You do not expect a Carter album to start with a hymn but that’s exactly what we have here with The Road to Donestos before we get machine guns and then Jim Bob’s familiar vocal as Everytime A Church Bell Rings starts us off with a more recognisable Carter and excellent lyrics.
Twenty Four Minutes from Tulsa Hill is classic Carter single material (although it wasn’t) with the drum machine on hyper drive and a catchy chorus before An All American National Sport has a slash like riff and a sad tale of a homeless man dreaming of better times but the reality of Carter means that’s all it is, a dream.
Sheriff Fatman, I mentioned in the Love Album review is a great single of that era, but The Taking of Peckham 123 is not for me apart from the last thirty seconds.
You can tell this is an album recorded on a limited budget, minimum fuss and seemingly the snippets of dialogue throughout were just recorded from the TV onto cassette. I love rough and ready as it’s a labour of love to get it made, the backing vocals on Good Grief Charlie Brown are basic to say the least but the lyrics based on Jim Bob’s parents’ divorce are worth a read.
Midnight on the Murder Mile has a wonderful exuberant opening and does not let up from start to finish and A Perfect Day to Drop the Bomb (people of my age will recognise the computer-generated start) thrashes along but is enjoyable and a nod to the hook from The Message.
Carter was viewed as a cartoon band by some but the record ends with antiwar song GI Blues which has a lovely piano refrain halfway through.
They were just starting out with this record but it’s a strong bloody start.
7/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: An All American National Sport
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