A Songwriter's Songwriter
author: Kathy Moran
From the word "Go", this collection of songs takes the listener on a musical journey that runs the gauntlet of human emotion until it comes full circle with a very satisfying conclusion. And then it starts all over again!
Steve Warner along with Nancy Lynn, Andy Mosholder, and an impressive collection of guest musicians have provided us with another recording that won't be spending much time on the shelf.
While taking the listener from inspiration to resolution, the CD simultaneously presents a vivid collection of snapshots of Americana - at its best, at its worst, at its lightest, but always through the honest and compassionate eye of the artist. Each song leads perfectly into the next and before you know it, fifty-five minutes have flown by.
Picking out just a few favorite tracks is nearly impossible. As soon as I heard the washboard on "Make My Cot ..." I was compelled to get out of my chair and participate, as was again the case for the band's irresistable rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'". "Our Town" had me ready to pack a picnic, jump in the car and go find a town to waltz through. "Charlie's Angel" reminds us how much we all still need to respect, appreciate, and look after one another - now more than ever. Nancy's sweet interpretation of "If You Stopped Loving Me" with Andy's beautiful cello playing left me sighing. (I think I hit the repeat button twice the first time I heard it!) Then there is the chilling "Culture of Violence", the heartbreaking "Picking up the Pieces", and on and on ...
The title cut pulls it all together, a direct statement of the philosophy and mission statement of one of the finest writers of our time. Yeah - this one really is my favorite cut on the CD.
Steve Warner continues to build upon an already solid musical legacy. Will it carry on? You bet it will!
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Songwriter & founder of Cedar Run Music Camps
author: Eric Garrison
"Somewhere between John Prine and the late Steve Goodman, singer/songwriter Steve Warner has been marking out his territory for many years. A writer and singer with a unique ability to zero in on human truths, whether in the context of a ballad, a straight-out country tune, or a humorous parody, Steve is, above all things, true to an honest and direct appraisal of the world around him. Steve Warner's newest CD, Carry On, really brings home the broad range of this man's musical vision. Along with his longtime cohorts, the Rolling Coyotes (Nancy Lynn and Andy Mosholder) and a great group of supporting musicians, Steve infuses Carry On with an authenticity that's hard to find on a CD these days. From the evocative Civil War love story, "Annabel Lee," through the hard light of the leaving song "Save It for a Rainy Day," and on to the wry toe-tapper "Make My Cot Where the Cot Cot Cotton Grows," Steve leads the listener through an eclectic collection of tunes that is unified by the front-porch feel of the instrumental tracks and the plaintive honesty of a voice that speaks the truth."
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