Steve Carlson makes music that is a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, with a splash of funk, some R&B, and a lot of soul. His music is a fabulously crafted tapestry of genres knitted together with Steve’s honeyed, passionately emotive, deeply textured voice and phenomenal musicianship. His new album Groovin On The Inside has a country feel to it, although anyone who isn’t a fan of country music – and I’m not – won’t feel it overpowering them. It’s a funky twist of rock with a dash of country, smothered in soul.
Steve’s brand of music is like sitting in front of a fire during a blizzard, like the feel of a warm, soft bed on a cold morning, or being wrapped in your duvet with a mug of hot cocoa on a lazy, rainy afternoon. His enviable ability to mix genres, his mellow voice and awe-inspiring instrumental talents combine to create a sound that is snug and familiar. That warmth and familiarity starts from the first track on the album. “If It Ain’t Easy” moves quickly from raw acoustic guitar into strong bass and boogie piano a la Jools Holland.
Up-tempo ballads are something that obviously come naturally to this country-styled crooner. In addition to the whimsical boogie of “If It Ain’t Easy” there is the rock guitar of “Wonder Of My World” and the country flavour of “Wasted Jamie”. “Hole In Me” is a soul-filled cry of pain and Steve’s rich, raw vocals give it a wonderful blues flavour. The first single from Groovin On The Inside, “I’ll Remember You” (video below), is a passionate, piano driven tune, and Steve’s soulful country roots shine through here. The sweetly poignant lyrics, piano hook, and light guitar give this simple goodbye song a passionately loving feel.
But up-tempo isn’t the only form of ballad from this man with a poet’s soul. The symphonic sounds of “Pinata Novia” are filled with orchestral strings and a full-bodied sound. “She’s Not There” is an excellent cover of the Zombies debut single — first released in 1964 — and perfectly suits Steve’s warm, deep, melt-your-heart voice which is eloquently accompanied by the organ through the groovy, funky crescendo.
“You Belong With Me” is a beautiful lament with both rock guitar and more orchestra strings. My favourite track on Groovin On The Inside, “Don’t Move On”, is a charming prayer of a song, asking you to never move on without him. He wants to “stay up late and celebrate the dawn with you” and he wants “a chance to make every dream you’ve had come true”. And that’s all any girl really wants, deep down.
Groovin On The Inside is a vibrant album that crosses genres to find a warm, snug place in your heart. You can hear Steve’s distinctive, intelligent, and intimately comfortable sounds at his MySpace page or his own website. His new album is available from CDBaby and of course iTunes.
The video for Steve’s new single, “I’ll Remember You”, is below.
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