Roots66: Music: Reviews: Ralston Bowles - Carwreck Conversations

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	CD Review
	Buy this CD from the artist or Ralston Bowles Carwreck Conversations Soft Butter Records Catalog Number CC1919 Produced by Marvin Etzioni Ralston Bowles - vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, bouzouki Marvin Etzioni - guitar, mandolin David Raven - percussion, drums Sheldon Gomberg - electric and upright bass Danny McGough - keyboards Eric Heywood - pedal steel Brian Head - drum (10) Eric Bowen - background vocals Dan Navarro - background vocals Shmuel Bowles - background vocals
	Review by Bill Yates, Roots66.com Ralston Bowles (he frequently goes by just "Ralston") has been busy for years in Grand Rapids, Michigan, helping the local music scene. And writing and singing his own songs. After having several songs included in some collection albums, in 2004 he released his first solo album, Carwreck Conversations. The songs here, all but one by Bowles, are insightful, thoughtful, and penetrating. Somehow, I never went back to this album after first receiving it in the mail for review. Big mistake. The only song not by Bowles (it's by Mark Heard), is a series of penetrating questions on friendship asked over a steady muffled drumbeat, each ending with "What kind of friend am I?" "You Already Knew That" contains the phrase "carwreck conversations" which became the album title. It's an exploration of the wrong words said at the wrong time. It ends with a wild guitar riff. "What About Me" is a poignant reminiscence of early teen doubts on entering the world of boy-girl relationships. In "Everybody But You" Bowles notes that everyone seems to be out for themselves except the gal who loves him. "James Dean" explores the desirability of a quick death as opposed to the slow decay of an Alzheimer's patient. "Being Young" rehearses the eternal angst of being a teenager in a world of adults. "Fragile" is a quiet plea for understanding that we are all imperfect, prone to hurt and be hurt. "Grace" is more than a girl's name, it's a spiritual quality of undeserved favor. Childhood memories and images fill "One More Holiday." "Draper" is a dramatic image of trying to understand and make sense of the world and its purpose. Ralston Bowles is a very fine singer/songwriter with a sharp eye for the human condition, especially for the individual's relationships to others and the quest for meaning. He is able to support his lyrics with appropriate music, emphasizing the emotional content of the song's words and thoughts. This might sound ethereal and "new agey," but to the contrary, Bowles manages to make his songs very real. The supporting musicians do a fine job and the recorded sound is also very good. Carwreck Conversations is a very promising first album. My Favorite Songs: "Draper," "What About Me," "Everybody But You" Rating: 4 notes Copyright 2006 William Theron Yates 7/18/2006 1) What Kind of a Friend (Mark Heard, Ideola Music, ASCAP) 2:11 2) You Already Knew That (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 4:56 3) What About Me (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 3:41 4) Everybody But You (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 3:04 5) James Dean (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 3:42 6) Being Young (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 3:01 7) Fragile (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 3:35 8) Grace (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 3:58 9) One More Holiday (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 2:29 10) Draper (Ralston Bowles, Ralstunes, ASCAP) 3:22 This review is copyrighted but may be quoted in whole or part provided credit is given such as "--Bill Yates, Roots66.com". If you post the review on a web site, please link to http://www.roots66.com if you can.

Last updated 7/18/06.
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