Search - Mary Karlzen :: Wanderlust Diaries

Mary Karlzen
Wanderlust Diaries
Genres: Country, Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock

Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
1. For One Moment
2. Straws
3. Skyway - Mary Karlzen, Westerburg, Paul
4. Oh My
5. Show Me
6. Jump
7. Find Yourself
8. Heart of Saturday Night - Mary Karlzen, Waits, Tom
9. Friends Along the Way
10. Stupid or Something
11. Sixteen
12. Stay Forever

CD Details

All Artists: Mary Karlzen
Title: Wanderlust Diaries
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Dualtone Music Group
Original Release Date: 3/20/2007
Release Date: 3/20/2007
Genres: Country, Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock
Style: Americana
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 803020123724, 758681000221

Synopsis

Amazon.com

As the title indicates, Mary Karlzen's fifth album finds her covering a lot of territory--in terms of theme, memory, and musical expanse. On both the opening "For One Moment" and the closing "Stay Forever," her vocal intimacy backed only by a solo piano makes her sound like a graduate of the Joni Mitchell school of '70s singer-songwriters. Yet the harder-rocking "Oh My" (on which Karlzen even threatens to smash her guitar), the somber cello that colors "Show Me," and the coming-of-age reverie "Sixteen" take her well beyond the folk circuit, while a couple of choice covers show an even wider range of influence. With pedal steel, the Mavericks' rhythm section, and vocal harmony from Garrison Starr, Karlzen takes the Replacements' "Skyway" on a trip south, while her duet with Matthew Ryan on "Heart of Saturday Night" transforms Tom Waits's ballad into a country tune. Karlzen shares liner notes from the road for each cut (though this is a studio album), with "Friends Along the Way" reinforcing the sense that the song cycle reflects the gains, losses, and lessons of the veteran troubadour's life. --Don McLeese

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CD Reviews

Stronger country roots, better than DIM THE WATERSHED?

R. READ | Arizona | 09/19/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mary Karlzen goes back to stronger country roots for this The Wanderlust Diaries release. I am in no way a country music fan, but I am a Mary Karlzen Fan.

This is not a "candy coated country crossed-over commercial crap" record like her most popular "Yelling at Mary" release.

This CD is a much better production than "Yelling at Mary". It is in no way perfect, but Jansen Press did a great job of quality control and performance for the most part on this product.

The CD could have been released without "Heart Of Saturday" and "Skyway" in my opinion.

Replacements & Tom Waits's cover songs might be nice for a live show, but Karlzen needs no help in the song writing department for her CD's.

Matthew Ryan's vocals on Heart Of Saturday Night sound fake and mimicked. This subtracts from the overall production of the CD. Why did Jansen Press allow this to happen? He is a truly talented producer and musician.

Skyway is a well written song, well produced and performed on this CD, but again Karlzen's own writing easily equals this material, so why have it?

4. Oh My is the strongest all around song as far as writing, production, vocal performance, and execution. 10. Stupid or Something could easily be a radio song with enough promotion behind it. Once you drop the cover songs. This CD stands on its own and stands up to its contemporaries.

7. Find Yourself is the weakest of the bunch. 9. Friends along the way, and 6. Jump are two other Gems on this CD.

This CD release contains many themes such as forgiveness, and acceptance that a unique and wonderful artist like Mary Karlen could only convey after many years in the music business with its rewards and disappointments.

In all, "Dim the Watershed" is Mary Karlzens best work to date. "The Wanderlust Diaries" could be better or just as strong. My opinion changes like my moods daily. Only time will tell how vital she is as an Artist, and how well her CD's stack up. She continues to be on my play list past all my trends so far.

"