Marc Carroll

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Uncut (4 Stars)

Artful sophomore from Dublin-born, Dylan-endorsed songsmith.

For the follow up to the mighty Ten Of Swords (discounting stop gap rarities compilation All Wrongs Reversed), Carroll has dampened the psych pop fizz for a slower dazzle. Where Ten Of Swords was a starburst trip from Carnaby Street to the Whiskey A Go Go, World On A Wire finds him in reflective, more painterly mode. There are strokes of Folk-Blues Dylan amid the subtler pastels, but it's the more layered arrangements that set these wonderful songs of personal faith aglow.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Mojo

Youngish veteran maybe finds that his specialist subject is emotional chaos.

London-based Irish songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Carroll played in unknown bands then, solo, delivered two albums of intelligent pop before discovering this rather convincing variant on himself. World On A Wire dwells in the measured melancholy of almost childlike piano, balanced by richly sorrowful cellos and (post-surfing) Beach Boys harmonies. His voice, subdued yet harnessing something of Bono's blend of innocence and experience, draws out some fetching melodies, none better than No Time At All which encapsulates his striking ability to make coherent music about inner confusion - raging frustration inextricably entwined in doubt and, ultimately, inertia. In tackling this tangled theme he gets the sound dead right. Clarity about chaos is a tall order.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

The Irish Times

Marc Carroll has been waiting in the wings so long now he must surely feel more like a set designer than a main act. Each album release looks set to see him perched at the top of the food chain; each album release gets people like me in a right old lather; each album release sells zip. The truth is the guy is something of a genius; whereas before he has Big Star/Badfinger guitars swirling around collections of superlative pop/rock songs, with World On A Wire he has opted for strings of a more mellow nature and created a record of warmth, truth, beauty and something approximating a career best. If Bob Dylan raised on an aural diet of Brian Wilson rather than Woody Guthrie appeals to you, then prepare to be blown away. Is this the record to drag him out centre stage though? Could be, should be ...

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

HOT PRESS (Ireland)

The follow-up to his acclaimed Ten of Swords solo debut, World On A Wire sees the prodigiously talented Dubliner in a much more sombre mood. With piano and strings predominating, the jangly guitar pop has been largely replaced by a much more reflective, introspective sonic approach. In fact the starkness and barely-repressed anger pervading songs such as 'It Isn't Always Easy', 'No Time At All' and 'Love Over Gold' makes you wonder what kind of traumatic events might have inspired them (even the record company press release states bluntly that "this is not for the fainthearted"). That said it's not as downbeat as it might sound and fans of Cohen, Buckley, Cave and Cash should find plenty of resonance on this brave artistic statement. His songwriting style and ragged voice has been compared in the past to everyone from Dylan to Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, but Joe Strummer and Mott The Hoople's Ian Hunter spring more readily to mind here. Throughout World On A Wire Carroll refreshingly celebrates rather than conceals his influences; 'God's Wit' cleverly re-works the guitar intros from the Beatles' 'If I Needed Someone' and the Monkees' 'Last Train To Clarkesville' into a gorgeously realised folk song, 'In Agreement With Reality' boasts a 'Knocking On Heaven's Door' choir-like intro while 'Till These Bars Break' is underpinned by On The Beach-era Neil Young-style acoustic picking. 'Talk Again' is the nearest thing to an upbeat pop-song, though Carroll's lyrics again contrast sharply with the backdrop: "I'm lost, done in and I'm low so low, I can't find thoughts for today or face tomorrow." Heavy going it might be at times, but a little perseverance slowly but surely reaps its rewards.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

The Irish Independent

Dubliner Marc Carroll has had his fair share of misfortune. A less strong-willed soul would have thrown in the towel. He's also had to contend with the Next Big Thing millstone that has been around his neck since coming to the attention in the mid 1990s. This third solo album is a timely reminder of his songwriting pedigree. His Dylanesque way with words, coupled with inventive & stirring instrumentation sets, make him stand out.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Maverick Magazine

Irishman with a somewhat dark and morose collection of introspection

Dublin-born and raised, Marc Carroll moved to London when he was sixteen. He played in various aggregations until deciding to strike out on his own. In 2002 he recorded his debut album Ten Of Swords which received impressive reviews in numerous quality papers including The Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian and The Independent. Despite the predictions of some reviewers that Carroll was headed for stardom in the near future, he has remained something of a cult figure.

