The first time I saw Melissa Carper was during Americanafest 2022. I secured tickets from a friend for the last day of the event. She was on a lineup with several artists, including Brennen Leigh that I already know and love. Since she makes similar music I knew that I was in for something great. Seeing the bassist-singer songwriter on stage playing a phat beat and while delivering the catchy raspy words of some songs that will be on her upcoming release Ramblin’ Soul, I became an instant fan. 

Melissa Carper fell in love with music from playing in a country band with her family around Nebraska. She continued to explore the sonic soundscape with a jazz influence through college. These influences are clear throughout all of her music, but specifically her newest album. The album overall sounds as if it was recorded with retro gear, if it wasn’t the engineer carefully crafted that vintage, tape machine sound. To begin, this album delivers the best of everything from blues to classic country. Her inspirations include country, bluegrass, Western swing, and old-style jazz. This album was her chance to be able to “freely explore many different styles of Americana music.” The album begins with the title track Ramblin’ Soul, to start off it sounds like she used vintage microphones and gear to record this album.

“Zen Buddha”, “Texas, Texas, Texas” and “I Do What I WANNA” bring the listener into a lively honky tonk mood, like they’re drinking a cold beer and hearing some of the freshest country on the block. These songs are difficult to stand still while listening through. They make me want to find a nearby partner and learn how to line dance. The harmonies in “Zen Buddha” are reminiscent of classics like Marty Robbins. To say this album embodies the full spectrum of the modern state of americana would be an understatement. 

Between these dancing tunes come some slower paced songs that show a piano heavy composition with Carper singing out her heart to past lovers. In “Ain’t a Day Goes By” she sings of the sorrow for the lost love. Her palpable feelings are heard throughout the blues driven composition. Specifically, the line “when we meet in the great eternity” that is soulfully sung as the instrumentation gets more intense. I think this song reaches out to the listener, to empathize with our broken hearts.

Another song that breaks up the pace with the words of love is “That’s My Only Regret”, the lyrics focus on the feelings of regretting the way the relationship ended. A common experience, Melissa hits the nail on the head with the way that one relationship ends can feel like the only thing you do wrong. A personal favorite of mine is “Boxers on Backwards”, it’s one of the first songs I heard her perform and it’s the same song that made me a fan on the spot. It has a witty title that is the hook of the song, it talks about how she “ain’t getting lucky tonight” because of it. With these funny lines being thrown around with a bouncy background of upright bass, fiddle, electric guitar and auxiliary percussion. It’s definitely one that shows Melissa’s personality through her writing. 

While this album has more gems than the ones just mentioned, it is definitely an album that delivers a range of emotion, both musically and in her writing. 

With the recent growth of Americana music the feelings of home and travel are common themes in music. It is no surprise that the musical veteran Melissa Carper harnesses these feelings into a strong new record. I would consider it to be a must listen to anyone who is interested in any of the genres it takes inspiration from, or if you just want to try something new. The full length album Ramblin’ Soul comes out November 18th via Thirty Tigers.

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