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NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Kendel Carson |
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Written by Bob Doerschuk
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By Bob Doerschuk
© 2007 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc.
Kendel Carson, 22, began taking classical violin lessons at 3, started playing fiddle music at 9 and divided her childhood between those two worlds. Though she rose to perform as a soloist with the Victoria Symphony and had a steady gig with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, she felt drawn toward Celtic, folk and Country fiddle, blended in combinations unique to the traditions of her British Columbia home.
While still in her teens, Carson plunged into a life of touring, on her own, with her brother Tyler in a band called Kid Carson and as a member of The Paperboys and Outlaw Social. During a show in 2004, at the Canmore Folk Music Festival in Alberta, she caught Chip Taylor’s ear. The veteran songwriter and producer acted quickly, rushed her into his New York studio with a team of session veterans and emerged with Rearview Mirror Tears.
Issued on Taylor’s new Train Wreck imprint, this exceptional debut pulls from the varied streams of influence that feed Carson’s sound, from accordionist Seth Farber’s seafaring flavors on “Ribbons & Bows” and “Gold in the Hills (of Saltery Bay)” to the raucous sing-along energy and irresistible hook of the single, “I Like Trucks.” But the focus stays on Carson: Her singing is understated, with a sly humor that finds the irony woven into the lyric of “Especially for a Girl.” Her playing is similarly mature, dedicated more to enhancing the tune or caressing a simple melody, as on “Ain’t That a Sun,” than dazzling fans with her virtuosity.
The images reflected in Rearview Mirror Tears are larger than one would expect from an artist so young. Pull over and let her pass: Kendel Carson is headed for the fast lane.
IN HER OWN WORDS:
What CD is on your stereo?
“I’ll give you a couple from my current iPod playlist: Paulo Nutini’s These Streets; The Bird and the Bee; Lucinda Williams’ Live @ the Fillmore; Gotan Project; Dustin Bentall’s Streets with No Lights.”
What books are on your nightstand?
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Teach Yourself to Speak Danish.”
Do you have a lucky charm?
“I always wear a bone necklace from New Zealand when I’m traveling, especially over water. It’s shaped like a surfboard, but it’s cooler than whatever you’re picturing in your head, I swear.”
What song do you wish you had written?
“‘Fisherman’s Blues’ by The Waterboys.”
Who is your dream duet partner?
“Today it’d be Ben Gibbard.”
What moment in your life would you relive if you could?
“A sunny day I spent in Fredericia, Denmark while on tour in June 2005. It was just one of those magical perfect moments – lying by the ocean, listening to music, talking to my best friend and having no desire to be anywhere else but there. Totally calming.”
Which mode of transportation do you prefer — planes, trains or automobiles?
“I like trucks (just check out track 2 on my album!) … honestly though, it doesn’t matter too much to me, but I mostly prefer to drive. I might change my mind if I flew first class, though.”
When they look back on your life in 50 years, what do you hope people say about you?
“Damn that kid could play the fiddle!”
On the Web: www.myspace.com/kendelcarson
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