Track Listing

1. Why Walk When You Can Fly
2. House Of Cards
3. Stones In The Road
4. Keeper For Every Flame
5. Tender When I Want To Be
6. Shut Up And Kiss Me
7. Last Word
8. End Of My Pirate Days
9. John Doe No 24
10. Jubilee
11. Outside Looking In
12. Where Time Stands Still
13. This Is Love

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21044 in Music
• Released on: 1998-07-13
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The 1994 sequel to her mainstream country breakthrough on Come on Come On further underscores Mary Chapin Carpenter's true identity, more Ivy League folk rocker than new country cowgirl. Her coolly delivered, deeply felt songs include meditations on family, community and social injustice without rant or cant, never more so than on the gently incisive midlife reflections of the title song, which filters historic milestones and childhood lessons through its delicate verses. Elsewhere, she sketches a heart-breaking, restrained speculation on the inner life of a blind, deaf mystery man ("John Doe No. 24") with the economy and detail of good short story. The set's many love songs are no less intelligent, emotionally authentic or moving. Chapin Carpenter's elegant yet earthy alto is beautifully framed in the settings, coproduced with longtime collaborator John Jennings, that balance jangling guitars, rippling piano, occasional fiddle and crisp rhythm sections closer to the best of LA country rock than what normally emanates from Nashville. --Sam Sutherland

CD Description
With STONES IN THE ROAD, Mary-Chapin Carpenter secures her title as country music's most successful anomaly. The formerIvy-League folkie has succeeded in creating a hit album that has virtually none of the attributes generally accepted as"country" music. And that is good news for both Mary-Chapinand country music; their audience has expanded beyond Opryland.
From the flowing piano intro on "Why Walk When You Can Fly" to Carpenter's dramatic cabaret/pop reading of "Where Time Stands Still", the listener journeys through a multi-genre world of loss, love, discovery, and eventual triumph. Her vocals are deceptively tough, rich, and passionate, especially in "House Of Cards" and "Last Word".
More deeply reflective than previous albums, STONES still has fun. "Shut Up And Kiss Me" is a playful and sexy romp, with hooks galore. The album's centrepiece, "John Doe No. 24", a contemplative ballad based on a nameless mute's obituary, is framed by Branford Marsalis' ethereal saxophone.
The razor-sharp insights of Mary-Chapin are plentiful throughout this literatealbum which not only expands the boundaries of country music, it explodes them into glittery STONES IN THE ROAD.

Customer Reviews

One from the very top drawer
I bought this the week it came out in 1994, and probably haven't gone a month since without playing it. It's one of those albums that's far more than just a collection of songs, but develops into a cogent statement that will speak to anyone who's ever regretted lacking the confidence to try something new in life. This is MCC at the very top of her game, and for all her tendency to dwell on the troublesome side of life and relationships that go wrong, her message is a warm, optimistic and deeply humane one. "Life is tough," she seems to say, "but the satisfaction is worth the struggle." She's got up the noses of certain right-wing commentators in America, so she must be doing something right.

In getting this message across, it helps that she has some cracking songs to hand, played by a tight and wonderfully sympathetic band, and delivered with diction so sharp you won't need the singalong word sheet. She can be wistful (as in The End of My Pirate Days), angry (The Last Word) and playful (Shut Up and Kiss Me) but always musical and involving. I could go on and on, but all you really need to know is that if you don't mind listening with brain engaged, this record will move you, and go on moving you for years.

Mary's masterwork!
This is a genre of music that I know very little about, I find this kinda of stuff in the country section of record stores but to my mind it's just great music regardless of genre. We do like some much to put things and art in little boxes!!
I bought this after hearing "Shut up and kiss me" on a sampler of music attached to a magazine (thank you Q). My first hearing of this piece work did not fall short of the promise of that track. The piano at the start is some of the most haunting that I have heard, touchs your heart and your soul all in one beautiful moment, it does to me everytime I hear it and I have played this album alot.
From the start to the finish we are treated the highest standard of song writing and musicianship that is a joy.
The album closes the way it start with wonderful piano playing....

Just Amazing!!!!!!!
All I can say is that, after reading a review of this album in the 'The Times' (around 7/8 years ago) which declared it to be "near perfect", I decided to give it a try (i.e. buy it!) even though I had never even heard of Mary Chapin Carpenter! I was not disappointed. On the contrary; it is quite the most beautiful album I have ever listened to; intensley lyrical and really quite profound in places! In all these these years I have never tired of listening to this CD. What more can I say..!!!!!!!!!!! Buy it and enjoy.........otherwise you will never know what you have missed out!