Ramblin' Soul

Count this as a lucky ramble in Melissa Carper's beloved Dodge van (the subject of one of her 11 original songs) through the country music she inherited and grew up on and inhabits as naturally as her denims and vest. While showcasing her own creativity and good taste, Carper evokes numerous country idols, in the company of her slew of equally able and respectful instrumentalists. The first stop, the title-track, might have you in mind of Merle Haggard and his jaunty Bakersfield sound, were it not for Carper's insouciant girlish voice.

Love is regarded reflectively in the charming George Jonesy ballad, ‘That's My Only Regret’, and with a Tex-Mex tinge on ‘I Don’t Need to Cry’. ‘Texas, Texas, Texas’ celebrates the singer's home state with a Bob Wills kind of western swing, partnered by the zesty guitar and fiddle of Chris Scruggs and Billy Contreras, respectively. Odetta's soulful ‘Hit or Miss’ gets a perky reading, with the organ of John Pahmer and a trio of female singers backing up Carper. Her rib-tickling way with lyrics abounds on the quick-stepping ‘Zen Buddha’ and the Cajun-flavoured ‘Boxers on Backwards’. Carper seems to enhance every part of country that she visits.