Mary Chapin Carpenter Album: “The Essential Mary Chapin Carpenter”

If there is an ultimate Mary Chapin Carpenter album, "The Essential Mary Chapin Carpenter" is it: a beautifully compiled collection that consists not only of Carpenter's biggest hits, but an astonishing selection of the best songs she's ever written.

How insightful is the song selection on this disc? You expect Grammy-winning hits like "I Feel Lucky" and "Down at the Twist and Shout" to be included. But brilliantly written album gems like "Only a Dream" and "Halley Came to Jackson" would normally be excluded in order to include a hit or two from her lesser albums, such as "A Place in the World," which is unrepresented here. Care was even taken to showcase the two best tracks from the tragically hitless "Time*Sex*Love*": "Late for Your Life" and "The Long Way Home." And then there's quite possibly the best vocal performance of her career, the majestic "10,000 Miles" from the film "Fly Away Home."

My only complaint? Where is Carpenter's poetic and beautiful masterpiece, "This Shirt," from "State of the Heart," which is frequently cited by fans and critics alike as quite possibly the best song she has ever written? (Which is saying a lot for this particular songwriter.) But this is a small quibble considering the terrific material that is presented.

In short, anyone wishing to be introduced to this vital and important singer/songwriter need look no further than this brilliant collection, which eclipses her previous greatest hits collection "Party Doll and other Favorites." Thank you, Columbia Records, for doing right by an artist of tremendous taste and integrity. She deserves it, and you did her proud.

MCC is, like John Mellencamp a populist singer-songwriter-storyteller.

This is MUSIC. Real, fun, with points to make, lyrics that matter. But none of the points get in the way of the enjoyment, in fact, they add to it.

The sound quality on this CD is very good. And there is really no off song the entire way. One of those pleasant CDs you can pop in and listen all the way through. I'd say for anyone who likes folk-pop that this is arguably one of the top 10 CDs put out in the last 3 years.

I have to credit Mary Chapin Carpenter's former record label for compiling this "Best of" CD, which includes splendid songs from virtually every album she recorded for them. As a "Greatest Hits" album, it compares favorably to relatively recent ones from Elton John and Billy Joel, demonstrating the tremendous depth of her artistic talent, which, sadly, most in country music have ignored apparently. Without question, fellow Brunonian Mary Chapin Carpenter ranks among our finest female country songwriters, whom I can compare favorably to both Lucinda Williams and Nancy McCallion of The Mollys, the Tucson, AZ-based country/folk band that I regard as among our very best. For a long time I have greatly admired Mary Chapin Carpenter's superb songwriting craft, having utmost respect, appreciation and admiration for her elegant, sophisticated lyrics and melodies. Among my favorite songs on this CD are those which I regard as long-time personal favorites: "Stones in the Road", "I Feel Lucky", "Down at the Twist and Shout", "Passionate Kisses" (It was actually composed by Lucinda Williams, but it became a major hit for Carpenter.), "He Thinks He'll Keep Her", "The Hard Way" and "Almost Home". Much to my amazement, the elegant ballad, "This Shirt", which I regard as finely crafted a ballad as the best bluegrass/country rock ballads from Elton John and Bernie Taupin, is missing, as well as the slightly honky tonk-inflected "Can't Take Love for Granted", another gem from Mary Chapin Carpenter. If you're not familiar with Mary Chapin Carpenter's music, then this CD represents a fine introduction, demonstrating why she still remains one of our great country songwriters.

I agree with everyone else here that this is a fantastic collection by one of the best singer/songwriters of our generation. Mary's voice is as amazing as her songwriting. I love the balance here between jaunty dance numbers like "Down at the Twist and Shout," mid-tempo tunes like "I Take My Chances" and thoughtful, haunting ballads like "Only a Dream."

With Cajun, country, blues, folk, rock and pop influences, Mary shows just what a consummate musician she is. And her lyric writing is so good - simple and sophisticated at the same time. There are several exquisite ballads on this CD I hadn't heard before, "I Am a Town" and "Late for Your Life," that are as beautiful as they are profound. I think Mary's songwriting is equal to or better than that of Lucinda Williams or Bruce Springsteen. The final cut, "10,000 Miles," is a haunting ballad that gives me the chills. This is a great all-around CD. Can't believe it's only $8. I feel like sending Mary another $8 as a "Thank You!" She deserves it.

You gotta give this one 5 stars just for existing. We can all make our own playlists of Chapin and they will all be different, which is the best testimony to the amazing, wide-ranging appeal of her music.

To put this collection in perspective, I'm disappointed that it is neither a definitive hits collection, nor a great compliment to the wonderful, eclectic, oh-so-MCC "Party Doll and other favorites".

Since PD gave us 6 live cuts that featured among them 4 of her 9 Top 10 hits, my suggestion for a follow-up hits collection would have been to give us live versions of the other hits on this one (namely, live versions of "I Feel Lucky", "Shut Up And Kiss Me", "Passionate Kisses", and "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" - can we please someday get the version with the all-star backing chorus from the "Women of Country" special???)

One major omission is the exclusion of "Never Had It So Good". Come on, this was her first Top 10 hit and has yet to appear on ANY of her greatest hits packages. She only had 9 top 10's so can we please get them all on one CD? Also, this CD overlooks other of her early C&W hits like "How Do", "You Win Again", etc, whilst also ignoring "A Place In The World", which was already unfairly ignored on "Party Doll"! "Let Me Into Your Heart" and "I Want To Be Your Girlfriend" deserve to be here.

My suggestion for the tracklist for this CD would be very different. It would pay homage to Party Doll as more of a "Party Doll Vol. 2" by honoring the theme of giving us some live versions of hits and including rarities and great album cuts. Tell me what you think...

1) Passionate Kisses (full version, Live At Wolftrap)

2) He Thinks He'll Keep Her (live version, Women of Country special)

3) Shut Up And Kiss Me (live in the UK, 1994)

4) I Feel Lucky (live from Austin City Limits)

5) Never Had It So Good (#8 Country hit finally recognized as a hit!)

6) You Win Again

7) The Bug (single edit)

8) Tender When I Want To Be

9) House Of Cards

10) Why Walk When You Can Fly (single remix)

11) Let Me Into Your Heart (single remix)

12) I Want To Be Your Girlfriend

13) Jenny Dreamed of Trains (rarity)

14) Downtown (rarity)

15) I Am A Town (lost gem album cut)

16) Halley Came To Jackson (lost gem album cut)

17) How Do

18) Quittin' Time (Lp version)