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Billboard-BETTY’S DINER REVIEW
February 7th, 2005
Billboard Online
BETTY’S DINER REVIEW
Despite its thriving music scene, Bloomington, Ind., is still labeled, and not inaccurately, as a primarily Mellencamp town. But for over a decade, teacher, activist and singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer has been one of a number of strong acts flourishing in John's small town-sized shadow, thriving on the strength of her hickory-smoked voice. That her compositions are as strong as they are is essentially Midwestern-flavored gravy.
Throughout this greatest-hits set, which chronicles her past eight records for Rounder/Philo and includes three new tracks, Newcomer asserts her skill at serving up sterling porch music for an Indiana summer. When she nails her spiritually tinged material, as she does on "I'll Go Too" and "Betty's Diner," she conjures up images of Lyle Lovett with her deceptively simple but instantly engaging brand of lyricism.
Elsewhere, she tries her hand at tongue-in-cheek ballroom rave-up with the new "Bowling Baby" and nicely foils her sense of activism and folk seriousness. The set is further highlighted by the gorgeous "Gathering of Spirits," which benefits from an assist by collaborator and frequent tourmate Alison Krauss.