Read the Road Signs

2005 – 2006

Click on the headphone symbol to listen to the track, or on the text symbol to see track notes

1 Freeze Frame

2 Eastbourne jetty

3 South of the line

4 Being in the right place

5 Resurrection

6 Do you remember me

7 Downstairs blues

8 Saying no

9 Dreaming fool

10 Land of smiles

11 Driving lessons

12 Moana Jane

13 My paradise

<-- CD Baby (USA)

On her album READ THE ROAD SIGNS Carol's bluesy voice and various guitar styles are supported by a line up of fine musicians including Steve Cournane on drums and Clinton Brown on bass. Michael Petrie, Mark Laurent, and Ray Ahipene-Mercer lend their talent and virtuosity on guitars. Blair Latham takes the smokey honours for his saxophone playing along with Bob Smith's fine Hammond organ sounds with the classic Leslie speakers. Richard Klein plays fiddle on a slow and brooding number while at the other end of the spectrum Lester Mundell and John Broadbent play duelling harmonicas on a swinging dance tune. Added to the mix are two songs with the Celtic sounds of Paddy Burgin on his Weisenborn slide guitar and mandolin, Ruairidh Morrison on pipes and fiddle, and Bernard Wells on banjo.

All original songs
Copyright ©2006 Carol Bean
Produced by Carol Bean/ Press Go Productions
www.carolbean.com
Production advice: Clinton Brown (NZ)
Tom Villano (USA)

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Robbie Duncan
At Braeburn Studio, Wellington New Zealand
braeburn@ihug.co.nz

COMMENTS & SHOUT OUTS
Wow, what a wonderful album! Heard the first two cuts and was immediately in Jefferson Airplane - love her blues too. Am listening in the car to and from work - had to sit in car to finish her biographical song - really great. Love how she mentions all her influences.
Susan Savage South Carolina

I heard there were two of your songs in the movie "Player 5150" wow ...you are something else honey..thats great news..I hope you garner a few royalties for that.. So cool. Steve Cournane

That was a fantastic commentary on your review page of the Mount Misery Bluegrass Band concert a the Wellington Bluegrass Society. Congratulations. Dad

Good grief Charlie Brown. You are a jewel. I am so proud of you. What a wonderful music life you have set up for yourself You've worked your arse off for it! Excellent review! I'm looking forward to the video!
Pat

Thanks for a fantastic gig Carol. I haven't had so much fun in yonks. Richard Klein.

Friday June 15th at the Wellington Bluegrass Society. A big thanks to you personally for a great night. You were the cornerstone for this gig! The first part of your Guest Spot was a treat featuring just you with guitar. I am constantly surprised as to how good performers sound and how little they need to achieve this in our venue. You assembled a great lineup for the bluegrass section of your show - the group came together nicely on the night. It felt good on stage - the group were working well together. Thanks Carol for a great night! Andrew Bicknell

Rob and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening at your Paekakariki dance.. We thought you sounded great!! And we loved the opportunity and space to dance to your music. Once again congrats about your music included in a film.
Aroha, Brigid

Never Lose Sight- The song is fantastic. I'm glad you felt free to rephrase the words. Ya done good! We may only get as far as a live performance, playing along with your recording, but we'll at least record that. I'll keep you in the loop on this. Good on ya for the gig flow - yer gonna run outta legs to break. Glad to hear you're writing and writing. I was wond'rin if you were. Tom

By the way, I saw your performance at the Roxy Café last Tuesday. Terrific (as always). Loved “Downstairs Blues” with Lester. It’s so nice having such a good blues singer here in Wellington. Thanks for the music, Dale

Carol- I loved your songs at the Te Rangi Festival. You and Robbie and Chris togther were very special-sounding combination. Pennoire

Wild Women of Wellington rocked. What a concert! With Laura Collins opening and you coming in behind like a frieght train- well hey the night was set up to be a winner. I stayed til the end and loved evey minute. By the way, I think your new Gretsch Duo Jet suits you really well- I LOVE the photos on your gallery. Ian

I thought you handled yourself very well on TVNZs Good Morning Show. A good interview and your 2 songs sounded really hot. The band looked and sounded great! Treefoot- Albany

We have played your CD LOTS and really like it very much indeed. Hope sales have gone well....it's great. Sunset & Kate

Hi Carol - Many thanks for sending along your CD. I'm certainly enjoying it. I remember hearing some of those songs at the South of the Divide Concert. Absolutely first class production. Congratulations! You make me proud to be an ex-pat Yank!
Best , Peter Dyer- Palmerston North NZ

Carol– I bought the CD at last! And what a burst of energy it was – really shows the benefits of a lot of blood sweat and tears…and fun! I think the arrangements are a thing that really stands out – the difference between “Freeze frame’ and ‘Eastbourne Jetty” and say “Resurrection” – the arrangements and your confident voice. I liked the last few lines of Eastbourne Jetty – “let the Wellington winds blow me away”. The stand out tracks for me were Eastbourne Jetty, Resurrection, Do you remember me (sounds like an Appalachian song) and Moana Jane. I have always liked that song. Cheers, Brian Lunt – Bendigo Australia

