1.
Nothing In The World
2. King's Rd
3. The One For Me
4. Here It Comes
5. Summertime
6. Home Again
7. Can't Be All You Need
8. No Way Out
9. Holiday
10. You're So Alone
11. Walk On
Introducing...
Michael
Carpenter & King's Rd
Michael Carpenter - Rhythm Guitar
Matthew Galvin - Lead Guitar
Bob Susnjara - Bass
Nando Pettinato - Drums
With the Australian release of the Up Close compilation, I felt it was time for me to put a band together to play some live shows. As it turns out, I had an album's worth of material written and ready to go. So instead of taking the conventional approach and getting the band to learn my old material first, I collected a bunch of guys who I'd worked with on other projects in the past and we got together in the studio and started working on the new material. In some ways, it was a fresh start for me, and a conscious effort to take a creative step forward.
But why, after so many great reviews and so much success with the first 3 albums would I want to change the way I work?
Well, there are many reasons. I felt that I needed some new influences on my material to stop it from being a rehash of the first 3 albums. Creatively, if you're not going forward in some way, then what's the point? It was also a great way of finding our sound, and it has given our live set unity because we play new songs that we've worked on together as well as songs from my previous albums.
The main reason I changed the way I worked was to define myself and my sound. I was confident that using other people would stop my songs from suffocating too much. Having the input of the band has given my material a chance to breath and stretch out. In the context of the band's arrangements and playing, I feel I've found a truer representation of the sound that's in my head.
So we have the new album, KINGSRDWORKS. It's my first all-original album in two years, and I feel it is a creative and musical leap forward for me. It presents a different style of songwriting in the context of a unified 'band' sound. The songs and arrangements are less 'inspired' by others and more distinctly ours. For people expecting a sound like my other albums it may be a little different, but I feel that we have really captured the essense of the new material, and created a sound that hints on traditional powerpop, country, and rock, but has found it's own identifiable voice incorporating those textures, but not mimicking them. The album sounds like a great band playing together...
The album will be released on Not Lame Records in the US/Canada, and Laughing Outlaw Records in Australia/New Zealand and the UK/Europe in February 2003.
Reviews
Michael Carpenter and Kings Rd “Kings Rd Works” (Laughing Outlaw 2003) Available: 24th February 2003 (4/5 stars)
While
Karl Broadie’s new release on the same date for Laughing Outlaw is
a potential return to form for Americana as a movement from the unlikeliest
source, Michael Carpenter takes on the mantle for the other side of Laughing
Outlaw’s output, and indeed as an ambassador, Carpenter is the Kofi
Annan of powerpop. “Kings Rd Works” is not just the name of
his new record, but also the name of his touring band who he’s taken
into the studio for the first time for this record, but you’d actually
be hard pushed to find too much of a difference between the new material
and that from the recent “Up Close” collection, such is the
proficiency of his production. Carpenter says on the sleeve notes that
recording with a band feels like letting go, “taking off your rose
coloured glasses and seeing things as they are,” but either the band
is totally in tune with what he wants to do anyway, or Carpenter is a
genius with his mixing because everything still sounds as tight and infectious
as it always did. The opening “Nothing in the World” lulls you
into a false sense of unease that things may have changed somewhat –
it’s the most creative if not the most immediate track on the record
with the occasional unexpected chord change, but you imagine it’s
because it’s one of the two tracks Carpenter writes with the band.
It’s worth doing for cohesiveness’ sake, but it’s when
he writes alone that the Carpenter magic takes place again – songs
like “The One For Me” and “Summertime” are positively
exuberant and have all the traditional trademark Jeff Lynne-esque key
changes running through them (he recently appeared on an ELO tribute album)
that makes Carpenter’s music ironically so distinctive. All in all,
at a push, it does feel more rootsy than before, but because the differences
are so slight, you can safely buy this record knowing exactly what you’re
going to get. Proper UK airplay in an ideal world can’t be far away
– buy this record and spread the word. MW
Americana/UK website
MICHAEL CARPENTER & THE KING'S RD - Kingsrdworks (Laughing Outlaw; 2003)
After
releasing two regular solo albums, a limited edition collection of covers
and a compilation, all of them to an international critical acclaim, the
Australian "all-around-pop-guy" is coming back down the "King's
road", this time reinforced with an Aussie-power-pop all star line
up of his backing band. As he says himself, his main goal with this album
was to get back to his own sound, after being tired of the "pick
the reference" game. Though I really do think that this could easily
be Michael's best offering to date, I can still hear the influences, which
is not a bad thing at all! For a long time now, I tend to think that all
the songs have already been written, and now it's all about rearranging
the chord sequences.If you're a true music fan, I'd find it VERY strange
to realise that you don't hear the Costello-Byrds brace in "The one
for me", the Nazz-y power chords with some evident Beatlisms (just
like in Todd's case) in the opening "Nothing in the world",
the good old fashioned Raspberries/Rubinoos power-pop stylings of "Here
it comes" or "No way out", or the west coast-ish sunshiny
harmonies of the even-more-jangly-Fannies-like "Summertime".
