out of ideas, as this latest album has him with Dolche, Lara Lotz and Martha Roebuck on (gorgeous) vocals, Allegra Havens/vi-va, Jeffrey Phelps/cel, Shea Roebuck/ba, Mike Stetina-JJ Bower/dr, and Bobby Read/sax. Bob Gray delivers the one song Barnard did not write and comes through on vocals, bass, and guitar.”
The strings create an ethereal atmosphere on “Tout Ira Bien” while modern strings rhapsodize on “Nocturne”. Read’s tenor rocks on the frenetic “Marie Osmole” and is dreamy on “Athena”. Most thoughtful is the collection of ideas and anthems on the dark and creative message of “International Anthem”, with the dirge-like “Song For An Angel” featuring Barnard’s gripping guitar work. There’s an operatic journey of “Sparrows” featuring some pulsating drums, while the album closes with a tender “Lullaby”, making you wonder what and who will show up for a gig. When are they going to hit So Cal?!?