Carrie Rodrigez is out with her sophomore release She Ain't Me on Rounder Records. I first saw Carrie Rodrigez a few years back performing with Chip Taylor's band at Merlefest. She was strikingly beautiful, with a great voice complimenting Chip's and an accomplished fiddler. On this new release, she comes out from behind Chip's mentoring completely on her own and does so brilliantly. However, be prepared as the project has taken Carrie into high gear with all electric energy.

I had the opportunity to see Carrie and her band perform the tunes from this project live at the Narrows Center for Performing Arts Festival in Fall River. The audience was appreciative but the electric energy was a surprise for many of us who have known Carrie from her acoustic collaborations with Chip Taylor.

Carrie has matured into a great talent with sexy, sultry and seductive vocals. The newest project features a strong collection of self-penned and collaborative songs proving her gift for poetic expression. The poetry alone is a reason to buy this CD.

The tune Absence particularly captured my sensibilities. I love the dark sultry tone and the deep meaning behind the lyrics. The support of her fiddle brings forth a deep expression of feelings. This tune would work particularly well absence the drums and with all acoustic bluegrass instrumentation. In fact, most of the tunes on the CD would work quite well acoustically. I found the electric instrumentation, at times, over powering of Carries softer vocals.

The medley, simply stated, running through The Big Mistake leads you on a journey through the song. Let Me In is another dark tune with softness to Carrie's vocals and fully supported by a subtle guitar, nicely done. El Dorado stylistically will remind you of Cheryl Crow's music –Carrie is not imitative – the similarities are more subtle; yet, the hint is there.

I missed Carrie's fiddle throughout this project but it did allow her to stretch and grow with her musical accomplishments. The project is well done with solid poetic expression, strong melodies and fresh instrumentation. Carrie's project is not the same ole stuff in the pop / rock arena despite the plugged in nature of this project. Carrie is uniquely Carrie Rodriquez.

Project Title:		She Ain’t Me
Artist:		Carrie Rodriguez
Released:		August, 2008
Produced by:		Malcolm Burn
Recorded and Mixed:		Dec. 2007-April 2008 at Maison Bleue Studio, Kinston, NY
Engineered and mixed by:		Malcom Burn
Production Coordinator:		Cindi Peters for Worlds End (America) Inc.
Mastered by:		Greg Calbi on April 8,2008 at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
Record Label:		Sugar Hill

Song List/Credits
,

Infinite Night		(C. Rodriguez-G. Louris, Indian Trail Music; Absinthe Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation – BMI)
She Ain’t Me		(C. Rodiguez-D. Wilson, Indian Trail Music – BMI; Chrysalis Music/Sugar Lake Music – ASCAP)
Rag Doll		(Sandrine –M. Burn, *Publishing Pending/Malcolm Burn/Neeha Music - ASCAP)
Absence		(C. Rodriguez-M Gauthier, Indian Trail Music – BMI; Mary Gauthier Songs - ASCAP)
El Salvador		(C. Rodriguez-G. Louris; Indian Trail Music; Absinthe Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation – BMI)
Mask of Moses		(C. Rodriguez-K. Kegerreis; Indian Trail Music; Swear Jar - BMI)
The Big Mistake		(C. Rodriguez – L. Nail; Indian Trail Music; Casa Bungalow Music - BMI)
Grace		(C. Rodriguez – J. Boquist; Indian Trail Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation - BMI)
Let Me In		(C. Rodriguez; Indian Trail Music - BMI)
El Dorado		(Rodriguez – Louris – Sandrine* - Burn; Indian Trail Music; Absinthe Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publisning Corportion – BMI; *Publishing Pending; Malcom Burn; Neeha Music – ASCAP)
Can't Cry Enough		( C. Rodriguez-G. Louris, Indian Trail Music; Absinthe Music; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corporation – BMI)

Band Members
Carrie Rodriguez – vacals, fiddle, electric mandolin, tenor guitar
Hans Holzen - electric guitar, tenor guitar
Greg Leisz – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric mando guitar, edal steel, lap steel
Malcolm Burn - electric guitar, piano, keyboards, Hammond B-3, programming, electric bass, background vocals
Kyle Kegerreis – electric bass, upright bass
Aaron Comes - drums

Guest Artists
Lucinda Williams, Gary Louris, Aoife O'Donovan, richie Stearns, Eric Platz, Gia Ciambotti, Kristin Mooney, Susan Marshall, Javier Vercher