Unlike a number of singer songwriters, it is difficult to try and categorise Carroll's music. For a relatively young man he has a world weary voice, sounding at times like a marginally less disillusioned, younger version of Tom Ovans. There is a darkness and quite startling intensity to his lyrics when he frequently becomes morosely introspective as he considers people and situations in the world around him and time and time again he can make the listener feel decidedly uncomfortable as he expresses his own secret fears and uncertainties, simply because, in doing so, he holds up a mirror for us to take a deeper look at ourselves and we discover, to our discomfort, that we too harbour many of these same, unspoken fears.

No Time At All for example, with it's one minute intro, which strikes a foreboding in us, is just a spit short of a detailed psycho-analysis of a manic depressive, stripped of self esteem and teetering on the brink of despair. There are no happy songs to make us want to join in on jolly choruses, and unless one is prepared to sit and listen intently to Carroll's lyrics, however sombre and at times down right pessimistic, they should give World On A Wire a wide berth.

However, the deeply contemplative individual who is willing to listen and patiently observe him peel away layer after layer of illusion until he bares his very soul, will find this a satisfying listening experience. Not only has Carroll written all eleven songs, he also plays all the featured instruments, and, unerringly, he selects these to fit the mod of the song. For the most part, there is an almost hypnotic, insistent rhythm to most, but piano and sombre Cello open several songs before being joined by other sounds, but Carroll is an imaginative and creative artist; one who knows exactly how to set the mood and then develop it to fit the lyrics.

Some may find this work too melancholic, too dark, too pessimistic and wish there was a little more light and a lot less shade, but those who find the deep well of melancholy a sort of catharsis, will appreciate what this man has sought to accomplish.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Q

The second album from Irish songwriter complete with grizzled voice and whining harmonica, World On A Wire has much to admire.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Record Collector

Self-Produced second effort from gravel voiced Irishman.

Opener A Way Back Out Of Here, a stately dignified piece, would have fitted snugly onto Dylan's Time Out Of Mind, it's weary, resigned tone befitting a man much older than Carroll. Carroll is a man who has learnt his craft well and this material is undeniably accomplished.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Net Rhythms

Two albums (and a rarities collection) and a Dylan thumbs-up in and the Dublin singer-songwriter is hitting his solo stride after several years fronting much underrated Irish outfit The Hormones. However, where Ten Of Swords was characterised by ringing upbeat folk rock Rickenbacker evocative of the Byrds the follow up is a far moodier and reflective affair steeped in piano and strings, Love Over Gold especially a plangent dark furrowed affair evocative of Blood On The Tracks era Dylan. There are other influences equally at work as the stark, backwoods acoustic folk feel of Till These Bars Break ably testifies. The lyrical mood is firmly downbeat, introspective with a melancholia edging into an emotional pessimism born of battering experience. The cello and piano shadings of the opening A Way Back Out Of Here clings to a ray of hope and salvation, but from here on he plunges into talk of 'losing the ones you look out for' on No Time At All, 'despair coming easy' on the deceptively breezy Dylanesque folk shuffle Together We're Strong, confessing to feeling "lost, done in and so low" on the strum along jangle Talk Again. But, whatever prompted him into writing those and the likes of the meditative It Isn't Always Easy, a gospel sounding In Agreement With Reality (which sounds to have borrowed the choir from Knocking On Heaven's Door) and the bitter turmoil of God's Wit where he "can't even remember my own name", given what's poured out on to the record you can't help but feel grateful.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Fufkin Magazine (US)

