Carter’s Chord, ‘Wild Together’ – Album Review

With 'Wild Together' the sisters Robertson have finally found the elusive ingredient to turn their largely unfulfilled talents into a style that's unique, contagious and memorable. It took five years of frustration, and as it turns out the magic spice -- and it is a spice -- was there all along. Of the six songs on their new EP, available on May 24, the two co-written by Becky Robertson stand out as the most memorable of Carter's Chord's career.

On 'I Can Break Hearts Too' the sisters sing, "You knocked me down, but I got back up / I almost drowned in your flood / Learned to swim because of you / Oh, I can break hearts too." This surge of attitude forces one to take a second look at a group that had previously played it much too safe for the daughters of Waylon Jennings' road band. The music has the danger of a great western movie, updated to carry these modern ladies wherever they want to go.

If 'I Can Break Hearts Too' shows a little calf, 'We Ain't Makin' Love' is a tight, sexy, low-cut evening gown with a split just to the brink of decency. Becky Robertson wrote this song with Butter, from the group Trailer Choir -- who is actually married to Emily (wonder if that's awkward?) -- and she doesn't bury her inner urges in a pretty metaphor or a flowery fantasy. The woman in this song isn't interested in candles and romance.

"Baby get ready 'cause there's no fightin' this feelin' that I have for you / I've already had two glasses of wine, there's no tellin' what we're gonna do / Tonight we're gonna tear this whole house up / And we ain't makin' love / We ain't makin' love."

Prior to this record, Carter's Chord sounded like girls singing about grownup things. With 'Wild Together,' they've matured. Their songs have a sudden confidence and credibility. It would be a mistake to have all six cuts pay homage to Becky Robertson's feisty libido; this is country music, not Cinemax, after all. Her two sisters co-write the other four tracks and provide a few catchy melodies frosted with more PG lyrics.

The title track is the best of the rest, although no song is a waste of hard drive space. This peppy number is their take on the "love is freedom" theme, with a few creative lyrics and undeniable emotion as they shout, "We could be wild, wild together" during the chorus. The second verse offers the best imagery: "Let's stay up, makin' love 'til the sunshine / Take a trip, skinny dip, cross the county line / We could be just like Scarlett and Rhett / But with ice cold beer and cigarettes / Bonnie and Clyde and the countryside / Hell, this might last forever."

No one will dispute the sisters' talent -- they've just never had the right songs. One hopes their record label can continue to show them patience, as it's clear Carter's Chord have finally found a sound that doesn't get lost in a crowd of female artists on country radio.

Watch the Carter's Chord 'A Little Less Comfortable' Video