New Honky Tonk Sounds: Lo Carmen – Lovers Dreamers Fighters
Lo Carmen – Lovers Dreamers Fighters can be found on Bandcamp.
by Walter Price
Lo Carmen is undoubtedly one of the unique voices in old-school honky-tonk working today. With her new album “Lovers Dreamers Fighters” Carmen has created one those classic ‘light a cigarette, crawl inside that bottle, and lament’ late night experiences.
To say that you’re unlikely to find another voice like Carmen’s is an easily made understatement. She delivers her tales in a pronounced whisper. Adding layers of coquettish that could fill the souls in smoky barrooms, from any era. A trait that urges the brilliant songwriting on this new release.
Hints of Soul, R & B, and clear odes to classic 1970’s country, “Lovers Dreamers Fighters”, is an album that needs to have time to soak into your crevasses. Let those fiddles, mandolins, and pedal steels take you back to a time when story-songs soundtracked your lonely nights.
Landing places between Tammy Wynette and Sam Cooke, highlights on this album are the tracks, “Rhinestones In The Rain”, “Put Another Record On”, “A Tree In Winter”, and “Hold Your Lover Close”. All four tracks, I feel, embody everything Carmen was going for on this need to know release. And I’d say, some of her best work of her music career. Unfortunately, I don’t think radio plays this sort of true to the bone music anymore. What a pity.
And if you’re looking to rekindle your love for classic duets, check out track two “Sometimes It’s Hard” featuring Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. You can watch the Toby Oliver and Katerina Stratos created film below.
Saddle up a barstool, order up your desired remedy, and get lost in “Lovers Dreamers Fighters”.
LO CARMEN
Lovers Dreamers Fighters
ALBUM CREDITS
Lo Carmen – vox, guitar, tambourine
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – special guest vox
Dave Roe – double bass, electric bass
David ‘Ferg’ Ferguson – acoustic and electric guitars
Russ Pahl – pedal steel, guitar
Matt Combs – mandolin, violin
Paul Griffith – drums, tambourine
Pete Abbott – drums, tambourine
Justin Amaral – drums
Tony Buchen – baritone guitar, mystery vox
Jackie Berkley, Bambi Savage, Emma Swift – harmony
support great artists, buy music