Shadows in the Banquet Hall

I absolutely adore this album! Relative to CL's other albums, it has more eloquent lyrics than "Meander," but rocks just as hard in a more intelligent way, has stand-out songs as opposed to "Ether-Inspired Porch Music" (where the songs blend together pleasantly), is far less Celtic than "Echo Echo," and not mellow at all like "Indian Summer."

The chord progressions are phenomenal -- especially in "Summer Song" and "November/Make Believe"-- the songs will go places you won't expect and it's just amazing. I've listened to this CD hundreds of times, and the musicianship never fails to astound me. The acoustic guitar-work is to die for! Barry's voice ranges from husky to uber-clear, from smooth as silk to a rockin' scream. If you've never fallen in love with that velvet-voiced cutie Barry Privett, you need to do it now. Of all the albums, this one showcases his diverse vocal talents the best.

This is one of my favorite albums ever. It's perfect for driving -- it seemed like it was meant to be listened on a bright morning drive through the Appalachians, when you're flying at 75 mph amongst the conifers. It just makes you happy; I don't think it is possible to listen to "Shadows" and not feel uplifted.

Fans of "Indian Summer" and "Ether" might be a little shocked by this at first, but give it a few runs in your CD player before dismissing it as a an album not by the Carbon Leaf you know and love. It is first and foremost a rock album; CL has mellowed considerable since this was made in the late 90s.

See these boys live if you ever have the chance. I saw them open for Guster -- and it was Carbon Leaf that got the standing ovation, not Guster. CL should have been headlining, judging from the enthusiastic crowd reaction. They love what they do So much; their enthusiasm and love for the music is contagious.

(For reference, I listen to Andrew Bird; Jump, Little Children; Guster; The Dole; Flogging Molly; and the Folk station on Yahoo.)

Buy this album immediately, and then head over to [...] to sample many tracks off the others, find out when you can catch CL live, and admire photos of these talented and gorgeous musicians.

p.s. They are sweet in person too. :D

Before Carbon Leaf got "ether-electrified", before Carter Gravatt began rocking on a mandolin, before Barry Privett was dancing jigs with his pennywhistle, and Jordan Medas signed on and brought his strong bass chops to the group, Carbon Leaf released Shadows In The Banquet Hall. Shadows is more of a rock album, although the distinctive acoustic guitar pluck we have come to know from Carter on subsequent albums is present. That more bluegrass-tinged acoustic guitar is apparent on several songs, including Wolftrap and Fireflies, Attica's Flower Box Window and Reunion Monticello. On the rock side of the spectrum we find songs like Blind Session Eye, with its cleverly arranged guitar licks, driving beat and hard rockin' jam at the end.

The overall flow of the album is mellow and thoughtful, due in large part to Barry's intelligent, abstract, somewhat esoteric lyrics. This is not to imply that they are inaccessable though. The songs simply require a careful listener, one who is willing to let their mind travel along with the music, through the stories and emotions being expressed. An example of this is Summer Song, which is able to convey a beautiful portrait of summers come and gone through brief lyrical phrases that impart different images in the listener's mind, but still leave them free to weave those images into their own memories and experiences. Barry has an ability to create lyrics that the listener can so openly relate to and apply to his or her own life. This great talent comes into full bloom on future albums, but is doubtless evident on Shadows too.

Immediate standout songs including Flood, with its heavy bass line from then-bassist Devin McGuire and "low rock" rhythms (no doubt influenced by the band Morphine), the beautiful acoustic guitar and soft vocals on November(makebelieve), and For The Girl, with its intensely moving music and powerful vocals (and hints at the Celtic-influenced music to come later) showcase the wide range of Carbon Leaf's musicality. Throughout we can hear the beginnings of the "ether-electrified", Celtic- and bluegrass-tinged rock sound that Carbon Leaf has created on later albums. Whether a fan of Carbon Leaf or a new listener, Shadows In The Banquet Hall has something to offer through strong acoustic and electric guitarwork and thought-provoking, intelligent lyrics; it is most certainly an album worth listening to.

This recording is less accessible than their later Echo Echo, but it rewards the patient listener. Carbon Leaf's gift is the ability to create gorgeous soundscapes that perfectly reflect the lyrics of each song. That gift is in full flower here, and the result is an album that coheres as a whole. Expect to need a few listens before it worms its way into your head, but once it does, you'll never forget it.

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