In 2014, Mary Chapin Carpenter released some of her old songs re-recorded with a movie soundtrack-style orchestra.
For me, it didn't really work and I was pleased to see her go back to what she does best on this album, performing her knowing, aware songs over a backing dominated by her acoustic guitar but also by jangly electric guitars and muscular rock drums. The overall atmosphere is a dignified, slow-paced, considered one, however. She is in her sixties now and, as she always does, she gives us the benefit of her life experience on a collection of atmospheric and lyrically beautiful songs. She never lets me down, even after all these years.
Something Tamed Something Wild is a pleasantly sensitive but also quite upbeat song, with strummed acoustic guitar and a rock drum backbeat. Mary's voice is, as always, gentle, wise and quietly authoritative.
The Middle Ages has Mary looking back on her life, now she has reached middle age. It is a beautiful, mid-pace acoustic number and Mary delivers it perfectly, once again so real, so knowledgeable. One lives out one's life in MCC songs. What Does It Mean To Travel is a solid, slow number that ruminates on airports and travelling. Mary likes air travel imagery. It has appeared in a few recent songs.
Livingstone has MCC's voice in typical evocative form, giving us a sad, thoughtful song. Map Of My Heart reminds me of a Bruce Springsteen song from Working On A Dream, My Lucky Day I think, or maybe something off Magic.
Oh Rosetta is a laid-back, gentle number sung to blues guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe. It features an uplifting organ solo in the middle. It brings to mind Mary's Between Here And Gone song from the album of the same name. Deep Deep Down Heart has an affecting backing, but the sentiments are similar to those expressed on most of the album - philosophical, questioning, reflective, nostalgic yet still bravely optimistic.
Hand On My Back is the album's most sombre number, but again its words are inspiringly true. The Blue Distance ploughs the same moving furrow, with Mary again sounding wearily observational yet, as she aways does, coming across as courageously positive within all that almost intrinsic sadness.
Note On A Windshield is a sad song about Mary leaving her number on a potential romantic partner's windshield, but it gets washed away in the rain. The note gets used as a metaphor for their "ships in the night" relationship. Archetypal MCC.
The Things That We Are Made Of returns to the stark melody of Hand On My Back and The Blue Distance. The final two tracks, Between The Wars and the valedictory 88 Constellations, sincere and beautiful as they are, are probably a couple of these type of tracks too many for me. This has been a lovely album, but after an hour of it, it is time to get up, get some fresh air, take stock and maybe listen to something else. That is no way a criticism, just a reaction. I'd still choose Mary Chapin Carpenter as my ideal dinner party guest.
