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Editorial Reviews
Ashes and Roses is the new album from acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter on Zoë/Rounder Records. On this, her twelfth studio recording, Carpenter continues to produce writing that is nearly peerless in the way her compositions dig deep into the various extremes of experience. Highlights include the track Soul Companion, which features a special duet with James Taylor. Recorded in Nashville, the 13-track album was produced by Carpenter and long-time collaborator Matt Rollings (Lyle Lovett, Keith Urban) and recorded and mixed by Chuck Ainlay (Mark Knopfler, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson).
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
59 of 61 people found the following review helpful
By cdset
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I t's quite amusing reading the reviews of this superb, heart-wrenching collection of songs- not just here but by the "professional" critics as well. The opinions fall into one of two categories. They either find this CD unbearably dull or incisively beautiful. I agree with the latter- "Ashes and Roses" is hauntingly insightful and achingly lovely, as long as you have the patience to listen and absorb.
Whether you will take to these poignant expressions of loss and renewal will depend on what you expect from a song. "Sometimes it's hard to remember how tough we are to please," Carpenter sings in "Don't Need Much to Be Happy." In the age of Twitter and sound bytes, few people have the patience for extended exposition. Instant, quick and abbreviated are the key words for the current age. If you treasure brevity and overly catchy melodies in a song, you will be bored with this CD. If, however, you admire heartfelt narratives and multi-layered textures that explore grief, heartache, and the hope that springs eternal, you will, as I do, think "Ashes and Roses" a wonderful and necessary CD.
Carpenter articulates the entire grief process with vivid metaphors- Grief ("Learning the World," Swords We Carried," "Fading Away," and "Jericho"), Yearning ("Old Love"), Resignation ("What to Keep and What to Throw Away") and Hope for the future ("Another Home" and "New Year's Day"). The whole process is anchored by the opener, "Transcendental Reunion" where an airport serves as a striking metaphor for the journey we are all on together-toward redemption. Its a comforting thought to know we are not alone in our suffering, and this CD is food for the souls of adult listeners.
Whether you will take to these poignant expressions of loss and renewal will depend on what you expect from a song. "Sometimes it's hard to remember how tough we are to please," Carpenter sings in "Don't Need Much to Be Happy." In the age of Twitter and sound bytes, few people have the patience for extended exposition. Instant, quick and abbreviated are the key words for the current age. If you treasure brevity and overly catchy melodies in a song, you will be bored with this CD. If, however, you admire heartfelt narratives and multi-layered textures that explore grief, heartache, and the hope that springs eternal, you will, as I do, think "Ashes and Roses" a wonderful and necessary CD.
Carpenter articulates the entire grief process with vivid metaphors- Grief ("Learning the World," Swords We Carried," "Fading Away," and "Jericho"), Yearning ("Old Love"), Resignation ("What to Keep and What to Throw Away") and Hope for the future ("Another Home" and "New Year's Day"). The whole process is anchored by the opener, "Transcendental Reunion" where an airport serves as a striking metaphor for the journey we are all on together-toward redemption. Its a comforting thought to know we are not alone in our suffering, and this CD is food for the souls of adult listeners.
34 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the 12th studio album by American folk and country singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter. This album is about the loss, heartache, betrayal and ultimately strength or beauty : she had suffered personal trauma recently in the loss of her father, her divorce as well as her pulmomary embolism she suffered in 2007 and her long battle with depression. She has managed to come through all these and hence the title of her CD release 'Ashes and Roses' (13 tracks). It's a collection of great folk music : catchy melodical music composed on guitar chords/ guitar finger pick-ups or piano as in the closing track "Jericho". Stand-outs/gems/solid tracks include "Transcendental Reunion", "What To Keep And What To Throw Away", "Learning The World", "I Tried Going West" (up-tempo track with great guitar overdrive), "Soul Companion" (wonderful duet with the legendary James Taylor) & "Old Love". Great tracks include "Another Home" (great violin play), "Chasing What's Already Gone", "New Years Day" (wonderful guitar finger pick-ups) & "Jericho". Okay tracks include "The Swords We Carried" (jazzy folk track), "Don't Need Much To Be Happy" & "Fading Away".
On overall, Mary Chapin Carpenter is sharing her pain as well as her strength in overcoming pain in this new CD release 'Ashes and Roses'. She has great collection of folk music (catchy & melodical), well produced by Matt Rollings & recorded and mixed by Chuck Ainlay (both 'heavyweights' in the music industry). A highly recommended CD listening.
On overall, Mary Chapin Carpenter is sharing her pain as well as her strength in overcoming pain in this new CD release 'Ashes and Roses'. She has great collection of folk music (catchy & melodical), well produced by Matt Rollings & recorded and mixed by Chuck Ainlay (both 'heavyweights' in the music industry). A highly recommended CD listening.
36 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mary Chapin Carpenter, through her music, helped me through the loss of my wife. Three years later, from hearing only the samples here, MCC brought tears to my eyes. Her music is powerful and moving and in my case, life strengthening with the power to move beyond the death, but never forgetting the loss.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mellow
This is a very mellow Mary Chapin Carpenter album. Nice compositions as always. No real home-runs in it for me but just good quality stuff throughout.
Published 2 days ago by Jeff
5.0 out of 5 stars
mature Mary: depth and soul
I rediscovered the music of Mary Chapin Carpenter with "The Age of Miracles" a few years back and was delighted to find this CD at a local shop recently. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Donald E. Gilliland
2.0 out of 5 stars
MCC Unusually Disappoints
I once said that Mary Chapin Carpenter had never produced anything resembling a bad album. But much of Ashes And Roses sets the bar so low I fear Mary Chapin has forgotten how to... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Richard Mayes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just another favorite
I have yet to buy a CD from her collection that didn't inspire me. I'm a writer and listening to her music gives me idea's about what to write. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Marcia Terwilliger
3.0 out of 5 stars
SO SO
Ended up only liking a few songs on this album. Guess I'm not a dyed in the wool Mary-Chapin Carpenter fan. Lot's of the songs started sounding the same.
Published 2 months ago by oldcat
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Always the best songs. Love the CD and play it quite often. Would highly recommend to anyone liking her singing or not. Very nice.
Published 2 months ago by K. J. Hickman
3.0 out of 5 stars
Average Carpenter, but still better than most albums
I have been a Mary Chapin Carpenter fan since the days when she had a hyphen in her name. I once declared her second album the 'Best Release of the Week' in a newspaper column and... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Martin H. Franzen
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favorie artist.
Its good to hear from you again Mary.
Nice perspective on life as we age and all that we go through.
Nice perspective on life as we age and all that we go through.
Published 3 months ago by Dexter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mary nails it again
Mary Chapin Carpenter is a fabulous singer/songwriter. Her last album (The Age of Miracles) was outstanding, and I wondered if she could pull off another just as good in such a... Read more
Published 3 months ago by T. Carolin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mary Delivers Again
Mary Chapin-Carpenter has been wrongly labelled as 'country' for some strange reason. She may have a touch of country but I think she's more in the folk/rock genre. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mondo
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