Barton Carroll - Love & War
(2006, Skybucket Records)
The first thing one hears on Love & War is Barton Carroll's mournful mountain warble as he vocalizes a traditional Appalachian lament. In the song a young man says goodbye to his lover as he must leave home. Although the reason for their separation is never stated outright, we can easily assume that there is a war and the boy must go into battle. Why? Well, there is the album's title for one. There is also the fact that the running theme of Love & War is the effect that battle has on the lives of civilians.
Carroll has one of those voices that pours emotion with a weary but steadfast honesty. His delivery may seem frail at times but Carroll's vocals are always front and center, breathing life into the otherwise sparse arrangements. The accompaniment doesn't disappoint either, this is after all the guy who played a truckload of various instruments for Crooked Fingers. The instrumentation, be it a bassoon, piano, violin, or the more traditional guitar/bass/drums combination, is gorgeously arranged but remains minimal, allowing the words to resonate with much more loneliness. Stylistically Carroll switches things up a bit, staying rooted in Appalachian/roots territory most of the time but manages to kick out a couple Tobin Sprout-style indie rock jams as well.
Most musicians, when taking on the subject of war, choose the political outrage/moral high ground road. Carroll would rather chronicle the situations of the individuals who have no choice. His lyricss are not about the politics of war but more about the basic humanity and inhumanity that happens in its midst. The fact that Love & War was recorded way back in August 2001, just before our current situations began, somehow adds to the timelessness of these songs.
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