The Carter Family were hugely popular and beloved country artists from Depression Era and naturally today they are seen as untouchable and influential ancestors of any country artist who came after them. This sounds very interesting in theory but in reality this music actually scares me - I understand they were very important and all that, however it doesn't make for enjoyable listening. Everything about Carter's - from their gloomy harmonies to joyless songs clashes with my perception of music as something that uplifts the spirit (and this is coming from somebody who usually finds depressing music beautiful & relaxing) so every time I force myself to hear it again, I marvel at my own curiosity, what on earth had possessed me to buy this CD without hearing it before and how I simply can't convince myself that this universally acclaimed and historical music is pleasure to hear. It is not.
To me (personally - and I don't care what encyclopedias say) Carter's appear as some of those old family portraits where faces from different times speak about joyless lives, no laughter and only hard work & drudgery. You know, God-fearing, rising with a dawn, back-breaking field work and poverty, people who look ancient but were actually young as you or me. Even photographs of Carters scare me. And this is strange because usually music is one of the places where human spirit soars with beauty, harmony and emotions - where many other artists from same time (Jimmie Rodgers for one) have some kind of joy and spark, Carters are absolutely tight-lipped and adamant about not having any fun - they would probably criticize me right now for putting too much sugar in my coffee.
Sour, dour and stern, these country music ancestors are curious listening for anybody interested in Depression Era music - as for me,I find it almost gothic and very deeply disturbing. If on a rainy night I would find myself in front of their doors, I would rather continue trough the storm.
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