Reviews: Carbon Leaf

Carbon Leaf will likely be the next band christened an overnight wonder, even though they've been rocking steady for at least a decade. Although they didn't step into the national spotlight until 2004's Indian Summer, their first major label disc, the five members have been together since they formed the band at Randolph-Macon College.

Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat is the seventh album from Carbon Leaf and their second on the Vanguard Records label. There doesn't seem to be a breakout single along the lines of their Top 5 hit "Life Less Ordinary," but that's a good thing. There's nothing trendy about this offering; this is well-rounded music intended to go the distance. Singer and lyricist Barry Privett traverses a melancholy landscape in a richly resonant voice that also imparts a feeling of optimism.

"As the songs came together, I realized we were writing about the unseen forces that drive our lives: the seasons of the year, the human cycle of love and loss, life and death, despair and hope," he says. "The phrase 'love, loss, hope, repeat' became the album title because it summed up the bittersweet tone of these songs."

This is a disc to be proud of, but Carbon Leaf won't be resting on their laurels. They're back on the road and will likely play over 300 shows this year. They've already completed their Colorado run, though, so if you missed them you'll have to wait for 2007. That's all right - this band is worth the wait.

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