Although she gained popularity and commercial success on country radio, New Jersey-born
Mary Chapin Carpenter
owes as much to folk as she does to country. With the release of her debut album
Hometown Girl
,
Carpenter
emerged as a new strong voice in the folk revival of the late '80s. Her songwriting skills are apparent here, and her lyrics read like journal entries of a young musician on the road and trying to make it. She looks back at where she's been and honors her heroes (
"Family Hands"
) while looking ahead at the adventures to come (
"A Road Is Just a Road"
). Her best songs are the romantic ballads such as
"Just Because,"
the album's highlight, where the spare acoustic arrangements bring out her one of a kind voice.
also demonstrates the breadth of her musical influences by covering
Tom Waits
'
"Downtown Train"
years before
Rod Stewart
turned the song into a hit.
is an understated affair -- there are not as many rollicking, fun tunes as on future efforts -- but this album is worth checking out for fans familiar with her 1990s catalog. ~ Vik Iyengar