Customer Reviews

Comfort for the Traveler

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Just when you may have thought that all remaining possibilities of genre mixing had been exhausted by rock's more contemporary virtuosos, such as Beck, Joe Henry or Steve Earle, here comes Utah Carol. And if you thought the Flock of Seagulls had nothing to do with Country music, think again. Here is yet another experiment in which seemingly distant musical genres are wisked together in the same bowl, and the results are dazzling.

Airplanes recalls the early work of Aimee Mann, particularly Voices Carry, as it is every bit as celestial and conjures a mellow interpretation of the 80's rock ambiance that is at once refreshing and nostalgic. However, the rollicking, folksy tune that follows suggests that no one song on Comfort For The Traveler entirely nails down utah Carol's artistic vision, and later tunes, such as the primitive country/folk ballad When We're Apart or the rocking, Cure meet REM tune, Silver Space Rocket, enforce Utah Carol's standing as one of the most inventive and versatile artists in contemporary music.

At once Neil Young and Robert Smith, Pete Seger and Cyndi Lauper, Utah Carol's Comfort For The Traveler is aptly titled, as it serves as the perfect soundtrack for an autumn drive into the variegated wilderness of Vermont, or even just the morning commute. Utah Carol may not exactly be filling stadiums, but her musical vision does indeed contain multitudes, appealing to a wide spectrum that ranges from 80's nostalgia to Willie Nelson. That is a rare achievement, in any era.

Wonderwheel, the home-grown debut by this husband-wife team named after a Marty Robbins cowboy hero, was one of my favourite albums of the summer of '99, its addictive blend of bittersweet Americana and art-pop sounding like a hillbilly fairground taken over by a couple of kids on mushrooms. More than two years on (it takes time with no budget, a home studio and the determination to enhance the CD with a short, dreamy animation film), second album Comfort... retains their distinctive sound on even stronger songs. There's a sense in their often floaty melodies of goind around and around, like eddies in a stream (When We're Apart, The Way of the Buffalo). And the cantering Promised Land and easy-riding Misfits evoke cowboys on a carousel horse.

Utah Carol, as you can tell from their name, hail from Utah, United States. An unknown corner of the planet to most, it is known to many people from the Utah Jazz, the basketball team. So, too, Utah Carol are unknown to us also, as they have not acheived a following here, unfortunately. Accoustically, the prose which blossomed in the past year like Kings of Convenience, come close in the new disk to putting things in order, with the words Utah Carol themselves pen with mastery.

Country, blues, folk and rock ballads which sometimes meld into gospel and also psychedelic, Donovan and Dylan, Grateful Dead, Simon & Garfunkel emerge in Comfort for the Traveller in its beautiful melodies, exceptional voices, revealing for us an incomparable unkown from the other end of the Atlantic, which unfortunately noone cares to bring to our shores.

With the first listening of the second self-produced album of this duet of Chicago, the listener tends already to pass by again in loop the title of opening: "Airplanes," with its rhythmic hopping, its vocal harmonies XY and its pop obviousness could have been reproduced on the "Buildings and grounds" of Fritas Fritas - in whom it would have largely exceeded all the remainder besides. To stop there would raise however of the professional misconduct, so much this disc impresses finally by its melody facility, its discrete elegance and its smoothness of interpretation. Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis, the thinking heads of Utah Carol (the name of the group comes from a song of the cow-boy of Nashville Marty Robbins) do not hide their membership of the American tradition of the poetry of great spaces: "Angel" for example sounds like a ballade old-time of the Appalachian Mountains subtly electrified and "Promised Land" is completed by a gigue with the accordion as one can hear some in make-dodo of Louisiana (probably played synthetizer but what imports). And the parts of violin and pedal-steel do not play as often enluminures but provide to the songs a hypnotic melody architecture which forces admiration ("Find a Way," "When We're Apart", you will complete the list yourself). Add with that in the pop register with guitars impeccable "Airplanes" already quoted and "Silver Space Rocket" and you will have an idea of an eclectic without being hold-all and traditional disc without being a passeist. The comparisons are consequently easy: of Walkabouts with the feet separated of the clay, Yo Tengo of "Fakebook" (disc of bedside for full people and finally for me also) and productions of Nitszche Jack for Neil Young on "Way of the Buffalo," ultimate point of organ of an album which leaps of peak in peak with the lightness of its soles of wind. Marvellous surprised and a very beautiful revelation. (French to English translation by Altavista.)

Comfort for the Traveller is the second album release from Chicago based duo Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis. Strangely mysterious and often haunting the album shows a strong progression from their debut album release "Wonder Wheel". Varying layers of orchestral sounds tinged with the luscious voice of JinJa Davis creates a vintage collection of surrealist dreamy melodies which as the album title suggests provides comfort for the weary traveller.

The album opens with the childlike lullaby "Airplanes" which has a tinge of "Fairground Attraction" mixed with a country beat. The core is undoubtedly country but steers away from "Hillbilly yipping and Ye hawing" for a more sedate dreamy pop vibe which works brilliantly complementing JinJa's subtle vocals. Catchy upbeat melodies, acoustic guitars and girly harmonies come together throughout the album on songs like "Silver Space Rocket" and "Angel". A more rustic country core appears in songs such as "When We're Apart" and "Dandelions". These contrasting styles blend seamlessly on the album with a clear clarity and focus.

From the boy meet girl perspective you cant beat the passionate and dreamy "Find a Way" which epitomises the albums direction. Strong yet simply lyrics lending beautifully to JinJa Davis's serene and calming vocals and backed with vibrant instrumentals.

On a whole "Comfort for the Traveller" is the perfect long journey accompaniment. Sublime vocals and the right blend of backing makes this record a true tour de force for Utah Carol.

The fragile Wonderwheel, the first cd by Utah Carol, was an exercise for the astoundingly beautiful Comfort For The Traveler, Utah Carol's second album. Pop, folk and Americana melt together and give a dreamy sound because of the drawling community singing of Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis (think about lounging buzzing bees) who comprise Utah Carol. The best thing about it is no one sounds like Chicago's finest. We hear the past: Beach Boys, British wave combo Young Marble Giants, a glimpse of country lifted up into the modern presence, including a little hip hop scratch. Some instrumentals with nice titles such as (the funky) "Soda Fountain" and (the film music of) "Cowboy Pop Song" give this album some relief. Personal favourites are the love song "Find A Way" (with a beautiful guitar line), the jangly pop of "Silver Space Rocket," "Angel," (is this the album's single?), the pop tune "Airplanes," the tragic song "Misfits" and the almost polka "Promised Land." I notice most of the songs I mentioned are on the 'first side' of the cd and that has to do with the fact the the second part is a bit more experimental. Comfort For The Traveler is a search for paradise on earth and therefore a hymn of praise to nature and love--although there is not a happy end. The last song "The Way Of The Buffalo" is about killing nature. At that time also love breaks up. A sad end, but doesn't sadness often lead to beauty? The first 500 copies have a little bookwork.