Carlene Carter - Little Love Letters (14 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

A Stunning and Classic Recording

04/20/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Little Love Letters" is, quite simply, one of the finest country-music recordings of the 1990's. Carlene Carter's flirtation with greatness(and obscurity)during the 80's is generally well-known. The kid had, arguably, more talent and presence than all the other Carter family denizens put together, but not a clue as to what she should do with it. When her outright masterpiece "Musical Shapes" was ignored by the largely troglodyte tastes of country radio in 1980, she went into an artistic tailspin. "I Fell In Love" may have rightly made her a star in 1990, but this album established her as country's best-kept "secret legend." Not that the record wasn't a hit--"The positively infectious country-rock of "Every Little Thing" was probably her biggest smash ever, and deservedly so. This song epitomizes what's truly great about Carlene carter: no other country girl knows how to have so much sheer fun with a guitar and "here's-mud-in-your-eye" songwriting hooks. The best of her lifelong musical influences come together here, continuing the irresistible tempo of "Every Little Thing" with tracks like "I Love You Cause I Want To" and "Sweet Meant To Be." Her rendering of Benmont Tench's "Unbreakable Heart" was a minor hit for Carlene but it should have been a monster--she truly wrenches the ticker on this number. It was probably a mistake that the ballad "World of Miracles" was not released as a single with one of the clever videos usually reserved for her uptempo numbers--this song may have been her biggest hit and established her as a consistently bankable recording artist. This Cd can best be likened to a fine summer night after a hard day at work, feet up on the porch, beer in hand, and everything right with the world. An affecting, multi-faceted recording by one of the genre's authentic talents. It's too bad that the women who buy the majority of country music CDs can't relate very well to a sparkplug like Carlene Carter. She's A-One."

Masterful fusion of country, rock and pop

Maurice Blair | Houston, TX United States | 11/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Little Love Letters provides a masterful blend of the country and rock influences Carter is well-known for along with an amazing pop sensibility. In terms of melody, harmony, energy, and heartfelt lyrics, this album is a winner. Also, it is the type of album that can really grow on you over time, as you better understand and connect with the soulful expression that Carlene Carter, Howie Epstein, Benmont Tench, and others bring to this beautiful work. Of many outstanding tracks, especially noteworthy is "World of Miracles," which includes the extraordinary lines "Anything is possible in this world of miracles / We can move mountains in this world of miracles" (resembling Matthew 17:20). As a whole, Little Love Letters sees a full range of happiness and sorrow, but in the end, it sees Love, Faith, and Hope triumph."

Country Rock rollercoaster that never gets old.

lighten_up_already2 | Kirkland, WA USA | 01/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the best country rock recording I've ever heard.

The first Carlene Carter album I ever owned was Musical Shapes. I thought nothing could be better than that in the world of country rock. I went and bought up most all her other recordings to see if she ever did anything else like that great "country punk" album from the 80's. This was the gold nugget of the lot (although all her stuff is enjoyable to me).

Some recordings sound like projects that the musicians work hard at and are glad when they're over, and some recordings sound like everyone is having fun. This is the latter.

If you are a Carlene Carter fan at all and you don't own this album, you should. If you own this and don't own Musical Shapes, then by all means get that one too. And, if you've heard of Carlene Carter and you're wondering which one of her discs to buy first, this is it!

"

A piece of childhood

Jen W. | 12/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was the first country album I ever owned (at age 9), and I remember I just about wore out the cassette. I don't remember all of the songs, but I particularly remember Unbreakable Heart, Sweet Meant to Be, Nowhere Train, Long Hard Fall and, most of all, Every Little Thing as being my favorites. Even as young as I was, I knew this much: The girl had talent. She deserved to be known so much better than she was back then. As for the music, eleven years later I still give it 5 stars. Now thats how much a masterpiece like this sticks in my memory."

Absolutely Timeless

Bruce M. Burton | 05/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had the good fortune of making several personal travel arrangements for Carlene when she was on the Giant lable and I was living in Nashville. You felt like one of her best friends by the end of the call. She even gave me an album credit. I grew up listening to music from sunup to sundown. My mother would play a radio every night as she put me to bed. There are very few music styles that can say I don't like. I was around always Country Music, but was a little more Rock & Roll. I honestly think I would have loved as much then as I do now. It's timeless and I grow to like it the more and more everytime it's played. It's amazing to me how she combined all the music styles and made it what I consider as one of the best albums of any style in the 1990's.

I seriously feel if they were to release it again it would outsell the original release. Out of all the songs that have been mentioned in previous reviews I didn't notice any of them to have included "Hallelujah In My Heart". To me this is the song that is the "secret gem" of the CD. Bluegrass, Country and a just a enough of pop to invite you to gather round, join in and sing along.

I think of her more often lately and wish there were a way I could help her through her recent struggles, but I haven't spoken to her since I moved eight years ago. Carlene, if you should ever read this, I want to say I know you're gonna come through this.

Bruce

Atlanta, GA"

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