No matter which group she’s playing with: Sad Daddy, Buffalo Gals Band, The Maybelles, Carper Family Band or as a duo with Rebecca Patek, musician Melissa Carper stays true to her musical roots with variations along the way.
Borned In Ya is the latest album from Carper and the third solo effort from her in three years. She worked with producers Andrija Tokic and Dennis Crouch, the same team that worked on her first solo record in 2021, Daddy’s Country Gold, and her 2022 release, Ramblin’ Soul. At this rate, Carper and Charley Crockett are going toe to toe for the most prolific country artist over the past few years.
The title of this album is inspired by a quote from bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley: “I don’t think you can get this sound unless it’s borned in ya.”
Once Carper heard that, her website stated she immediately wrote the quote down, saying, “I knew I had to write that song.”
Originally from Nebraska, Carper’s voice is unique and firmly her own, giving vibes from another era. While she’s often described as throwback, Carper’s songwriting roots her music in today.
Borned In Ya features Carper’s magical blend of classic country with western swing and jazz, while expanding that sound with a horn section, blues, retro R&B and rock. This album marks her first time featuring horns working with JD McPherson’s Doug Corcoran, along with background vocalists Kyshona Armstrong, Nickie Conley and Maureen Murphy — all of who sang on 2022’s Ramblin’ Soul.
The album is mostly written by Carper, with a few songs co-written with her bandmate in Wonder Women of Country and longtime friend, Brennen Leigh. Leigh grew up playing small clubs in Fargo, ND, toured with Asleep at the Wheel and has worked with Carper on many projects over the years. "Let’s Get Outta Here" is one of their co-writes, one of the album highlights, and most firmly in the classic country wheelhouse.
Borned in Ya is Carper’s love letter to the music that has been central in her world, with shoutouts to Lead Belly, Hazel Dickens, Hank Williams and others. "Evil Eva" directly channels early R&B, while "There’ll Be Another One" has big orchestral swells reminiscent of 1970s country music production.
In songs like "Let’s Stay Single Together" and "Evil Eva," Carper joins a small list of current country and Americana songwriters who normalize songs with same-sex relationships, without making their songs specifically about that. Carper is simply writing about her life and being honest in doing so.
Carper knows how to channel humor in her songwriting without getting into kitschy territory. "Your Furniture’s Too Nice" is a loving number about prioritizing her dog over a potential partner. Continuing her genre navigation, "I Don’t Love You Anymore" stays close to classic jazz, while the sweet lullaby "Waxing and Waning" closes out the album.
Must listens:
- "Borned In Ya"
- "Evil Eva"
- "Let's Get Outta Here"
- "Lucky Five"
- "Let's Stay Single Together"