“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
When I'm Alone
Carbon Leaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wish you would have changed the locks
To keep me from replaying
All the feelings I've been saving
I did not keep them locked up inside
I did not take my steps in stride
Thought you were bluffing, trampled on you
Went from friends to nothing
And paves the way
To find my home
When I'm alone
Overeager and underway
I risked it all, I had to say
What opened me up for the beating
But the heart is for bleeding
With scraps of songs I paste along
The seams of my clumsy tongue
In hopes of creating the golden notes
That might bring you back to me
Radio turns to gold
And paves the way
To find my home
When I'm alone
Like phantoms on the highway
After holiday, gritting their teeth
Racing to find a place for their soul
Or at least a place... that's less familiar
We offer up our heart before
The heart's invited or asked for
Oh no, here I go my friend, I'm repeating
But the heart is for bleeding...
And I've said all I can say
I am retreating, on my way
Music box, play my song I'll sing along
To that bitterly sweet tone
When I'm alone...
The song When I'm Alone by Carbon Leaf speaks of heartbreak, longing, and regret. The singer in the song has opened up an old music box and wishes that the locks had been changed to prevent them from replaying and reliving the emotions they have been repressing. The lyrics suggest that the singer did not hide their feelings or take measured steps but instead acted rashly, which led to a fallout and the disintegration of the relationship. The singer finds solace in music, something that seems to be a constant source of comfort, and refuge in being alone, in a way reconciling with their own thoughts and emotions.
The lyrics suggest that the singer sought redemption but could not find it, and in the process, they ended up revealing too much too soon. They make a reference to other people on the highway who too seem to be running, searching for something that is less familiar. The words, "Oh no, here I go my friend, I'm repeating, but the heart is for bleeding..." imply that the singer has been down this path before and is going through the same feeling of heartbreak.
This song touches on the nature of relationships, how people put themselves out there and open themselves up to be hurt. It highlights the importance of music and how it can serve as a companion during hard times.
Line by Line Meaning
I opened up the music box
I revisited and reminisced about past memories and feelings
I wish you would have changed the locks
I regret that I still have access to those memories and feelings
To keep me from replaying
To stop me from repeatedly dwelling on these old emotions
All the feelings I've been saving
All of the emotions I've been holding onto for so long
I did not keep them locked up inside
I did not suppress or ignore these emotions, but instead aired them out
I did not take my steps in stride
I did not move forward with ease and grace in regards to these emotions
Thought you were bluffing, trampled on you
I underestimated your feelings and hurt you in the process
Went from friends to nothing
Our relationship went from being close acquaintances to strangers
Radio turns to gold
Music can be transformative and healing
And paves the way
Music can help guide the way through difficult emotions
To find my home
To find a peaceful and comfortable state of mind
When I'm alone
When I'm left to my own thoughts and feelings without distraction
Overeager and underway
Hastily and impulsively moving forward with my emotions
I risked it all, I had to say
I took a chance and expressed my emotions, even though it was risky
What opened me up for the beating
What left me vulnerable to emotional pain
But the heart is for bleeding
But the heart is meant to express and feel emotions, even if it's painful
With scraps of songs I paste along
I try to express myself through music and lyrics that resonate with me
The seams of my clumsy tongue
Even though I struggle to articulate my emotions, I still try my best
In hopes of creating the golden notes
In hopes of creating something meaningful and impactful
That might bring you back to me
That might help repair our relationship and bring us closer
Like phantoms on the highway
Like lost souls searching aimlessly
After holiday, gritting their teeth
Amidst the chaos and stress of the world
Racing to find a place for their soul
Desperately searching for meaning and comfort
Or at least a place... that's less familiar
Or even just a temporary escape from the struggles of life
We offer up our heart before
We offer our emotions and feelings before we're even asked to
The heart's invited or asked for
Before we're given permission or encouragement to express our emotional self
Oh no, here I go my friend, I'm repeating
I find myself falling back into old habits and emotions
And I've said all I can say
I feel like I've expressed every emotion I can
I am retreating, on my way
I'm stepping back from expressing my emotions now
Music box, play my song I'll sing along
I'll turn to music to cope with my emotions instead of expressing them further
To that bitterly sweet tone
To that emotionally complex and resonant melody
When I'm alone...
When I'm left to my own emotional devices
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BARRY THOMAS PRIVETT, CARTER GRAVATT, SCOTT ANDREW MILSTEAD, TERRELL H. CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind