Carsie Blanton has this chameleon-like ability to be just about everything to everyone. On her latest LP, she flaunts a distinctly original sound and style that can be flirty and dirty on one track (“That Boy”) and just minutes later turn out a beautifully-political and enlightened reflection (“American Kid”) and then transition to a sweet love song (“Harbor). Such is the charm of a Blanton record.
Slipping in and out of genres, from the jazzy opener to the Americana pop of the closing track, there is not a single song on Buck Up that doesn’t earn a right to be here. Over the course of the past 15 years or so, Blanton has managed to carve out a distinctly inventive sound that may draw subtle influences from folks like Nina Simone and John Prine but is still a remarkably individual voice.
The record is capped with the charming title track, a duet with Oliver Wood from the Wood Brothers, proving that that Buck Up has something to offer for just about everyone.
Carsie Blanton – Buck Up/10 tracks/Self-Released/2019 / Domain
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
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