Mike McCarroll-At The Crossroads Review

Artist: Mike McCarroll
Title: At The Crossroads
Genre: Rock-Blues-Country
Label: Independent

Mike McCarroll is a sure fire bet to become a working class hero if his music catches on. McCarroll started his own business once the kids grew up and he was satisfied enough to give it his best shot, knowing there was nothing to distract or stop him. After paying some dues and building a successful business venture (‘Business Traveler Blues") was in place, it was time to grab his guitar, head into the studio, and make the album he always wanted to ("At The Crossroads").

He was literally At The Crossroads of his life when this album got started. There could not have been a better title to have for his lifetime of waiting and his first album of studio material.

At The Crossroads is 12 tracks of fired up blues, rock and country. It is about real life, what can happen along the way and most importantly the right and wrong decisions in our travels that shaped our lives into what it is today ("Must’ve Been Crazy"). This is what McCarroll sings about with passion, grace, and heartfelt words. Along the way, he plays some blistering guitar lines, pumping out blues, rock and country licks to give the album an overall atmosphere that speaks of life, love and the pursuit of happiness.

I think the reason this album appealed to me so much is that Mike is a man after my own heart; he followed his dreams and worked his ass off with an eventual return on his investment. Nothing was handed to him and the bottom line is he is a very successful man in any endeavor he decides to undertake. I could totally relate to that outlook on life. Besides finding a commonality with the artist, I simply loved his music. The use of three genres that are so closely weaved together makes every story that much more interesting and tasty. Let’s face it; all three genres are kissin’ cousins, especially country and the blues. McCarroll does a nice job of separating church from state, cuts loose with tons of emotion and sweat and gives each idiom it’s just due.

This music encapsulates a lifetime of emotions, love, disappoint, wonder and doubt into 12 tracks of party time rug cuttin’ joy. The entire package is right here folks, its indie, its real, and it rocks.

MuzikReviews.com

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-January 22, 2008

Tracks:
01. Business Traveler Blues
02. Train a-Movin' On
03. Must've Been Crazy
04. Get It On
05.Saturday Night
06. At The Crossroads
07. House Of Blues
08. I'm Down
09. Road Rage
10. She's The One
11. Second Hand Smoke
12. I Wonder

Credits:
Mike McCarroll: lead vocals, electric & acoustic guitars and mandolin

Greyheart:
Michael Bradford-harmonica, electric guitar, keyboards
Jackie Martin: electric lead guitar, vocals
Dennis Lindsay: bass guitar, vocals
Bud Brook: drums and percussion

Session Artists:
Phillip Jon: electric guitars and vocals
Pamela McCarroll: flute
Jody Worrell: slide guitars & Ole-Tune pedal steel
Elad Fish: drums
Bobby Flores: fiddle
Tommy Detamore: pedal steel
Heather Irby: background vocals
Chuck Irby: Bar-Scene Talking