Reviews
 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
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Karen Dalton
Transfiguration of Vincent
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Kinks
Christmas in the Heart
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Let It Roll: The Best of George Harrison
George Harrison
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Songs Around the World
Another Country
Caroline Doctorow
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Caroline Doctorow
I’m sure that the good people at the Long Island Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would respectfully disagree with me on this point, but Long Island is not a cultural bastion for music. Yes, there are plenty of recording artists who hail from here, but despite all of their efforts, a “Long Island Sound’ remains elusive and unidentifiable. New Orleans, Los Angeles, Memphis, Nashville and dozens of other locales have a regional sound unique to their geographical location, but any definition of a ‘Long Island Sound’ veers all over the map. Most Long Island artists develop influences from beyond our own shores, and this results in an indefinable diversity that can be both a blessing and a curse. The good part about this is that there is no predisposition to sound like anything other than who you want to be, but the bad part is that there aren’t enough significant cultural outposts to support all of this diverse talent.
Caroline Doctorow is a distinctly talented Long Island artist who transcends regional expectations. As the title of her latest album suggests, “Another Country” plays like a travelogue through the songs of Mimi and Richard Farina. Although Doctorow is a talented songwriter in her own right, she has a deep connection with the Farina’s material, and her interpretations resound as deeply felt reflections on personal and cultural observations. Embodying another’s words can be a tricky proposition, but she sings these songs as if they were her own. “Bold Marauder” plays like a pirate’s shanty, but is a dark tale of manipulation and control that contains political overtones. The title track is so rich in detail that it plays like an Ernest Hemingway travelogue, suggesting that ‘Another Country” could well be found deep within the soul of the storyteller. In “Children of Darkness,” there is no manifest destiny, only doubt about our uncertain future. Wrapped in a fragile, gorgeous melody, Doctorow sings of a present when “the light of reason fails, and fires burn on the sea, now in this age of confusion, I have need of your company.” Through personalizing that which is political, Richard Farina constructed songs that resonate, and Doctorow’s interpretations dig straight to the heart of the matter, with a gentle voice that conveys the complexity of emotion contained in the poetry of these songs.
“Another Country” is produced with a deft touch by Pete Kennedy, and features guests such as Nanci Griffith, John Sebastian and Happy Traum. The music of Richard and Mimi Farina has been sorely overlooked in recent times, and this album makes a sound argument for rediscovering the nuances of their creations. The real beauty and value of this album lies in Caroline Doctorow’s deep respect for the source material while contemporizing the complex subject matter. Singing about “Another Country,” she has created an album that suggests a global awareness, while utilizing a personal perspective that transcends all borders, both geographically and personally.
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