Balarama Music

Carbon Leaf Countdown #20: On Any Given Day

Feb 10

Doug2000s carbon leaf 1 Comment

Coming in at #20 is another stylistically odd-ball from 2001′s Echo Echo. Don’t run away or you’ll find it gone, it’s “On Any Given Day!”

There’s three songs I really think stand-out from the others musically on Echo Echo. In my opinion, it’s “Mellow Tone,” “Maybe Today,” and “On Any Given Day.” They just don’t seem to be songs with obvious Irish influences and it’s not a bad thing. In fact, it makes them stick in your head a little longer like an up-tempo guitar song on an album full of mournful piano songs. I think the song is relatively low-key too (for a reason I’ll go into later). Light guitar melody, a cello background, and a chorus that uses the brash electric chords merely as backdrop. It’s a neat little backdrop to in this song as it’s not too overpowering, but definitely something you could see yourself air-miming when overly excited. Trust me, people do it in public. It’s slightly embarrassing. Well, except when I do it.

The thing that stands out against that backdrop though is the lyrical rhythm. Not the lyrics or the vocals, but the rhythm. I love the syncopation of the verses here and even the weird inflections on some words to make them fit those verses or even the chorus. I think I said earlier in the countdown that Barry could have easily been a rapper in another musical life and I think this is one of those songs that really prove it. The man’s got a lot to say and really finds interesting phrases along with unusual patterns to tell it. I don’t know a Carbon Leaf fan out there that doesn’t have a favorite lyrical phrase from a song ready to go, but I’d even say that there isn’t a fan out there that couldn’t quickly think of a cool vocal rhythm that they love. Reason #999 of why to love Carbon Leaf I guess!

Song: On Any Given Day
Album: Echo Echo
Year: 2001