A Review of the Kim Carnes CD
"Chasin' Wild Horses" 

"Chasin' Wild Horses"
by Kim Carnes

CoraZong (255082)
Copyright CoraZong Records 2005.
http://www.kimcarnes.com
http://www.corasong.com

This review is written by Dai Woosnam, daigress@hotmail.com, 9/05

I write this review from my home in Britain. The fact I live where I live is relevant to my comments.

Now to the mass of us Brits, Nashville-based Kim Carnes is famous for her 1981 hit “Bette Davis Eyes”. However, those Country fans amongst us would know that she penned three number one Country hits: one of which she was co-artist on (performing a duet with Kenny Rogers). And some of the “anoraks” amongst us, recall that before all that, she was from 1962 to 1970, a former New Christy Minstrel (though some of us who thought that group the epitome of “Uncool”, might want to gloss over that fact!)

To us Brits thesedays, it seemed like she was a name from the distant past, for she has been off most of our radars for YEARS … until now, that is.   

Here she reappears after an absence from the recording studio of 14 years, and even then, that 1991 release was for Japan only! She returns with an album of self-penned (co-written) songs: songs that are commendably more redolent of a blues club on the wrong side of the tracks, than the antiseptic Garth Brooks cellophane Country sound.

It is a little uneven as an album, in that occasionally (as in “Just to see you Smile” and “Stepped Right In It”) the CD lapses from the hard-edged bluesy feel, into a more anodyne country rock style. But at all times her fabulously soulful 100-a-day Marlboro voice ­ (which, if you will allow some chronological liberties on my part, is by Rod Stewart out of Bonnie Tyler!) ­ always saves the day.

She has a way with a lyric that persuades one. Real conviction. The fact they are mainly her words, perhaps helps. One song she co-wrote with Matraca Berg, “If I Was An Angel” is the outstanding cut here, and it is no surprise that Berg too recorded it on her 1997 album.

As you’d expect, Kim surrounds herself with quality musicians, too many to mention.  And she is quite a dab-hand herself at the keyboards.

This album surprised me. It is very strong on performance, and fairly strong on material. Well worth considering.

Dai Woosnam
Grimsby, England
daigress@hotmail.com

Track List:

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