CD Review – ‘Don’t Even Ask’ – Jerry Castle

15 years ago Liv Carter Comments Off on CD Review – ‘Don’t Even Ask’ – Jerry Castle

‘Don’t Even Ask’ – Jerry Castle (My World Records/Dualtone Records, 2010)

For his sophomore album, Jerry Castle found inspiration in the best possible source: real life. As a result,  ‘Don’t Even Ask’ is a real country album with real stories.

Though it starts with a tale of sorrow and frustration with a mindgame-playing lover (‘Charades’), this album is all about hope, strength and making the best of adversity.

The themes are clear in the beautiful letter from father to daughter, ‘Rainbows for Ava’, with lines like I pray my life’s storms/ help you find rainbows. ‘Life Gets Better’ is a powerful ode to contentment, while ‘Take the Best’ reminds us to get the most out of life. Strong lyrics are also found on the closer ‘Write My Own Ending’, which explores the legacy we leave behind when we go.

Then there is the absolutely, totally adorable ‘The Duet’…

The music is a real mix of genres, blending Jerry’s Appalachian roots with (East) Nashville influences. Country, folk, country-rock, bluegrass and western swing all have smaller or larger parts to play. A few songs lack a little bit of energy, like ‘Bend’ and ‘Getting There’, the latter of which is nonetheless a great song about self-discovery and inner strength.

For ‘Don’t Even Ask’, Jerry headed into the studio with some of Nashville’s most respected players including: Audley Freed (Black Crowes, Dixie Chicks, Peter Frampton), Doug Lancio (Patty Griffin, Steve Earle, John Hiatt), Brad Pemberton (Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Brendan Benson), The McCrary Sisters (Bob Dylan, Buddy & Julie Miller, Jim Lauderdale), Jefferson Crow (Radney Foster, Gary Allan), Molly Thomas (Todd Snider) and Amanda Shires. Their musicianship is evident right throughout the record, with lots of little musical accents for the listener to discover.

Jerry’s voice is often reminiscent of Gary Allan, though with a little less impact, which is perfect for the (sometimes too) laid-back production.

‘Don’t Even Ask’ is a strong album, where the lyrical messages rule supreme.

The CD will be released on July 27, 2010.

Disclosure of material connection for this review. 

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Liv Carter

Liv Carter

Liv is a career coach for creatives, and the people who work with them.
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
Liv Carter

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