Waitin' in the Country (Arista, 2007)
Jason Michael Carroll
Reviewed by Rick Teverbaugh
Carroll took a step away from his North Carolina fundamentalist upbringing to make the secular music forbidden at home. That act of rebellion isn't lost in his music as it burns across songs with social implications, like the first single (and hit) off his album, "Alyssa Lies," a touching piece about what happens when nobody intervenes into a child abuse situation.
But he's far from politically active on most of his songs. He borrows from rocker Warren Zevon's idea for "I Can Sleep When I'm Dead." He also shares vocal work with Jewel for one of the highlights, "No Good in Goodbye," which also has a Jewel shared songwriting credit. The disc, produced by Don Gehman, best known for his work with John Mellencamp, has country roots with a dash of rock attitude and presentation. Not a bad debut at all.
CDs by Jason Michael Carroll
©Country Standard Time • Jeffrey B. Remz, editor & publisher • countrystandardtime@gmail.com
About • Copyright • Newsletter • Our sister publication Standard Time