Carus and the True Believers - Three Boxes (Album)
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Carus Thompson, in true Aussie spirit, has worked the live music scene hard over the years. Just take a look at his upcoming gigs - you'd be pressed to find more than a few days break between performances. Yet somehow, while traveling the countryside, he has managed to find the time to release an excellent independent album.
Three Boxes is Carus and the True Believers first studio-recorded album in over two years, and is not just destined to please fans of the roots and folk/rock genres, but is strong enough to tap further into the Australian music culture with the likes of Tim Rogers or the Waifs.
I wouldn't call myself a "fan" of roots or folk genres, and not having seen Carus perform live, I had no expectations for Three Boxes, yet I'm impressed - I have listened to the album several times, and each time I enjoy it more. It is one of those albums that continually grows on you. Track 1, "Born with a Broken Heart", is one of the stand-out tracks in the album for me. Although it is positively up-beat, lyrically it is deep. This song appears to be an honest understanding of troubled indigenous Australians. In many of his songs, Carus embraces his deepest thoughts and emotions, and focusses these into strong, deep lyrics. His song-writing skills are superb, and I feel privileged that he has shared his true feelings with us. His band is talented, and Carus has powerful vocal skills (Track 10, "Thrown", is testament to this).
The CD artwork is good, and it was nice to find a booklet full of lyrics - this is something I have missed, and an argument for buying CD's rather than using online mp3 music stores. For me, this album has served as a great introduction to Carus & The True Believers, and a great addition to my CD collection.
