“For me, this is an album that’s focused on growth and maturity, but it’s not deadly serious,” says front man Barry Privett. “I wanted to examine my life and the lives of my family and friends and do it with a little bit of a wink. The last thing I wanted to do was get all dark and overwrought.”
Privett and his bandmates dodge that pitfall with aplomb on Nothing Rhymes With Woman, the much-anticipated follow-up to the acclaimed 2006 offering Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat. As ever, the quintet -- recently joined by drummer Jason Neal, a veteran of the southeast’s club circuit, and Seattle bassist Jon Markel -- challenge themselves and listeners by steadfastly refusing to retrace old steps, bringing in like-minded collaborators (like Toby Lightman, who brings a burnished tone to her vocal parts on the gritty “Meltdown”) and taking off in plenty of new directions of their own accord.
That sense of freshness, to hear Privett tell the tale, has a lot to do with the relaxed nature of the disc’s recording, which took place in their Richmond, Virginia backyard. “This time, we did something we hadn’t done in a long time, and that was to just throw away the timeline altogether,” says the singer. “We waited until everyone believed in every single song without any doubt or questions. It was a return to the days of doing music for the sheer joy of just doing it.”
The joy he’s talking about proves contagious throughout the 13-song disc, both in sonic touches like the soaring harmonies that buoy “Indecision” and the instantly relatable vibe of narratives like the nostalgic childhood flashback “X-Ray.” The tones are certainly varied -- things get more than a little misty on “Pink,” a poignant tale of a woman battling serious illness -- but they’re invariably free of artificiality. Every color here is one that one can find in nature.
“A lot of the songs are about getting back to your roots,” says Privett, who reckons the band gained a lot of traction by spending a considerable stretch of time close to home, as opposed to its usual relentless touring slate. “You know, holding onto the touchstones that keep you grounded in reality. They’re easy to lose sight of sometimes, and often you need reminding. Fortunately, we have friends and family that will do that in no uncertain terms.”
Nothing Rhymes With Woman finds the Virginia-based band firmly in touch with its roots -- the Celtic tinge that cloaks “Pink” is reminiscent of Carbon Leaf’s passel of self-released discs. Throughout the set, however, the quintet affirms a commitment to moving forward, kicking out the jams a bit more aggressively on the sinewy walking blues “Another Man’s Woman” and interpolating the rich organ playing of longtime Dave Matthews Band keyboardist Butch Taylor on several tracks, including the arresting opener “Indecision.”
“It’s always been really important to us to keep an organic feel to what we do,” says Privett. “For us, recording this album was like a renewal, kind of like the coming of spring. In a way, it’s very sensual, very sexual, gentle and mellow in spots, but also acknowledges a fair share of optimism and a re-awakening to new possibilities.
In 2004, Vanguard released Carbon Leaf’s breakthrough disc, Indian Summer, which earned rave reviews from sources like The Washington Post, which marveled at Privett’s ability to “capture the emotional ache of a twenty-something as he watches his friends scatter to the four corners of the world”. For the next year and a half, the quintet would set about winning over audiences while on tour -- a recipe that helped "Life Less Ordinary" and "What About Everything?” up the charts.
That winning streak continued with Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat, a darker collection, recorded in Nashville, that showcased other facets of the Carbon Leaf sound and rose to number-three on Billboard’s Top New Artists chart. “We definitely stretched ourselves on that album,” says Privett. “It was unsettling in a way, but definitely helped us find ourselves.”
Reunited with producer John Morand, who manned the board for Indian Summer, Carbon Leaf takes the proverbial next step on Nothing Rhymes With Woman. The multi-instrumental web woven by Carter Gravatt and Terry Clark provides a perfect backdrop for Privett’s tenor, which hovers ethereally on “Lake of Silver Bells” and cuts with the precision of a knife wielded by a master chef on the poignant “Miss Hollywood.”
“I think ’Miss Hollywood,’ like a lot of the album, has a kind of feminine energy, which helps explain the title,” says Privett. “It’s that balance of strength and fragility, of keeping dreams in check, but not forgetting where they came from. It’s a positive and nurturing energy, and that’s the feeling we’d like people to come away with when they listen to the album.”
Barry Privett: Vocals, guitar
Terry Clark: Guitar, vocals
Carter Gravatt: Guitar, vocals
Jason Neal: Drums, percussion
Jon Markel: Bass
Flood
Carbon Leaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Peaceful town square. We float in on streams of air.
