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Lori Carson Lori Carson has two types of relationships: short, fiery ones and long, tedious ones - and both of them are "hellish." Although the songwriter refuses to draw a direct comparison between her personal life and semi-autobiographical lyrics, her romantic angst shines through narratives about callous unfaithfulness, all-consuming loneliness and suffocating relationships. And it all hurts so good. The vocalist, who may be best known for her work with the Golden Palominos, is gearing up for the release of her third and most eloquent solo album, Everything I Touch Runs Wild (Restless). These snapshots for the lovelorn are sparsely arranged with Carson's woebegone soprano backed by little more than a warm acoustic guitar and the occasional percussive accent. She chose to record Everything in the bedroom of her New York City apartment. "It makes recording and singing a very intimate experience," she explains, calling from the Big Apple. The high ceilings and plaster walls create a tone that's true to life. "I wanted it to sound like someone talking about something really happening," she elucidates. "These days, too many records sound removed and cluttered." Everything's pared down instrumentation is a direct reaction to the lush arrangements of Carson's last album, Where It Goes. "In the past, I've worked with producers who orchestrate in a very full way. That's part of the reason that my records didn't feel as intimate as I wanted them to." Her personal lyrics and lilting melodies are often linked to another confessional songwriter, Joni Mitchell - a comparison that makes her uncomfortable. Carson's work is informed as much by photographer Cindy Sherman and painter Frida Kahlo as any musician, she says. Early on, Rickie Lee Jones was more influential than Mitchell. "The content and emotionality of Jones' singing just destroyed me when I first heard it," she recalls. "I thought, 'that's what I would do.'" But Carson doesn't want to be viewed as the stereotypical, demure singer/songwriter. To that end, she wanted the album cover artwork to be aggressive and sexual. "I hate the assumption that just because something is soft, it's safe," she says. "I hate it because it makes me feel so misunderstood." In between Everything's tales of doomed relationships and remorseful reconciliations, there's also flashes of wishfulness that peek through, showing Carson to be a complex romantic. Growing up, the fantasy of love as a "solution" to her feelings of depression was ingrained into her psyche. "It's a good setup for being disappointed," she says knowingly. Carson, who won't reveal her age other than to say she's getting near her sexual prime, has been close to marriage on three separate occasions and remains "carefully optimistic." "I'd have to meet somebody who is a nice and smart person," she explains. "Most of the men I meet aren't both of those things." Historically, she falls for the "tense artist" type which is all too similar to her own demeanor. Search her lyrics and you might find clues to her trying past. In "Whole Heart," she writes: "My first lover beat me black and blue/ a couple of others they were cheaters too/ but I've never had nobody half as mean as you." In the end, the narrator of the song empathizes with the talk show guests who get lectured by the audience, but can't seem to mend their foolish ways. In real life, Carson is doing her best to not only change the type of men she falls for, but also herself. "I've got a big problem with being too demanding and being a pain in the ass," she concedes with a chuckle. Still, her love life isn't all sighs and groans. The tune "Snow Come Down" was a seduction song she never had to use because the intended subject was wooed long before he ever heard it. Any other tips for enchanting lovers? "Be really depressed a lot, complain about your problems and wear a lot of make-up," she jokes. "You're asking the wrong person."
Lori Carson's Hot List: A perfect Valentine's Day date: "Italian food and sex - it's best if they're combined." Romantic Poet: e.e. cummings. Sweet Things: "If anyone wants to get on my good side, they'll send chocolates." Sentimental Souvenir: "It's embarrassing, but dry roses seem to accumulate around my room." Mood Music: "It's definitely a rhythmic thing - give me old Al Green, I can work with that." |