Cara Being Blue – Full Throttle | Album Review

carabeingblueepCara Being Blue – Full Throttle

Self-Release – 2015

5 tracks; 19 minutes

www.carabeingblue.com

Cara Lippman is based in Nashville and this all-original EP is her first release.  Cara takes lead vocals with support from Val Lupescu on guitar, Kenny Zander on keys,  Tim Gonzalez on harp on three tracks, Patrick Mosser on sax on two, Jodi Anna or Brian Allen on bass and Matt Doctor on drums.  Fellow Nashville area musicians the Allen-Lamun Band (recently reviewed in this magazine) gets a special mention for their support.

“Full Throttle” (co-written by  John Miner ) makes a great opener with Patrick’s honking sax and Val’s rock and roll guitar to the fore, a classic ‘road song’ in which Cara is eating up the miles in her new ride.  Tim’s harp accents add considerably to the shuffle “The One Who Can” (also co-written by  John Miner ), and has Val peeling off a fine solo over warm organ.

“I’ll Be Your Bonnie” (co-written by Rachel Caldwell) opens with some eerie organ work behind Tim’s harp, the rhythm section setting a good pace with the bass thumping along high in the mix.  Cara drops the pace for the next tune, the lyrics clearly showing that the “Dangerous Boy” has had quite an effect on her: “I’m under water, I’m in the drink; nothing gonna pull me back from this brink.  I’m drowning when you’re near and I’m gonna sink”, Val’s solo clearly inspired by the dramatic lyrics.  The EP closes with another tune featuring Patrick’s sax, this time a funky number called “Can’t Catch You”.

Cara has a good, clear voice that adapts well to each of these songs in different styles, all of which work fine for Cara.  It will be interesting to see what her first full album produces but meanwhile this EP shows considerable promise and is worth checking out.

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