In mid-October I spent a week visiting my brother in Nashville, Tennessee- East Nashville that is. And of all the various bands playing around town all hours of the day and night in smoky bars, Tim Carroll & Midnight Orange were easily the most memorable. Their original, edgy style provides the Rock 'n' Roll Happy Hour (or three hours) every Friday evening at the legendary venue The 5 Spot -- and for good reason. Tim Carroll and his supporting musicians together deliver an eclectic sound as a result from their long-running careers spanning multiple genres and regions of the world -- making for some of the best live music to kick start a night of drinking.

But Tim Carroll & Midnight Orange can kill it on record, too. Their latest single, Don't Make Nothin' in the USA (released September 1, 2014), is a groovy yet insightful take on life today in our society that has changed so much in recent years -- the ever-increasing madness that can turn atheists into believers, average Joes into criminals, and straight-shooters into bitter cynics. The three songs feature Carroll's cool, confident vocals accompanying his bluesy, stripped-down guitar playing, bassist Bones Hilman's tight, effortless support and Steve Latanation's strong, energized drumming.

It is impressive to hear the trio come together from their varying backgrounds -- Carroll, originally from rural Indiana, got his start playing guitar in punk group the Gizmos in the late '70s; Hilman hails from New Zealand and is known for his bass work in the Australian band Midnight Oil; while Latanation has previously drummed for Agent Orange. The veteran musicians now call Nashville their home, and have incorporated Music City's atmosphere, amongst many other influences, into their latest output.

"Don't Make Nothin' in the USA" is the spark that begins the blaze, ignited by a blast of drums and a swift guitar hook. As Carroll sings, "the factories are falling to their knees/and the jobs we want are going overseas," his ability to weave social commentary with Americana style and a straight-up rock and roll sound. It's awesomely unique and immediately Carroll's songwriting stands out from the remainder of the East Nashville scene, for simply not doing the obvious or the expected.

On "Talk to God," the band slows down a bit and settle into a jam session-ish bluesy riff on repeat, but it coincides with Carroll's droning how any time may be advantageous to make peace with the higher power -- like "before you find yourself before the firing squad." As guitar and bass churn, scrape and squeal, and drums perfectly keep up the rhythm, the band expertly place their current feelings of isolation and desperation within an increasingly connected society to music.

Carroll and his bandmates don't lose steam with the single's final track, "The Way It Went Down," either -- the band doesn't miss a beat as they as they supply another biting, shrewd track on how our society can be so quick to dismiss horrific events once the next one comes along. The guitar is more of a bare-bones southern rock lick, backed by the same steady drums and bass, making for a mellow yet straightforward closing tune.

So if you ever find yourself in Nashville on a Friday afternoon (hey, it could happen!), head to The 5 Spot by happy hour to catch Tim Carroll & Midnight Orange play their weekly set. But if not, listening to this single will certainly suffice. As a first exposure to Tim Carroll and his impressive career, Don't Make Nothin' in the USA already has me looking for more. Instead of a simple airing of grievances, the single plays more like a statement of society's decline -- three maturely cynical songs from a trio of musicians who have been around long enough to know that no matter how fucked up life may get, there will always be rock'n'roll.



http://www.reverbnation.com/timcarroll/album/79786-dont-make-nothing-in-usa-single