Feel Free (CD - 1997)

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Carolyn Arends (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Spencer Capier (vocals, electric guitar, wah-wah guitar, violin); Phil Madeira (guitar, lap steel guitar, National guitar, accordion, organ, Wurlitzer organ); Gordon Kennedy (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); George Cocchini, John Painter (electric guitar); Blair Masters (piano, keyboards); Eric Darken (glockenspiel, bass drum, shaker, percussion, chimes); Steve Bishir (hi-hat); Tim Holt (shaker); Todd Collins (programming); Jimmie Lee Sloas, Molly Felder (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Eric Serefin.

Recording information: Dugout, Nashville, TN (1996); Frntpage Recorders, Los Angeles, CA (1996).

Photographer: Kim Stringfellow.

Unknown Contributor Role: Steve Bishir.

Every aspect of Carolyn Arends' second album moves her forward, expanding on the melodic folk-pop of her debut, I Can Hear You. Brown Bannister again appears as producer (with Arends this time sharing co-production credit), and they've toughened up the sound, with tracks like "Do What You Do" taking on elements of mid-'90s power pop. Arends sings with increased assurance, obviously having gained confidence with experience, and the band plays with a professionalism that never becomes bland. The lyrics to Carolyn Arends' songs on Feel Free are more incisive than on I Can Hear You as well. In many of the songs, Arends sticks to delivering inspirational messages centered on dealing with the challenges of life. For instance, "Feel Free" carries a message of friendship, while "Good Thing Going" concerns the challenges of making a long-term relationship work. Of course, there are praise songs, the best of which is the closer "Father, Thy Will Be Done." Instead of sounding like she's slavishly following in Amy Grant's footsteps -- as she did on her first album -- Arends performs and writes much closer to a CCM version of Aimee Mann's melodic pop. Arends is one of the most promising young talents in the world of CCM; Feel Free doesn't suffer a sophomore slump, demonstrating that both her performing and writing skills continue to grow. ~ Martin Monkman minimize