Marc Carroll

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/05/2011

WORLD ON A WIRE

Plato Mania (Netherlands)

Marc Carroll made his debut in 2002 with "Ten Of Swords". That album was pure American powerpop, garnished with a sixties retro edge. It's successor is "World On A Wire" in which Carroll now shows a more inward looking and reflective side. The tempo has been slowed down considerably and in addition, Carroll has introduced the use of the piano. The sound is now more acoustic, occasionally even orchestral, but particularly beautifully kept in balance. The songs are all, without exception, cleverly constructed and are competently brought into the spotlight by the multi-instrumentalist Carroll. In "World On A Wire" one recognises and experienced songwriter at work, whose recognisable Dylan influence gives his melancholy and down beat songs an extra value.

Posted in Dust Of Rumour - reviews on 20/05/2011

DUST OF RUMOUR

Komodo (4 Stars)
The Bob Dylan approved solo artist returns with an album crammed full of calming atmosphere and Beach Boy meets Stone Roses style harmonies.

The lead single 'Always' helps sum up most of the album, its union of curling musical ideas pulls you in but never outstays its welcome. On 'Illusion and I', haunting keyboards carries the track gently over a sea of melodies, leaving the guitar and vocals to take a back seat.

'You just might be what i've been waiting for' is a more straight-forward and raw affair complete with catchy chorus. This is followed by instrumental 'Going home'. 'A dark and lucky night' ends the album, sounding like a soundtrack for the day dreaming kid who spends his entire journey staring blankly out of the car window, the lines in the middle of the road signifying the mesmerising, drifty pace of the track.

Most of 'Dust of Rumour' is so chilled it just may be the closest you will get to falling through clowds. If you lay back, relax and hear this it could be one of the listens of the year.

Posted in Ten Of Swords - reviews on 20/05/2011

TEN OF SWORDS

Felixonline.co.uk (4/5)

We're experiencing something of a mini-golden age in terms of singer-songwriters at the moment. Recently, James Yorkston, Damon Gough, Ed Harcourt, Ben Kweller and the likes have given us everything from wistful pagan beauty to out-spaced subversiveness. The blood of The La's courses through the veins of this album. You'd suspect that if Lee Mavers was doing something right now, he'd have made this. The guitars are simple but the tunes are all intact. One moment you'll be in the middle of a gushing folky romp, the next moment, a brooding mini-epic. Because the tracks are so short (about three minutes on average), it's only on further visits that Carroll truly displays his raunchy wares. You Saved My Life (Again) is a charming feel-good ditty about drinking buddies and Crashpad Number is a sparkling ray of defiance that will get your feet tapping. Of the edgier moments, Idiot World rattles along with the spirit of Teenage Fanclub, Your Kingdom Must Come Down taunts the Devil in the most wholesome manner you can imagine whilst Terror And Tired Eyes jolts along with the warped histrionics of the Super Furry Animals. If you're not convinced by the whole singer-songwriter phenomenon then this is unlikely to sway you. For everyone else, this offers little new in terms of moving the genre forward but is an album of unpretentious, heartfelt joy that wouldn't be out of place played in daydreams. It's a shame he's been ignored by the music media simply because he doesn't act like a rock star, preach his politics or throw darts at pheasants. He only makes honest, no nonsense pop music. Possibly the greatest crime he commits here is leaving you to return to the real world after half an hour. Let Carroll bear his sword and return with a vengeance.