Hi Carol- good to hear your latest sounds…tighter and a bit better produced than the last album- and all your own stuff congrats! I noticed that you started off Road Signs with “Freeze Frame” which was the track that I picked out as the stand out track on your last CD. Did you think that too? Hope you bring your sounds to this area sometime. I can come and be a groupie then can’t I?
Danny Bartlett - Nelson NZ

Hi Carol - I was visiting Danny when your CD arrived and I think it is great. And would like to buy one and one each for my girls. I think they'd really like it. I did not dig that you and your band were so good. Keep on CHOOGLIN BABE. Phil Bartlett- Timaru

California-
You certainly gave us an evening to remember- I love your CD- thanks for the concert. Dana

Boy it was sure good to see you again and even better to play behind you. Your blues stuff is great! I'd love to hear Blue Highway some time. When will we see you again?
Jim Rudnick- your LA drummer

Patty sent me the link to Carol's songs a week ago and I was very impressed. In fact I even sent for the CD from CD Baby and it arrived really quickly even though it was on back order. I really love the type of music she is doing. The lyrics reminds me of some of the stuff Kris Kristofferson did in his early days and her voice and style are a lot like Bonnie Raitt. BOB RADENBAUGH – ARIZONA USA

Hey Carol - Well done your album is awesome. Such a lovely big band sound and fine musicianship abounds. I especially love the read the Roadsigns track Driving Lessons, and the reggae celtic quirky number! Shelley Taylor www.shelleytaylor.co.nz

Sorry we missed your launch. We did however purchase a copy from Slow Boat Records and Carol your album is SO GOOD!! It’s a first class job, well done! We have been really enjoying it! In fact, we will probably buy a couple more for when we go south to visit the family in August. I have played it to a couple of sets of friends and they have all liked it. A drummer friend of mine said it was ‘tight’. I went back to Slow Boat Records to tell them how good it was. All the best Paul and Vicki Nuttridge

Hey thanks so much Carol. I think the CD has turned out great and I really think the production especially is first rate actually. You really maximised the songs... the cover art everything. I love the Irish song too by the way; the boys did a nice job.
Steve Cournane (writing from LA) - NZ drummer on Read the Road Signs

Dear Carol, Way to go Girl !!! I have hogged the CD so far and am loving it. Even long gone from NZ, at last reckoning 30 years, the songs bring back memories.
Cindy and Peter Madill CA – USA

I’ve been playing your CD over and over again while I’m driving. I am thrilled that you are so gifted and talented. At first when listening to you, I thought of Grace Slick of the Jefferson Airplane. Then I thought of Billie Holliday. And then I thought of Emmy Lou Harris. This evening I watched and listened to Austin City Limits for a few minutes. Allison Krauss performed… I think that you belong with the great ones. Fred Lippert USA

Congratulations on that fabulous review of the CD!!! what a coup! Other than bribing the reviewer with millions of dollars, there is NO WAY to receive such a rave review except to be terrrrrrrriiiiific!!!!!! I hope things take off for you, that every club wants you, all the good parts of fame but none of the bad parts.
Take care, much love, Katherine Haas, Annapolis Maryland

Congratulations on producing a first class CD. Well done Carol!
Micheal Young, musician, band Wire and Wood
TahoraMusic.com webmaster

I just now listened to the CD all the way thru' while reading the words from your site. The songs hang together right nice, like parts to a picture painted over time, all rolling out in the present tense of melody, harmony and rhythm. Being in the Right Place has been playing in my head for 5 or so months, it must have already topped the charts. I especially love Resurrection, the whole story/poem/tune and vocals; that Weissenborn slide stuff; the slide guitar on South of the Line; the "duelling harps" setting up/down Saying NO, a solid rocker if ever there was; the sax on Downstairs made the hairs rise on my neck (I stayed at that place once I think), and the slide on Downstairs was cool, too; Mark's thrilling guitar on My Paradise; your vocals throughout, esp when you growl on Moana; the spots of glorious harmony on Resurrection and Paradise; those light and tasty vocal riffs at the end of Driving Lessons; and of course I dug Land of Smiles. Have a great time flying your new machine, you're such cool pilot
Tom Erickson – Ojai California USA

It was great to catch up with you and hear the fantastic sounds of your new CD. Complimenti!!!!!
Richard Klein, ArKay Cajun Band, Wellington NZ

The songs sound pretty damn good to me. It's gonna be one rockin' record.
Paddy Burgin, Live Bait Band & Dunstan Rangers, Wellington NZ

I heard a couple of tracks off your album and it sounded bloody good. Reminded me of Toni Price. Well Done
Shady (Chris O’Shea) Radio Active's Americana Show 03 April 2006

Great job! You go get them girl!
Lorina Harding, New Zealand TUI Award winner for both Clean Break and Lucky Damn Woman
http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/story.asp?id=173

Good on you darl' It is a bloody fab album, gets played a lot round at our house.
Laura Collins, musican, CD- One Feather at a Time
http://www.lauracollins.co.nz/