By Brian Rill
Carin Mari comes out of the gate running with her newest release, Rambling Daughter.
With much more experience and aplomb, she steps up to the microphone ready to bring her best performance yet. Carin’s vocals are sweet and strong in these songs. With patience and grace she approaches the melody and belts out her notes meaningfully and with a deep understanding that comes from the hard work of wading through the tepid waters of modern popular music. She still possesses the beautiful bright tenor voice that she is well-known for amongst her fans, although on this collection of tunes she presents a more well- rounded and confident approach.
The title track, Rambling Daughter, offers some interesting melodic shifts which more closely resemble the Nashville hooks that one has come to expect to hear on top ten country music radio. While singing in this popular style she still resounds with her trademark heartfelt small town charm. The arrangement displays the production quality of the most expensive studio time, but retains the joyful and happy lyrics that Carin obviously sings with a smile. “She don’t know what’s down the open road, but there’s no way of knowing without a little going.”
[InContentAdTwo] Her upbeat track, Home To Me, comes closer to the playful sound we would expect to hear from her previous CD with a few more high tech production hooks, although surely displaying the jovial side of Carin most fans have come to respect and love. “Hey, hey darlin’, what’s your name? You’re like the mountain air and I like the change. You came to me on a summer breeze, I know you don’t know me but I think we’re meant to be.” Love at first sight is an underrated idea in my opinion and more common that most might think, as this song attests to. “Just make my heart laugh and make me smile and I will be your girl forever and a little while.”
However bright the lights may be shining on her stage, Carin shows she is still connected to her high altitude, Buena Vista roots when singing about her heart’s desire in the solo acoustic and vocal number, Mountain Water. Because, in her words, drinking pure alpine H2O, “Takes away all the worry and pain through my wondering days.”
Playing her Martin guitar while singing with a romantic spirit, Carin’s sound personifies Colorado country music perfectly. With a crisp, cool sound and a native wonder, the notes cascade like a mountain river, powerful and clear. Twisting and turning along a natural course, the melodies flow together in beautiful symmetry. For country lovers and Colorado natives alike, Rambling Daughter brings a fresh new dose of harmony as well as a pleasant mix of inspirational instrumentation. If you like her first CD, Miles Per Hour, then this new group of tunes will more than satisfy your expectations.
If you’ve never heard of Carin Mari, take a leap of faith and go to www.carinmarimusic.com where you can become introduced to her majestic musicianship.
Note: Carin Mari will be performing at the Salida SteamPlant on Jan. 25 along with her Canadian counterpart Eli Barsi from 7 to 9 p.m.
Brian Rill is a teacher, performer, activist poet and award-winning Latin songwriter voted Salida’s best musician 2009.
