Balarama Music

Carbon Leaf Countdown #36: Raise The Roof

{Jan 27}

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Up next is something for all awkward white dancers to get behind. At #36, it’s “Raise The Roof!”

“Raise The Roof” isn’t the song you would think it is by reading the title. Instead of an awkward song about white guys pushing their hands up and down, we get a rather touching song about really living up to all your potential. At least that’s the message from the song: live life to the fullest. As Barry says on and on, “Dance till you fall. Love till you die. Shut your mouth. Raise the roof.” Seems like a pretty good message and another of Barry’s lyrical gems that I’m sure have been tattooed on probably a dozen people to show off their deep soul. I think it’d be rather fun to see a Carbon Leaf tattoo contest. More

Carbon Leaf Countdown #37: What Have You Learned?

{Jan 24}

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At #37 is another entry from 2009′s Nothing Rhymes With Woman that I sure wish I could say in real life. It’s “What Have You Learned?”

“What Have You Learned?” is like a giant wake-up call for some. Everyone has that friend who just gets burned over & over again in relationships and keeps doing dumb stuff continuously. This song is the face smack you wish you could give him some times. The guitar rhythm hits you fast & hard before he bluntly asks, “What have you learned?” Ah, if only life was this simple and we could tell our friends this. As it is, you go around doing this and you’ll be going to Carbon Leaf shows solo in no time. But the story is something we can all relate too in here, even if we don’t want to admit it’s been us from time to time. The lyrics do a wonderful job of painting the pictures, but the arrangement is very strong too. More

Carbon Leaf Countdown #38: Christmas Child

{Jan 22}

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Less than a month removed from Christmas, it’s time to revisit all those wonderful feelings again. At #38, it’s “Christmas Child!”

Christmas music like this just isn’t made anymore. Period. Sure, there’s Christmas albums released every year and someone big comes out with a Christmas single, but where’s the quality? She & Him’s effort last year left me very uneasy – not what I would expect from them. Coldplay’s “Christmas Lights” was just bad in my opinion and don’t get me started on Kanye West’s and Justin Bieber’s songs. They just don’t make Christmas music right anymore. No one wants a song you just recorded to make money (“Christmas Is All Around Us” anyone?) and no one wants to hear random bands cover The Beach Boys & Nat King Cole anymore. It’s just been done to death. Write some original material. I’m sure it’s challenging, but all good things should be, no? Leave it to Carbon Leaf to show what all the other artists really can’t do. More

Carbon Leaf Countdown #39: X-Ray

{Jan 20}

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Clocking in at #39 is a song to make you miss your sprinkler system and riding a bike down the road. Save up your money for the goggles, it’s “X-Ray!”

Okay, “This Is My Song” is fun? X-Ray is a trip through joyful elation. “The Sea” reminds you of the beach? “X-Ray” smacks you over the head with your childish glee. The sprinklers start in so all you can think of summer and before you know it, it’s every childish thing you want to do. Soapbox Derby, fighter planes, lightning bugs, sprinting through lawns, new bikes, hanging out with your dog, et cetera. It’s that nostalgic feeling though that gets you with the line “I used to live there.” The house & area you grew up in sure seem a lot different when you move away. The tree’s smaller, the grass isn’t as bright & crisp, the woods aren’t full of adventure, and all you can think about is that darn pothole you hit driving up. There’s a reason childhood gets romanticized so much in our culture and its the lyrics in “X-Ray” that really show you why. More

Carbon Leaf Countdown #40: This Is My Song

{Jan 20}

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Indian Summer is home to a lot of great songs. It’s a vastly different record than Echo Echo, but the two are easily Carbon Leaf’s most debated albums in the G.O.A.T argument. Just look over to the right for the poll on the best Carbon Leaf albums. 9 options to choose and the two above take almost 60% of the vote. I’m an Echo Echo guy, but man, if some of the songs on Indian Summer aren’t just as good if not better. “This Is My Song” is clearly no exception here and I’m a little surprised it clocked in so low. More

Carbon Leaf Countdown #41: Seed

{Jan 20}

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Also from 2009′s Nothing Rhymes With Woman is a fun ditty with that trademarked Carbon Leaf sound. At #41, it’s “Seed!”

Yes, this is the sound that Carbon Leaf is known for. Folksy, country-tinged, Americana; however you want to describe it, all it’s missing is a pennywhistle and it’s an Echo Echo song. I’m not going to be the guy who goes on and on about how Carbon Leaf in 2012 no longer sounds like Carbon Leaf in 2001. How in the world is that a bad thing? People complain about radio bands sounding the same from record to record so why would we want them to stay the same? More

Carbon Leaf Countdown #42: Pink

{Jan 20}

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Coming up next at #42 from 2009′s Nothing Rhymes With Woman is another reason for why Carbon Leaf should be bigger than they are: “Pink!”

There are so many songs that Carbon Leaf have written that I’m so surprised are not more used in the media, but “Pink” has to be the biggest head-scratcher. Written for a 23 year old fan diagnosed with breast cancer, the song is a very poignant reflection on the disease and what the poor women who suffer from it must go through. With lyrics like “She knows the pain in her side is just a mirage and mirages will fade ,” it’s really hard to see why some breast cancer foundations haven’t adopted this song as anthem for their cause. It really baffles me some times. We can hear “Hey Soul Sister” 100 times a day on the television, but a beautifully written song like this gets overlooked. More