Search - Carbon Leaf :: Shadows In The Banquet Hall

'Shadows' is an excellent early effort by Carbon Leaf

Genevieve LeClerc | Seattle, WA | 06/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before Carbon Leaf got "ether-electrified", before Carter Gravatt began rocking on a mandolin, before Barry Privett was dancing jigs with his pennywhistle, and Jordan Medas signed on and brought his strong bass chops to the group, Carbon Leaf released Shadows In The Banquet Hall. Shadows is more of a rock album, although the distinctive acoustic guitar pluck we have come to know from Carter on subsequent albums is present. That more bluegrass-tinged acoustic guitar is apparent on several songs, including Wolftrap and Fireflies, Attica's Flower Box Window and Reunion Monticello. On the rock side of the spectrum we find songs like Blind Session Eye, with its cleverly arranged guitar licks, driving beat and hard rockin' jam at the end.



The overall flow of the album is mellow and thoughtful, due in large part to Barry's intelligent, abstract, somewhat esoteric lyrics. This is not to imply that they are inaccessable though. The songs simply require a careful listener, one who is willing to let their mind travel along with the music, through the stories and emotions being expressed. An example of this is Summer Song, which is able to convey a beautiful portrait of summers come and gone through brief lyrical phrases that impart different images in the listener's mind, but still leave them free to weave those images into their own memories and experiences. Barry has an ability to create lyrics that the listener can so openly relate to and apply to his or her own life. This great talent comes into full bloom on future albums, but is doubtless evident on Shadows too.



Immediate standout songs including Flood, with its heavy bass line from then-bassist Devin McGuire and "low rock" rhythms (no doubt influenced by the band Morphine), the beautiful acoustic guitar and soft vocals on November(makebelieve), and For The Girl, with its intensely moving music and powerful vocals (and hints at the Celtic-influenced music to come later) showcase the wide range of Carbon Leaf's musicality. Throughout we can hear the beginnings of the "ether-electrified", Celtic- and bluegrass-tinged rock sound that Carbon Leaf has created on later albums. Whether a fan of Carbon Leaf or a new listener, Shadows In The Banquet Hall has something to offer through strong acoustic and electric guitarwork and thought-provoking, intelligent lyrics; it is most certainly an album worth listening to."

A Hurricane's Eyelash

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 10/13/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is over a decade old. "Indian Summer" had some classic tracks from this Virginia band; so when I saw this disc @ a $2 sale, I eagerly snapped it up. "Shadows in the Banquet Hall" is quite different from the later set by Carbon Leaf. "Flood" is instrumentally a strong track, but the lead vocalist doesn't have the most expressive voice. The fancy folk guitar on "November (Makebelieve)" makes it memorable while the vocals seem to suit the unusual lyric, "Redcoats raid the Raincoats' space, soul to storm upon each face, Clouds with roving eyes set sail, cannon cottonballs of hail." The wistful verse on "Summer Song" juxtaposes with the electrified guitar storm on the chorus to create a hybrid of moods, "Bat away a hurricane's eyelash, ushering by the season past." In retrospect, "Shadows in the Banquet Hall" shows a creative emerging band. The lyrics are creative, but so strange that they often fail to create an emotional bond with the listener. The lead vocalist doesn't carry an entire CD, IMHO. I will probably pull this disc out and spin it a few more times before moving on. Enjoy!"