Carbon Leaf

Debi and I saw Carbon Leaf last night at the Visulite Theater in Charlotte. It was one of the best live performances we’ve ever seen (and we’ve seen a few). We’ve been listening to their music for a couple of years now and both enjoy it immensely, although we’re still debating who “discovered” the band.

This was our first time seeing them live -- you know how some bands sounds great in the studio but then suck on stage? Not these guys, they were amazing. Their set (which went on for almost two hours) contained a good blend of old & new songs and they mixed it up a bit so that it wasn’t the same thing you’d hear on an album.

I might call their sound Celtic Rock, but each album has its own character and feel. If you look online, their albums might be classified as Folk, Alternative, Rock, Bluegrass, and Blues but trying to pigeon-hole these guys is focusing on the wrong thing, just enjoy the music.

Their talent is more than creating rhythmically catchy tunes with some studio magic. I find the lyrics refreshing but real; they evoke a shared imagery of having “been there.” The band, especially the lead singer Barry Privett, puts emotional content behind them - the composition is sublime.

You can find them on itunes or at www.carbonleaf.com.