Darci Carlson Is Wild, Reckless, and Crazy on New Self-Titled Album
Some women might feel “empowered” these days, and decide they don’t need men to open doors for them. Then there’s a woman like Darci Carlson, who will outright leverage her good looks to work a bar for free drinks and whatever else she can get her hands on, go home with the richest man she can find, and leave him brokenhearted the next morning with his weed stash tucked in her purse. And when it’s all said and done, she’ll have the audacity to write a song about her conquests, c’est la vie.
If there was ever a personification of the ladies canonized in Hank Williams Jr.’s self-penned tune “Outlaw Women” from Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound, it would be Darci Carlson. Or at least that’s the character she portrays in her new, self-titled album with convincing authority. Only appropriate she includes a cover of the Hank Jr. classic on this new record. And whether these tunes are true to life stories of drug-infused carousing that are meant to be fun vicarious romps of uninhibited mind play by the listener, or cautionary tales about the kind of men and women you may encounter on life’s winding path, it makes for some good country music, especially if you like to dabble on the dark side of the genre.
A native of the Seattle area, Carlson started a songwriting duo in 2010 called The Dolly Rottens. Then while starring in various music videos, she met Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and got booked on the band’s 2012 Gang of Outlaws tour. Upon her return home she began working with some of Seattle’s underground country artists such as Billy Cook of the .357 String Band, and former bassist for Bob Wayne’s Outlaw Carnies, Dan Infecto to release a well-received EP called Release Me. Darci Carlson’s not just a pretty face. She writes her own songs, and she’s been nominated for the Ameripolitan awards numerous times, winning Female Outlaw of the Year in 2017.
This 9-song, self-titled release definitely has a more rock edge compared to the honky tonk style of her first album, and for good reason. Darci Carlson saddled up with fellow Seattle musician Kelly Gray of Queensryche as a producer for this new project, with Darci hoping to distinguish herself from the sameness of projects emerging from the much more heavily-covered Nashville and Texas scenes. This certainly comes through in the tracks, with an attack and abandon that is a place apart from the straight-laced style of country, though the songs and the approach is definitely still country music at heart.
Nothing is held back on the album, with all the swear words, drug references, and scandalous incidents sung about unedited and unabridged as Carlson takes her raspy mezzo-soprano into stories of dancing in her skivvies, hitchhiking with truckers, and taking shots of cocaine as she scampers away from some guy trying to tie her down. Ma and Pa Kettle back home would be appalled to hear of such behavior, but Darci Carlson’s harrowing tales come straight from many Outlaw and underground artists, only sung in the female perspective.
She also leaves room for heartbreak, emotion, and vulnerability in the songs “Surrender,” “Indian Summer,” and a remake of a previously-recorded song, “To The Moon and Back.” Her second pass though the single of the album, “Wild, Reckless, and Crazy” takes a more somber, almost regretful meaning when delivered stripped down and acoustic, relating that there’s consequences to the careless life.
Similar to Darci Carlson’s first album, the recordings here are rough-hewn, and spray painted with a DIY spirit that will appeal to some, and be found as fault with others. The approach doesn’t fit with any current relevant style craze sweeping through the Texas music or Americana crowd. It is dated, but in a good way. This album reminds you of one of your favorite records from the late 90’s or early 2000’s that you listened to over and over until you wore out the groves, and still return to because of a familiarity you don’t feel with much of today’s music.
For the traditional country crowd, they may have been hoping for some more steel guitar like the kind featured on Darci’s first record, and will probably be turned off by the lyrics anyway. Carlson is singing for lost souls here, or for those who used to be lost, and still find appeal in that rugged and raw style of underground country that has gone even more underground in recent years due to the disappearance of a cohesive scene.
Not for everyone, but for those who like their country music dressed down, juiced up, and DIY style with no frills, Darci Carlson’s self-titled release is a raucous good time.
1 1/2 Guns Up (7/10)
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The Senator
April 26, 2018 @ 6:33 pm
This sounds like a good listen, Outlaw Women is one of my favorite Hank Jr songs and the description of the albums style appeals to me quite a bit.