The combination of Michael's radio-friendly voice, often resembling the
one of fellow popster, Kyle Vincent (check out "You're so alone" for example), with most of the songs' HIT potential, could really take
him way-up-high.
So Michael, don'l let the "pick the reference" game bother you
anymore, because it will always be around. When one hears The Byrds, The
Beatles, The Raspberries or Costello in some of your songs, what they
really hear is not a duplicate, but actually a song that some of these
artists "forgot" to write down along their way, and only a few
guys like you have been given the God-like gift to make them come alive.
Goran Obradovic / POPISM radio show, Yugoslavia
Michael
Carpenter & King's Rd
Kingsrdworks
Laughing Outlaw LORCD-053
That workaholic Sydney-based singer/songwriter Michael Carpenter spends much of his time slaving over the desk as a respected producer is telling on this, his third album proper. For it would be hard to find such a pristine slab of roots-inflected powerpop perfection delivered with such precision.
Recording
for the first time with a real band, rather than relying on pretty
much his own talents as previously, Carpenter has tried to avoid the explicit
intervention of his own musical favourites. But while the band does have
a sound very much its own, and the album hangs together with a rare uniformity,
sharp-eared listeners will still be able to detect where he's coming from.
For example, 'King's Rd' is prime Steve Earle, while Bill Lloyd's exquisite pop-country stylings are present in the Rickenbacker chimes of the gloriously catchy 'Here It Comes'. And above all, Carpenter's honeyed tones - married with Matt Galvin's lead flourishes - give the album a fantastic 70s summer sheen a la Cheap Trick.
So while influences abound, it is unlikely that this album could have been created by anything other than a group of people with a shared vision working to the grand plan of Australia's next powerpop genius.
Gerry
Ranson - Bucketful Of Brains
Artist(s):
Michael Carpenter & Kings Rd
Album: Kingsrdworks
Label: Laughing Outlaw Records
Available: Available Now
Rating: 4.5/5
Review by: Doug Floyd (AltCountryTab.com)
During the dark winter nights of the last few months its been increasingly difficult to find a hint of summertime sunshine to lighten the mood and considering the current political climate the air of this and many of country is becoming ever more sombre.
Enter stage left: Michael Carpenter & Kings Rd….hello sunshine!
This is Carpenters fifth outing following on from ‘Baby’, ‘Hopefulness’, ‘Songs of Other People’ and ‘Up Close’. A well respected Sydney record producer and owner of his own studio, the man displays a remarkable multi-instrumental talent and an ear for a melody that is right up there with the best. On this album Carpenter has taken his touring band into the studio and created a joyousness that pervades every single song. Compared on occasion to Jeff Lynne, in terms of his musical style; the songs hop around busily entertaining the listener with the richness of the mix and some wonderfully cheerful arrangements.
Where to start then? Well “Nothing in the World”, the first of a pair of tracks co written with the band, kicks the set off by rocketing along and sketching the general format that will follow. Brimful of energy with the accent more on the rock side of things, replete with wah guitar and introducing some of the fine harmonies that pervade and enhance the recording, this is a great starter catching your ear and letting the rest of the album reel you in. The near title track “Kings Road” ups the ante and drives along at 100 miles an hour, a hint of mandolin sprinkling freshness over the power pop mix. From here on in it just gets better and better, the songs taking more time to breathe and leaving the writing to take shape. It’s difficult to pick out best moments when the standard throughout is so utterly consistent, but I tended to go back to tracks like “Home Again” and “Can’t be All You Need” for their stunning guitar breaks, and “No way Out” or “You’re so Alone” for their richness and sheer breathtaking power pop glory. There’s a touch of balladry going on here and there “Holiday” has its calmer moments although it still manages to foot tap along and the aforementioned “Home Again” also vies for the soothing side. However the song that encapsulates the album in all its glory has to be “Summertime” which is where we came in.
The entire package works beautifully, the song writing is full of catchy hooks, the band is tight and performances in all areas first rate - especially the harmonies which are a real feature of each song. Production is right on the button and the arrangements sparkle, yet for me the undoubted star is Carpenters guitar playing. Throughout it is a joy whether holding down the rhythm or punching out flashing up-front lead flourishes, there is a lot to admire. Not a wasted riff or lick, yet allowing for the band to demonstrate their own undoubted prowess.
This is an album that deserves out to be heard, full of vivid hooks and riffs, arranged to near perfection that displays the joys to be found in power pop when its done well. Not a single weak track has crept in; every one is the sort of song that you’ll dream of listening to on summer afternoons whilst gliding the highways, windows down, wind in the hair and shades perched upon the brow of your nose. Beware though the album fairly flies by and before you know it you like a kid in a candy shop you start to crave for more…play it again!….recommended.
Michael Carpenter & King's Rd - KingsRdWorks (Laughing Outlaw)
Michael Carpenter's a well-respected Australian studio producer, also
a talented multi-instrumentalist who also plays in various bands. He's
contributed to numerous tribute albums too over the past couple of years.
