Reviewed by Paul J Zickler
Released: August 1981 Carolyne Mas Modern Dreams Genre: Rock Rating: 3.9 out of 5 Highlights: It’s Important What Is It About You, Baby Love Like Stone Track 1: It’s Important. Hey, this sounds fun. Jumpy new wave beats, eighth note bass line, synth arpeggios, surging vocals. The melody is a bit reminiscent of the Go-Go’s Vacation without sounding like a ripoff. There’s one of those Pat Benetar a capella dropout moments. “I’m not foolin’ / You’re not foolin’ / This time it’s real / This time it’s true / I’ll be right to ya / I’ll stick tight to ya / This time it’s real / It’s important to me / Whoa oh oh oh oh.” This could have been a hit single somewhere. Alas, Carolyne Mas never had any hit singles, despite a loyal cult following that was bigger in Europe than her native US. She came out of the Greenwich Village singer/songwriter scene, which gave us names like Steve Forbert, The Roches and Suzanne Vega. She was dubbed “the female Bruce Springsteen,” at least according to Wikipedia, but I would be surprised if anyone who reads this has ever heard of her. Let me know in the comments! The Springsteen comparison works at some levels. Mas’s songs put emotion front and center, casting the narrative voice in the role of underdog hero, much like Springsteen’s ‘70’s output. There are some musical echoes as well: Little Baby of Mine features harmonies cut from the E Street cloth, as well as a brash sax solo and tough rhythm section laying down a slow crawl. Most of the songs are less overtly Asbury Park, but Mas’s voice still cuts through the layers of sound, not unlike Bruce’s. Dirty Lying, with its faintly Latin melody and accusatory lyrics, would fit in better on an early Billy Joel record than anything Springsteen ever did, but Long Island isn’t that far from New Jersey either. Maybe playing the heroic role as a woman requires more toughness and less vulnerability than it would for a male counterpart. I don’t mean to make her sound punk; Carolyne is more Patty Smyth than Patti Smith, and her musical goals are definitely mainstream. But she’s a badass nonetheless. I’m also impressed by the breadth of influences here. Laurielle draws heavily on the Dire Straits blueprint, including some near-Knopfler soloing. Easy Love comes straight out of the Graham Parker school of songcraft, with a dash of country rock thrown in for good measure (the mandolin in the last 30 seconds comes out of left field until you think about the song structure, and then it makes total sense). The ballad What Is It About You Baby pairs an easygoing Bonnie Raitt guitar vamp with some soaring late ‘70’s saxophone. Again, it’s not hard to imagine hearing this song on the radio, a minor hit perhaps, or a deep album cut that got some airplay late at night. Even more fun is the Motown/Jackson 5 influenced Love Like Stone. With its horn section, flute solo, layered harmonies, and relentlessly upbeat lyrics, it’s irresistible, and by the time the short sax break ends, you’re hooked. Why was there no Mas Hysteria? How did such a talented, well produced artist fail to make a dent in the American music market? Maybe it’s just harder for a female rock musician to break through on her own merits. Maybe the timing was wrong. Or maybe Carolyne Mas was just one more example of how arbitrary music stardom was and is. In any case, this is a well made album with some clear highlights. If you’re up for basic rock and roll played with heart and grit, you might give Modern Dreaming a listen.
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