Music Jedi
April 26, 2018 @ 9:52 pm
I’m in. I like her voice – not like any other female country singer that I can think of. There’s a cool live video on YT of her doing the Stevie Nicks song “Stop Dragging My Heart Around”. That sold me!
albert
April 26, 2018 @ 10:25 pm
GREAT review Trigger . As honest an assessment , I’m sure, as Darci’s lyrics are
FunctionallyIlliterate
April 26, 2018 @ 10:51 pm
It’s like Tanya Tucker doing 90’s alt rock. I don’t hate it.
OlaR
April 27, 2018 @ 5:22 am
I like the voice of Tanya Car…Darci Tuck….damn…Darci Carlson.
My highlights: “Wild, Reckless & Crazy” & “Surrender”. The other tracks are ok but not so unusual or ground-breaking.
dagenscountry
April 26, 2018 @ 11:09 pm
I have the utmost respect for Darci and her superstrong attitude. Her voice is great, she is dead honest and living a large life. She might not get to be a 100 years old, but the life she had! Her previous album was really cool as well and on Youtube there is another version of WRC, which is in mid-tempo and is awesome! So happy to see her getting recognition for her work!
Able
April 27, 2018 @ 12:45 am
This sound suits her. I don’t know if she’s become a better singer since her debut or what but this is such an improvement over her last project.
Ann Marie Stokman
April 27, 2018 @ 2:23 am
Great Review
Messer
April 27, 2018 @ 9:26 am
Ahhh Seattle. Home to some of the greatest music that has ever existed. Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, drugs, depression, and suicide. I found it ironic that you said if you like the darker side of country you would like this, then the next sentence said she was from Seattle. Based on what I’ve heard so far, this is an album I would like.
GrantH
April 27, 2018 @ 9:03 pm
Grunge doomed rock music.
Messer
April 28, 2018 @ 5:50 am
I see it as they saved rock music. Inside bands had turned rock so bad that if the Internet was around back then they could’ve had a site called Saving Rock Music, and the site owner would’ve been spending all of his time up in Seattle throughout the 80’s saying “we need more of this on the radio” and then one day- it happened. You can’t blame the great Seattle Scene for what came after. Rock music was saved once, so can country!
Messer
April 28, 2018 @ 5:52 am
Sorry I meant to say Hair Bands haha not inside
GrantH
April 28, 2018 @ 11:04 am
Actually yes, grunge itself was a massive gimmick: appeal to the depressed, suicidal, drug-addicted youth. It was just as much of a trend as glam/hair metal was, and didn’t even last as long. Hair metal was birthed in the early 80s with Motley Crue and was still going strong in the early 90s. Grunge came with Nevermind and left as soon as that heroin addict shot himself. I’d rather watch rock stars play badass guitar solos and stage anthems than watch junkies stare at their shoes and complain. Only grunge band worth a damn was Alice In Chains.
GrantH
April 28, 2018 @ 1:06 pm
“I see it my way, you see it the wrong way.”
Lmao the amount of arrogance in that statement is astounding. Like em or not, the hair bands gave us several hits that will last for generations. All that grunge was good for was making it popular to be a junkie and a sub-par musician. Your attempt at comparing hair metal to bro country is weak as well. Look at the chord progressions and riff styles most bro country guitarists employ. It’s all derived from 90s alt rock. They aren’t ripping sick guitar solos with tapping and sweep picking, that’s for sure. 80s rock jumped the shark, but that’s also arguably when the genre was at its peak, not just in popularity but also in creativity.
GrantH
April 28, 2018 @ 1:27 pm
Yes, sick guitar solos indeed. Plenty of hair metal bands had incredible guitarists. Winger had Reb Beach. David Lee Roth and Whitesnake had Steve Vai. Dokken had George Lynch. Mr. Big had Paul Gilbert. The music that shred metal masters such as Yngwie Malmsteem were playing during that period was definitively glam rock. All the guys I just listed have more talent in their pinky fingers than any of the grunge losers.
GrantH
April 28, 2018 @ 9:32 am
Hair bands provided the last true rock stars, not to mention that lots of the hair bands were actually playing a heavier version of throwback rock; bands like Cinderella, Britny Fox, and Kix were basically heavier versions 70s bar bands with 80s production. Hair bands were also incredibly creative when it came to stage gimmicks and musical technicality. I can go on for ages about all the incredible guitar players who played in hair bands. I can’t say the same about grunge. Grunge wasn’t fun like hair metal was. Grunge didn’t have the same energy and creativity. Furthermore, grunge gave us post-grunge, which then gave us pop punk and alt rock. If rock music ever needed to be saved, it wasn’t back in the 80’s, it would be right now.
