what Frank is listening to #26 – VALERIE CARTER -Wild Child – (CBS) – 1978
Yes I am back from holidays and I bought some nifty $1 bargains … Al Martino and The Brothers Four stand out … and may be commented on in the future.
In the meantime, in line with the great response (not) I have received to the "what Frank is listening to" emails here another exciting post …
I had not heard of Valerie Carter before, though from the look of the album I assumed she was a "singer songwriter", 70s style … secretly I was hoping she was a Carter Family offspring (but she isn't and if you don't know who the Carter Family are you should be ashamed). Valerie Carter is indeed a "singer songwriter", 70s style. No surprise really and even fewer surprises on the record. Carter has a good voice which explains why she has sung backing vocals for Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Linda Ronstadt, Christopher Cross, James Taylor (especially James Taylor) and others … for a more detailed list of her credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Carter.
Carter was in the West Coast music scene from the early 70s, where she started with folk rock band "Howdy Moon" before going solo. This is her second album (she has about six albums) Unfortunately, that is part of the problem: straight West Coast pop … if only there was some country in the mix, or folk. Like I said Carter has a good voice but the production here is all very slick and bloodless … there is little ambience or "point" in the music.
The best tracks are "Lady in the Dark" which is almost catchy, "Blue Side" which really hi-lites her voice, and "Wild Child" an OK ballad.
sounds:
the title track
for masochists:
her web site ( though its not working at the moment – she hasn't paid her rent ?):
If you are keen to read more:
I'm selling this …
(originally posted 14/05/2009)