(if you take note don't stop and stare)
White steepled church we perch upon
The fenceposts, trees, poles wirelines
We stay up high
Birds eye View
Silly Humans, why burn your bridges down?
Quick, kick your feet around
Should you never condone flash flood for medicine?
Live where you don't belong.
Just Cause. Don't judge your weatherman
Every year convention here. One by one we come
Survey the quality of your damage done
Bluejayjackdawloggerheadkingbirdwhipporwillblackbirdblack bill ed
Magpiefinchravenhermitthrushblackcrow
CRUSH FLOW
FLOODS come from RAIN falls from the SKY drinks back the FLOOD
It cycles like the leaves (and so do we)
Silly Humans...
Concientious Objectors. (but we have no conscience and we won't object...'cause we're as right as rain)
We know it's only human nature is not kind
Even birds must take their bath sometimes
(too much oil on the wings is a dangerous thing)
We're your bitter partisan. Familiar, welcome enemy
Devoted couriers. Cleanse and drain. Binge and purge.
The lyrics of "Flood" by Carbon Leaf talk about the impact of floods on both humans and nature. The opening stanza describes a peaceful town square that is suddenly engulfed by floods. The birds, who are the singers of the song, perch on the fenceposts and trees, observing the chaos below. The song questions human actions that contribute to such disasters, urging them to go with the flow and not burn down their bridges.
The next verse talks about the convention of birds that happens every year in the same place. The chorus emphasizes that floods are cyclical and a natural part of the environment. The lyrics highlight human apathy towards nature, mocking the notion of conscientious objectors who don't have a conscience and don't object to anything. The song mentions the danger of oil on the wings of birds, drawing attention to the environmental damage caused by humans.
The final lines of the song talk about the irony of the birds being the "welcome enemy" of humans, performing the critical function of "cleanse and drain" by binging and purging.
Overall, the song's message is a powerful commentary on the cyclical relationship between humans and nature. It highlights the haunting consequences of human-caused natural disasters and begs for reverence towards our environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Over Prudence Hall we fall. Unassuming, quiet all.
We descend over Prudence Hall, peaceful and quiet without causing a stir
Peaceful town square. We float in on streams of air. (if you take note don't stop and stare)
We glide into the peaceful town square, if you notice us, remain calm
White steepled church we perch upon
The fenceposts, trees, poles wirelines
We stay up high
Birds eye View
We rest on white steepled churches, on fences, trees, poles and wire-lines, at a high altitude, observing everything from above
Silly Humans, why burn your bridges down?
Should you go with the flow? (Drip dry)
Quick, kick your feet around
Humans, why destroy the connections between you? Should you follow the path of least resistance and take things slow? Move quickly, adapt to the current situation
Should you never condone flash flood for medicine?
Live where you don't belong.
Just Cause. Don't judge your weatherman
Have you ever considered utilizing a natural disaster for beneficial purposes? Live outside your comfort zone, without judgment towards your decisions
Every year convention here. One by one we come
Survey the quality of your damage done
Bluejayjackdawloggerheadkingbirdwhipporwillblackbirdblack bill ed
Magpiefinchravenhermitthrushblackcrow
Every year, we come together at this convention, surveying the damage done. Listing out different bird species observed during the process
CRUSH FLOW
FLOODS come from RAIN falls from the SKY drinks back the FLOOD
It cycles like the leaves (and so do we)
Silly Humans...
Crushed by the flow of water, floods come from rain which falls from the sky and then returns as a flood. It's a cyclical process, just like our own lives. Humans, always silly...
Concientious Objectors. (but we have no conscience and we won't object...'cause we're as right as rain)
We know it's only human nature is not kind
Even birds must take their bath sometimes
(too much oil on the wings is a dangerous thing)
We're your bitter partisan. Familiar, welcome enemy
While we're extolled as conscientious objectors, we actually have no conscience, we won't object since we're perfect. We're all aware of the inhumanity of the human race. Just like birds, they also need to cleanse themselves. However, this isn't always beneficial as it may cause damage in large amounts. Even though we're your enemy, you're still familiar with us and we're fond of it.
Devoted couriers. Cleanse and drain. Binge and purge.
We're dedicated messengers, it's either flooding or drought. Excess water will be eliminated swiftly
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: B. BOSSI, D. IYALL, F. ZINCAVAGE, L. CARTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Caleb Hilston
I would love to see a lot more throwbacks :)
Adam Salzer
Look at how young you all are! I love these flashbacks.
Shorts4Fun
That scientist is my papa