Messer
April 28, 2018 @ 11:01 am
Grunge needed no gimmicks. 80s rock was the equivalent to bro-country. Party, girls, garbage.
Messer
April 28, 2018 @ 12:19 pm
Grunge started in the early 80s as well but didn’t become mainstream until Nevermind was released, after which hair metal completely died. Grunge spawned a whole generation of copycats. Hair metal didn’t. I see it my way, you see it the wrong way.
BenHag
April 28, 2018 @ 12:27 pm
BAHAHAHA! Hair metal made the last true rock stars? Please. WAY more people wanted to be Kurt Cobain or Dave Grohl then any of those glam rock female wannabes. Grunge saved rock music from destruction and if you don’t believe it you might be listening to too much Jason Aldean. Also go check out the “rock” guys you love comments after Nirvana became big. They realized they were now extinct. Why? Because they offered nothing at all.
Messer
April 28, 2018 @ 1:21 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA sick guitar solos lol that’s a good one. If we’re talking real 80s metal like thrash metal then yeah they had talent. “She’s my cherry pie” my god so much talent and meaningful lyrics lol. Ask anyone in this site and they’ll tell you that bro country is pretty much the same. Compare the lyrics and come back and say they’re not the same
GrantH
April 28, 2018 @ 1:24 pm
@BenHag
In terms of personality and stage presence, yes, the 80s rock musicians were undoubtedly bigger rock stars than the 90s guys. Dudes such as Rob Hanford (Judas Priest), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) and Blackie Lawless (WASP) and their contemporaries brought the right mix of theatrics and talent to the forefront of their music, which is what made them special. Rock music can’t be viewed through the same lens as country. Rock works with a stadium aesthetic due to its bigger, louder, faster sound. Country doesn’t.
the pistolero
April 28, 2018 @ 6:24 pm
Comment for Messer:
If we’re talking real 80s metal like thrash metal then yeah they had talent.
Well I’m glad you as a grunge fan acknowledge that. I see far too many people sucking Eddie Vedder’s and Kurt Cobain’s cocks talking about how great it was that grunge killed metal in general, and talking about metal like there were no differences between, say, Poison and Iron Maiden.
Messer
April 28, 2018 @ 2:21 pm
Some people view talent differently. You seem to see it as the technicality with which one plays an instrument. I see talent as the ability to transfer emotions through the music. You should listen to Mother Love Bone, specifically Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns. More talent of every aspect of that one song than in all of hair metal
racer53
April 27, 2018 @ 11:01 am
She wasn’t on my radar till I read this review, and man was I missing out. Had it playing in the truck at work today. Listened to this album and hit repeat on a couple songs. Then listened to her first album and liked it also. I agree with Able, something about her voice is better, or fits the songs better on this album than her first. Thanks Trigger
jessie with the long hair
April 27, 2018 @ 12:47 pm
There’s something about her voice and attitude that I really like. She needs better songs and a better producer.
BlackHawgDown
April 27, 2018 @ 7:29 pm
Hopefully she brings back the same steel guitar player from her last album. “Release me” by her was some of the finest steel guitar work I’ve heard in ages
Darcidarling
April 27, 2018 @ 9:31 pm
That was my friend Andy Gibson in Nashville. He surely is one of the best players I know. Thanks for the Release Me love.
JohnWayneTwitty
April 27, 2018 @ 7:37 pm
Darci’s voice is so unique, but in a good way. She doesn’t sound like everyone else. And she could sure kick the asses of Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Zac Brown, Blake Shelton, et al, both figuratively and literally
Jimmy
April 29, 2018 @ 12:55 am
So could a wet noodle.
Glen
April 28, 2018 @ 8:13 am
I listened to this album last night while barbecuing on the deck. Really good stuff. Love her voice. Thanks for bringing her to my attention.
Travis
April 28, 2018 @ 6:13 pm
The music video is a country/rock copy of Gin & Juice! At least that’s what I was reminded of. Ha!
Darcidarling
April 28, 2018 @ 7:39 pm
Hahaha shut up right now hahaha I love it! Thanks for watching xo
Travis
April 28, 2018 @ 8:07 pm
Definitely, wish I was there hanging out with y’all! Good stuff