In a departure from the more upbeat music that was featured on his earlier albums, Marc Carroll has strengthened his pop credentials with the more serious, ballad-oriented World On A Wire. "Together We're Strong" is a catchy mid-tempo song, but most of the tracks favour a Dylan/Neil Young solo approach. Something in the melody of "Till These Bars Break" reminds me of "Helpless" and "Ohio." This disc is already an early favourite for Top Ten honours in 2005.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Kool Kat (US)

On his latest offering, Marc's gone all introspective on us! His warm, haunting at times, slightly weathered voice is sympathetically accompanied throughout by guitars, beautiful string arrangements and keyboards recalling the heyday of first division British troubadors like John Martyn and Bert Jansch

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Cielo Liquido (Spain)

The new album of Irish artist Marc Carroll sees the talented singer, composer and multi instrumentist as a teacher of melody. The harmony and the instrumentation was already known to us of delighted from his first solo album "Ten swords" (2002). On World On A Wire he has obtained an intelligent, dark, loaded, personal and stimulating work of pop, perfectly constructed, rich in textures and timbres, Byrds, Wilco, Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, Leonard Cohen fans should delight in this album.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

RootsHighway (Italy)

English songwriters know how to be eccentric (a lot more than their colleagues Americans), but Irishman Marc Carroll can strike the biggest punch. Just three years ago he unleashed the guitar filled psychedelic bath of "Ten Of Swords" , follows that up with the eccentric collection of rarities "All Wrongs Reversed" (2003) and now throws us again with this his second solo album, " World On To Wire". It is a deeply introspective collection of material, depressing even (Think Neil Young's `Tonight's The Night`). Where his songs were once conducted with fluorescent guitars, he has now turned to the piano, string arrangements and acoustic guitars. The result? An exceptional piece of work.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Plato (Netherlands)

In England, they are at the moment full of praise for Marc Carroll and his latest album `World On A Wire`, but in Holland we haven't got that far yet. This latest CD follows his debut, three years ago `Ten of Swords`, which set off joyful reviews in the British Music Press. Uncut called it one of the best singer songwriter discs of the year. Mojo called Carroll the ideal mix of The Byrds and The Buzzcocks.

We ourselves detect the influence of Dylan, but indeed also from West Coast pop and punk. It is this remarkable mix of influences that gives the `Folk` or possibly `Folkpunk` of Marc Carroll a completely unique sou8nd of it's own. In England the Irish Songwriter is reckoned to be one of the most promising performers for the future. After listening to `World On A Wire` we have to wholeheartedly agree with this.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Bertus (Netherlands)

Irish singer/ songwriter Marc Carroll takes a notable step away from the intelligent guitar Pop of his debut. "World On A Wire" is darker and deeper, while Marc's feeling for harmony and melody luckily does lay bare rich underlying textures. Ian McCulloch? Wilco? The Byrds? In any way inspired Pop with a lovely edge.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/10/2010

World On A Wire

Retecool (Netherlands)

Irish "balladeer" Marc Carroll may well be a songwriter, but he surely comes from upon high. "World On Wire" sounds as if he, standing on a mountain, is playing folky, punky Americana down into the valley and the melodies roll along the dunes. And then that fine abrasive voice with the wonderful Irish "R"! We haven't heard this kind of music for some time. Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) must be on his guard because this singer songwriter is immeasurably more digestible. Ryan Adams must also be on his guard because Marc Carroll is a lot more sympathetic.

Posted in World On A Wire - reviews on 20/05/2011

WORLD ON A WIRE

Plato Mania (Netherlands)

Marc Carroll made his debut in 2002 with "Ten Of Swords". That album was pure American powerpop, garnished with a sixties retro edge. It's successor is "World On A Wire" in which Carroll now shows a more inward looking and reflective side. The tempo has been slowed down considerably and in addition, Carroll has introduced the use of the piano. The sound is now more acoustic, occasionally even orchestral, but particularly beautifully kept in balance. The songs are all, without exception, cleverly constructed and are competently brought into the spotlight by the multi-instrumentalist Carroll. In "World On A Wire" one recognises and experienced songwriter at work, whose recognisable Dylan influence gives his melancholy and down beat songs an extra value.