As a singer-songwriter, Michael's released two solo albums to date already
(Baby and Hopefulness), on which he played every instrument and sang every
harmony, but now he fronts his own band, King's Rd.
This collection presents Michael backed by this basic three-piece live band lineup, but you wouldn't know it's only a three-piece because Michael plays everything else. The surprising thing, though, is that the whole album sounds less like a studio confection and retains a blistering live feel. It's a great listen, especially for that in-car time when you need to beat the road-rage - Michael utilises his innate gift for fine hooks with almost three-quarters of an hour's worth of decidedly classy power-pop that's much in the Tom Petty mould if you need a marker-point. It's over all too soon, and you just have to go play it through again.
But… notwithstanding all the above really positive vibes, on this showing at least I still find that Michael's music lacks that last little edge of memorability that would lift KingsRdWorks above the current glut of similarly styled, punchy and confident releases that on their own terms are more than worthy, highly competent and a breezy, satisfying way of spending anyone's 45 minutes. And I bet the band's a storming live act too.
David Kidman (Net Rhythms UK Magazine)
Michael Carpenter
And Kings : Kings Rd Works
Pennyblack
review.
This is Michael Carpenter’s first album with his touring band, King’s
Road. Don’t be mislead by that, however, maybe thinking that major
changes are ahead.
In spite of Carpenter’s sleeve notes claiming that he was tiring of playing ‘a game of pick the reference’ on his records and wanting to make a record sounding like Michael Carpenter rather than an amalgam of his influences, this is still very much business as usual. I’d be the first to admit that The Byrds, The Beatles and Costello and all the usual power-pop influences have always been evident in Carpenter’s albums. The difference, however, has always been that Carpenter, without a doubt, made a better job of it than any other artist or band walking that power-pop highway. I’ve always felt that his records sounded more like Michael Carpenter than the sum of his influences anyway. He always injected enough of his own identity into his songs to make them ‘his own’ rather than just mere copies of what has gone before.
So, if last year’s Laughing Outlaw compilation, ‘Up Close’, did it for you then 'Kings Road Works' should be at the top of your wants list right now. If you loved that collection you will miss more of the same if you let this album slip by.
Kicking off the album with ‘Nothing In The World’ one might be forgiven for thinking that Michael Carpenter had, in fact, taken a slightly new direction with his band. Maybe this is because the opening track is one of two songs he co-wrote with the band. It’s a harder-edged effort than most of his previous work and does come as a bit of a surprise. The gorgeous Carpenter melody is present and correct though as are the harmonies.
One might wonder at this stage, listening to the album for the first time, if this slightly new rootsy direction would be carried on throughout the whole album. Not that it would have been a bad thing if all the following 10 tracks were in this mould. The following track, ‘King’s Road’, however, almost finds us back in usual Michael Carpenter territory. A typical, up-beat power pop tune with the band obviously enjoying the music they are making as a unit. Lashings of mandolin and mando guitar from the master transferring the feel good factor across to the listener.
On track 3, ‘The One For Me’, we are treated to what Carpenter excels at. It’s one of the power-pop ballads that have become his trademark. A vocal that is devoid of any influence, it’s pure Carpenter, a melody that is impossible to forget after just one play and which features superb Byrdsian guitar. Everything, in fact, which makes Carpenter’s work so special.
Now a strange thing has happened, I’m listening to this album for possibly the 10th time while writing this review. Rather than scrap all of the above and start again I’m going to have to admit that maybe I was too hasty in saying that this album is not a departure from Carpenter’s previous work. I’ll stand by my view that this is not a major shift from his previous albums but there is definitely something different about this collection. It’s obviously a more subtle change than I was expecting after reading the sleeve notes as it has taken me a number of plays to realise it (or it could be me just being slow!) but there is more of a ‘band sound’ to this album.
There has always, due to the very nature of the power-pop songs he produces, been a sense of joy to Carpenter’s work. It’s uplifting, even the ballads.There is, however, definitely something more that the band brings to these songs, especially on the 2 songs the band co-wrote with Carpenter. Going by the already mentioned ‘Nothing In The World’ and the second collaboration, ‘You’re So Alone’, it’s no bad thing. This harder edge is apparent on this track as well. The album really does sound like a group effort, which does add a new dimension to Carpenter’s work. I was hoping that Carpenter was not going to stray too far from the sound of his previous albums. He is amongst the best when it comes to this power-pop thing, and he hasn’t. He has just added another aspect to his sound. A smart move.
A stand out track? In these cold, snowy times it has to be ‘Summertime’, shining out with the promise of better, warmer days to come, Carpenter’s warm vocals, those harmonies and that jangly guitar. Classic Carpenter.
‘Up Close’ was in many end of year ‘top ten lists’ mine included. We are not 3 months into this year and I suspect that this album has already been entered onto a good few lists for possible inclusion in next December’s charts.
Malcolm Carter
